What is the purpose of the Stockholm Convention?
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs) is to protect human health and the environment
from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). It aims
to restrict and eventually prohibit their production,
use, emissions and import and export.
What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)?
Persistent Organic Pollutants, also known as POPs,
are highly toxic chemicals that threaten human life
and the environment around the planet. The 12 POPs
targeted by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs), like DDT, PCBs, are familiar
to many people. POPs have four characteristics: they
are highly toxic, persist in the environment, can
travel long distances and through the food chain
they bioaccumulate in living organisms.
Why are POPs a threat?
Laboratory studies carried out indicate that exposure
to POPs can lead to serious damage to human health
and even death. Even small quantities of POPs can
have serious impact on humans and the environment,
causing nervous system damage, diseases of the immune
system and cancers. Of the numerous chemicals that
are prevalent in the environment, 12 of the most
persistent, bioaccumulative poisons are targeted
by the Stockholm Convention.
How do POPs enter the food chain?
POPs build up in the fatty tissues of animals and humans
because they are soluble in fats and are not easily
broken down in the body. For many POPs, the levels
in fat increase as one animal eats another, so the
highest levels are found in predators at the top
of food webs. In the Artic, the predators contaminated
by POPs include polar bears, seals, birds and humans.
What are the 12 POPs?
The Stockholm Convention currently targets 12 highly
toxic compounds. They are: aldrin, chlordane, DDT,
dioxins, dieldrin, endrin, furans, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene,
mirex, PCBs and toxaphene.
What is the status of the Convention in Mauritius?
The Republic of Mauritius has signed the Convention
in May 2001 and ratified it in July 2004. Mauritius
is actively preparing a National Implementation Plan (NIP) to meet its obligations under the Convention.
151 countries have signed the Convention and 82 are
Parties to it.
Can new POPs be added to the Convention?
Based on scientific reviews, the Convention provides
for the addition, to its various annexes of new chemicals
having POPs characteristics.
What are the obligations under the Convention?
Each Party must, under article 7 of the Convention,
prepare a National Implementation Plan (NIP) and submit
it to the Conference of Parties. The NIP will include
legal obligations, measures to implement the provisions
of the Convention and specific action plans designed
to address issues on Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs).
