Stockholm Convention

The Law on Hazardous Substances and Pollutants

  • Document Title: The Law on Hazardous Substances and Pollutants

  • Author: Camena Guneratne

  • Affiliation: Dept of Legal Studies, Open University

  • Published: Stockholm Convention

Overview of the Stockholm Convention

  • Adoption: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

  • Adoption Date: 23 May 2001

  • Entry into Force: 17 May 2004

Definition of POPs

  • Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

    • Characteristics:

      • Very toxic, can cause cancer, and have adverse health effects

      • Persistent in the environment, travel vast distances via air and water

      • Bioaccumulate in animals and humans

    • Sources: Primarily products and by-products of human industrial processes

Types of POPs

  • Categories:

    1. Intentionally Produced Chemicals

      • Example: PCBs

      • Uses: Electrical transformers, hydraulic fluids, paint additives

      • DDT: Used in agriculture for mosquito control

    2. Unintentionally Produced Chemicals

      • Example: Dioxins

      • Sources: Industrial processes, combustion (e.g., waste incineration)

Characteristics of POPs

  • Persistence:

    • Resist breakdown by physical, chemical, or biological processes

  • Semi-volatility:

    • Evaporate slowly, travel great distances, return to earth in colder areas

  • Solubility:

    • Low water solubility, high lipid solubility leads to bioaccumulation in fatty tissues

    • Accumulation can increase thousands or millions of times up the food chain

Health Risks of POPs

  • Effects on Humans and Wildlife:

    • POps disrupt natural hormones, leading to harmful biological functions

    • Notable example: DDT is a widely recognized POP

Case Study: Effect of DDT in Borneo

  • Malaria Control:

    • WHO used DDT to control the mosquito population

    • Resulted in various ecological consequences:

      • Overpopulation of caterpillars due to removal of natural predators

      • Negative impacts on local wildlife (geckos, cats) due to DDT accumulation

Transport of POPs to the Arctic

  • Locations: High concentrations found in Arctic regions due to global transport mechanisms

  • Movement Mechanisms:

    • Transported via air and water currents

    • Detected first in 1950s; pollutants traced back to lower latitudes

Biomagnification of POPs

  • Definition:

    • Accumulation of POPs in the food chain, concentrating higher at each trophic level

  • Study Example: Caribou and wolves in Canada experienced significant concentration increases of PCBs

Future Generational Impacts

  • Breast Milk Concerns:

    • Transmission of POPs through breast milk raises health concerns for future generations

Environmental Impact

  • Example: Behavioral abnormalities and birth defects observed in Great Lakes fish and wildlife due to POPs

Health Impacts on Women and Children

  • Statistics:

    • Water pollution in Uzbekistan linked to increase in birth defects

    • Pesticide exposure in Sudan associated with stillbirths

    • Air pollution in Ukraine connected to illnesses in women and children

    • Notable cancer rates in women in the USA

Increasing POPs Problem

  • Post WWII Trends:

    • Use of POPs escalated; influenced by industrial lobbying

  • Global Impact:

    • Emerging economies like India and China also produce POPs like DDT

Convention Aims

  • Recognition that POPs are toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulate, impacting ecosystems and health across borders

Specific Concerns of the Convention

  • Health impacts in developing countries, particularly affecting women and future generations

  • Increased vulnerability of Arctic ecosystems and indigenous communities to biomagnification

Coverage of POPs in International Conventions

  • POPs are addressed in Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions

Principles of the Convention

  • Precautionary Principle: Embedded within the objectives of the convention

  • Polluter Pays Principle: Obliges polluting entities to bear the cost of their pollution with fairness in trade

Support for Developing Countries

  • Acknowledgement of the unique needs and challenges faced by developing nations in managing chemicals

Complete Elimination Goal

  • Main Difference: Stockholm Convention seeks outright elimination of POPs rather than mere regulation as seen in the Rotterdam and Basel Conventions

Dirty Dozen List

  • Initial Focus: Twelve most harmful POPs, including Aldrin, DDT, PCBs, and others, are prioritized for elimination or restriction

Measures to Cease Production and Use

  • Party Obligations:

    • Eliminate production and use of specified POPs under Annex A, restrict those in Annex B

Minimizing Unintentional Production

  • State Parties Requirements:

    • Develop action plans to minimize releases of unintentional POPs from anthropogenic sources

Additional Strategies

  • Recommended Actions:

    • Eliminate old stockpiles of POPs, transition to safer alternatives, and promote international cooperation for elimination

Success of the Convention

  • Recognized as more successful than existing conventions; its aim for complete elimination promotes substantial progress.