28/04/2005 – As delegates
prepare for the first Conference of Parties
(COP-1) of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) next week in Uruguay,
WWF today released a list of 20 chemicals
that it recommends be added to the treaty.
WWF’s list of recommended chemicals includes
the pesticides chlordecone and endosulfan,
several brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated
compounds known as PFOS and PFOA.
Perfluorinated compounds are used in the production
of textiles, food packaging and non-stick
coatings, while brominated flame retardants
are used in fabrics, TVs, and other products.
"Many of these chemicals are used in
everyday products such as packaging and furniture
and they all are contaminating our environment.
The sooner they are phased out, the safer
we will all be," said Clifton Curtis,
Director of WWF’s Global Toxics Programme.
The Stockholm Convention is an international
treaty that eliminates or severely restricts
production and use of 12 of the world’s most
hazardous pesticides and industrial chemicals,
including DDT, mirex, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), and dioxins.
Envisioned by the international community
to be a dynamic, living treaty that responds
to current realities, the Stockholm Convention
provides a rigorous scientific process through
which new chemicals that meet the POPs criteria
can be added to the treaty.
"The adding mechanism is a key element
of the Stockholm Convention, and governments
should not hesitate to act when there is convincing
evidence of a chemical’s threat to wildlife
and human health," Curtis added.
"At the same time, developed countries
need to ensure adequate financial and technical
resources to enable developing countries to
meet their obligations under the Convention,
including those related to adding new chemicals."
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) share
four characteristics: they are toxic; they
are persistent, resisting normal processes
that break down contaminants; they accumulate
in the body fat of people and animals and
are passed from mother to foetus; and they
can travel great distances on wind and water
currents.
The Stockholm Convention entered into force
in May 2004 and has been ratified by 97 countries.
The first Conference of Parties will be held
from May 2–6 in Punta del Este, Uruguay, at
which more than 120 governments and about
600 delegates will be in attendance.
NOTES:
• The 20 additional chemicals proposed by
WWF include:
7 pesticides, insecticides, biocides and
fungicides: chlordecone, hexachlorocyclohexane
(HCH), pentachlorophenol (PCP), endosulfan,
hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), dicofol, methoxychlor.
5 brominated flame retardants: hexabromocyclododecane
(HBCD), hexabromobiphenyl (Hexa-BB), pentabrominated
diphenyl ether (penta-BDE), octabrominated
diphenyl ether (octa-BDE), decabrominated
diphenyl ether (deca-BDE).
2 perfluorinated compounds: perfluorooctanyl
sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid and
its salts (PFOA).
4 other chlorinated chemicals or groups:
pentachlorobenzene (penta-CB), short-chained
chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), polychlorinated
naphtalenes (PCNs), tetrachlorobenzene (tetra-CB).
2 unintentionally produced chemicals: ochtachlorostyrene
OCS), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Under Article 8, Convention Parties can
submit proposals for adding harmful chemicals
for listing on Annexes A, B, and/or C. The
Convention calls for the establishment of
a POPs Review Committee (POPRC) to examine
proposals, and at COP-1 the Parties are expected
to agree on the terms of reference for the
POPRC so that it can begin its work.
• Documents for the Stockholm Convention
COP-1 are available at www.pops.int. In addition
to many topic-specific documents, there is
a "Scenario Note" included (UNEP/POPS/COP.1/INF/1)
which describes required and discretionary
actions facing the Parties during the meeting.
