The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants ( POP’s) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment.
It is under the aegis of UNEP (United Nations Environment Program).
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): These remain intact in the environment for long periods (persistent), become widely distributed geographically (long-range transport), accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife (bioaccumulation), and have a harmful impact on human health, or on the environment (toxic).
Under the Convention, the chemicals can be listed for complete elimination from production, use, export and import (Annex-A), Restriction in use and production for a specific purposes only (Annex-B) or Unintentional production (Annex-C).
The implementation of the Convention requires the parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of these POPs into the environment. Till date, 26 chemicals are listed as POPs under the Stockholm Convention.