Objective

As set out in Article 1, the objective of the Stockholm Convention is to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Among others, the provisions of the Convention require each Party to:

1. Prohibit and/or eliminate the production and use, as well as the import and export, of the intentionally produced POPs that are listed in Annex A to the Convention (Article 3)

   Annex A allows for the registration of specific exemptions for the production or use of listed POPs, in accordance with the relevant Parts of the Annex or Article 4, with the exception of use of PCBs in articles in use, in accordance with Part II of Annex A, which may be used by Parties without the need for registration. The import and export of chemicals listed in Annex A can take place under specific restrictive conditions, as set out in paragraph 2 of Article 3.

2. Restrict the production and use, as well as the import and export, of the intentionally produced POPs that are listed in Annex B to the Convention (Article 3)

   Annex B allows for the registration of acceptable purposes for the production and use of the listed POPs, in accordance with that Annex, and for the registration of specific exemptions for the production and use of the listed POPs, in accordance with that Annex and Article 4. The import and export of chemicals listed in Annex B can take place under specific restrictive conditions, as set out in paragraph 2 of Article 3.

3. Reduce or eliminate releases from unintentionally produced POPs that are listed in Annex C to the Convention (Article 5)

   The Convention promotes the use of best available techniques and best environmental practices for preventing releases of unintentionally produced POPs into the environment. See BAT/BEP guidance for more information. Parties also have an obligation to develop an action plan to identify, characterize and address the release of the chemicals listed in Annex C, included in the National Implementation Plan, and to implement other provisions of Article 5 of the Convention, to achieve release reduction or source elimination of unintentionally produced POPs.

4. Ensure that stockpiles and wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with POPs are managed safely and in an environmentally sound manner (Article 6)

   The Convention requires that such stockpiles and wastes be identified and managed to reduce or eliminate releases. Parties have to develop strategies to identify stockpiles containing POPs, products, articles in use and wastes consisting of containing or contaminated with POPS. Parties have to take appropriate measures to ensure that wastes are disposed of in such a way that the persistent organic pollutant content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed so that they do not exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally sound manner when destruction or irreversible transformation does not represent the environmentally preferable option. POPs wastes shall not be subjected to disposal in a way that leads to recovery, recycling, reclamation, directly reuse or alternative uses of POPs. The Convention also requires that wastes containing POPs are transported across international boundaries taking into account relevant international rules, standards and guidelines.

   There is also a specific reference to cooperation with the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal in relation to the disposal of POPs wastes. There are technical guidelines on environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with POPs developed by the Basel Convention when implementing their obligations under paragraph 1 of Article 6.

5. To identify additional POPs (Article 8; Article 19)

   The Convention provides a detailed procedure to identify and include additional POPs in Annexes A, B and/or C. A Review Committee composed of experts in chemical assessment or management - the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) - is established to examine proposals made by Parties for the listing of chemicals, in accordance with the process set out in Article 8 and the information requirements specified in Annexes D, E and F of the Convention. For more information, click here.