Secretariat for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
The 'POPs' treaty sets up measures controlling the production, import, export, disposal, and use of POPs. The first substances identified as POPs under the treaty are eight pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, and toxaphene), two industrial chemicals (PCBs and hexachlorobenzene, which is also a pesticide), and two unwanted by-products of combustion and industrial processes (dioxins and furans).
Activities
Parties to the Convention are obligated to eliminate the production and use of listed pesticides, with the exception of DDT, the use of which is limited to vector control only; eliminate the production of PCBs immediately and their use by 2025 subject to the provisions; prevent the introduction of new chemicals with POPs characteristics; prevent and minimize releases of unintentionally produced POPs; take measures to ensure that POPs wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
Type of organisation:
Intergovernmental organizations
Established:
2001
Number of staff:
17
Head/Director:
Executive Secretary: Donald Cooper
Cooperation
with WHO on DDT use; FAO and the Basel Convention Secretariat on management and disposal of POPs stockpiles and waste; and the World Bank, Global Environment Facility and UNDP on Convention implementation issues. An ad hoc joint working group on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions was recently established to promote synergies among the three Conventions at the programmatic and administrative levels.
