POPs - Persistent Organic Pollutants

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. This group of priority pollutants consists of pesticides (such as DDT), industrial chemicals (such as polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs) and unintentional by-products of industrial processes (such as dioxins and furans).

Persistent Organic Pollutants are transported across international boundaries far from their sources, even to regions where they have never been used or produced. The ecosystems and indigenous people of the Arctic are particularly at risk because of the long-range environmental transportation and bio-magnification of these substances. Consequently, persistent organic pollutants pose a threat to the environment and to human health all over the globe.

International Action on POPs

The international community has called for actions to reduce and eliminate production, use and releases of these substances. To that end, two international legally binding instruments have been negotiated and concluded:

• The Protocol to the regional UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) on POPs, opened for signatures in June 1998 and entered into force on 23 October 2003
• The global Stockholm Convention on POPs, opened for signatures in May 2001 and entered into force on 17 May 2004

These instruments establish strict international regimes for initial lists of POPs (16 in the UNECE Protocol and 12 in the Stockholm Convention). Both instruments also contain provisions for including additional chemicals into these lists. They lay down the following control measures:

• Prohibition or severe restriction of the production and use of intentionally produced POPs
• Restrictions on export and import of the intentionally produced POPs (Stockholm Convention)
• Provisions on the safe handling of stockpiles (Stockholm Convention)
• Provisions on the environmentally sound disposal of wastes containing POPs
• Provisions on the reduction of emissions of unintentionally produced POPs (e.g. dioxins and furans)

Community ratification of the international agreements

The European Community has signed both international instruments on POPs, together with the then 15 Member States. The Community ratified the Protocol on 30 April 2004 and the Stockholm Convention on 16 November 2004.

• Council Decision 259/2004/EC of 19 February 2004 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
• Council Decision concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was adopted on 14 October 2004
  Press release
• Stockholm Convention on Persistant Organic Pollutants

Implementation measures

The Community is strongly committed to the effective implementation of these two environmental agreements. Based on a Commission proposal (COM (2003) 333 final), the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on 29 April 2004. This Regulation entered into force on 20 May 2004. The new Regulation complements the earlier Community legislation on POPs and aligns it with the provisions of the international agreements on POPs. To certain extent the Regulation goes further than the international agreements emphasising the aim to eliminate the production and use of the internationally recognised POPs.

Commission to push for effective implementation of global treaty on toxic chemicals

Leaflet: The European Union and the Stockholm Convention

European Community Implementation Plan

Each Party to the Stockholm Convention - individual states as well the European Community as a regional economic integration organisation - has to establish an Implementation Plan to show the concrete action that will be taken against the POPs listed in the Convention. The European Community Implementation Plan, which complements the national plans of the EU Member States, was adopted on 9 March 2007.

Community Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants SEC(2007) 341   (pdf ~530K)            

Information note on Regulation (EC) No 850/2004     (pdf ~100K)            

REGULATION (EC) No 850/2004 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 29 April 2004 on persistent organic pollutants and amending Directive 79/117/EC

Identification of further POPs

Both international agreements on POPs include provisions for adding further substances that exhibit the characteristics of POPs to the technical Annexes. The Commission, together with the Member States, is promoting and supporting action to identify further POP candidates and initiate international action on their control.

The Commission Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION concerning proposals, on behalf of the European Community and the Member States, for amendments to Annexes I - III of the 1998 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants and to Annexes A - C of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants COM(2004) 537 final was adopted on 4 August 2004.

Press Release

Useful links:

• Dioxin Strategy
• The Stockholm Convention homepage
  • Layman's guide to the Convention
• The UNECE POPs Protocol homepage
• UNEP's POPs Programme

See also:

• Consultation on the Community Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - closed 10.10.2006)