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{{Infobox Treaty
| name                = Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
| long_name           =
| image               = 
| image_width         = 
| caption             = 
| type                = United Nations treaty
| date_drafted        =
| date_signed         = 23 May 2001
| location_signed     = Stockholm, Sweden
| date_sealed         =
| date_effective      = 17 May 2004
| condition_effective = Ninety days after the ratification by at least 50 signatory states
| date_expiration     =
| signatories         = 152
| parties             = 168
| depositor           = Secretary-General of the United Nations
| language            =
| languages           = Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
| website             = http://www.pops.int/
}}
'''Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants''' is an international [[environmental law|environmental]] [[treaty]] that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of [[persistent organic pollutant]]s (POPs).

== History ==
In 1995, the Governing Council of the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] (UNEP) called for global action to be taken on POPs, which it defined as "chemical substances that persist in the environment, [[Bioaccumulation|bio-accumulate]] through the [[food web]], and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment".<ref>Decision 18/32, May 1995.</ref>

Following this, the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) and the [[International Programme on Chemical Safety]] (IPCS) prepared an assessment of the 12 worst offenders,<ref>{{citation | first1 = L. | last1 = Ritter | first2 = K. R. | last2 = Solomon | first3 = J. | last3 = Forget | first4 = M. | last4 = Stemeroff | first5 = C. | last5 = O'Leary | title = An Assessment Report on DDT, Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Chlordane, Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene, Mirex, Toxaphene, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Dioxins and Furans | url = http://www.chem.unep.ch/pops/ritter/en/ritteren.pdf | publisher = International Programme on Chemical Safety | date = 1995}}.</ref> known as the '''Dirty Dozen'''.<ref>{{citation | title = The Dirty Dozen | url = http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=o29428 | publisher = United Nations Industrial Development Organization | accessdate = 2009-12-21}}.</ref>

The negotiations for the Convention were completed on 23 May 2001 in Stockholm. The convention entered into force on 17 May 2004 with ratification by an initial 128 parties and 151 signatories.  Parties agree to outlaw nine of the dirty dozen chemicals, limit the use of DDT to [[malaria]] control, and curtail inadvertent production of dioxins and furans.  

Parties to the convention have agreed to a process by which persistent toxic compounds can be reviewed and added to the convention, if they meet certain criteria for persistence and transboundary threat. The first set of new chemicals to be added to the Convention were agreed at a conference in Geneva on 8 May 2009.

As of December 2009, there are 168 parties to the Convention.<ref>{{citation | title = Status of Ratification | url = http://chm.pops.int/Countries/StatusofRatification/tabid/252/language/en-US/Default.aspx | publisher = Stockholm Convention Secretariat | accessdate = 2009-12-21}}.</ref>

== Listed substances ==
There were initially twelve distinct chemicals listed in three categories. Two chemicals, hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls, were listed in both categories A and C.<ref>{{citation | title = Measures to reduce or eliminate POPs | publisher = Stockholm Convention Secretariat | url = http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/docs/publications/sc_factsheet_001.pdf | accessdate = 2009-06-12}}.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Annex !! Name !! [[CAS Number]] !! Exemptions
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Aldrin]] || 309-00-2 || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' as a local ectoparasiticide and insecticide
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Chlordane]] || 57-74-9 || '''Production''' by registered parties<br/>'''Use''' as a local [[ectoparasiticide]], insecticide, termiticide (including in buildings, dams and roads) and as an additive in plywood adhesives
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Dieldrin]] || 60-57-1 || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' in agricultural operations
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Endrin]] || 72-20-8 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Heptachlor]] || 76-44-8 || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' as a termiticide (including in the structure of houses and underground), for organic treatment and in underground cable boxes
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Hexachlorobenzene]] || 118-74-1 || '''Production''' by registered parties<br/>'''Use''' as a chemical intermediate and a solvent for pesticides
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Mirex]] || 2385-85-5 || '''Production''' by registered parties<br/>'''Use''' as a termiticide
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Toxaphene]] || 8001-35-2 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Polychlorinated biphenyls]] (PCBs) || various || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' in accordance with part&nbsp;II of Annex&nbsp;A
|-
| B. Restriction || [[DDT]] || 50-29-3 || Disease vector control in accordance with Part II of Annex B<br/>Production and use as an intermediate in the production of dicofol and other compounds
|-
| C. Unintentional Production || [[Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins|Polychlorinated dibenzo-''p''-dioxins]] ("dioxins") and [[polychlorinated dibenzofurans]] || various || &nbsp;
|-
| C. Unintentional Production || [[Polychlorinated biphenyls]] (PCBs) || various || &nbsp;
|-
| C. Unintentional Production || [[Hexachlorobenzene]] || 118-74-1 || &nbsp;
|-
|}

;Added by the Fourth Conference of Parties, May 2009: These modifications will come into force on 26 August 2010, except for countries that submit a notification pursuant to the provisions of paragraph&nbsp;3(b) of Article&nbsp;22.<ref>{{citation | title = Depostary notification | url = http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/download.aspx?d=UNEP-POPS-COP-NOTIF-DN-CN524-2009.English.pdf | publisher = Secretary-General of the United Nations | date = 26 August 2009 | accessdate = 2009-12-17}}.</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Annex !! Name !! [[CAS Number]] !! Exemptions
|-
| A. Elimination || [[alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane|α-Hexachlorocyclohexane]] || 319-84-6 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[beta-hexachlorocyclohexane|β-Hexachlorocyclohexane]] || 319-85-7 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Chlordecone]] || 143-50-0 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Hexabromobiphenyl]] || 36355-01-8 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Hexabromodiphenyl ether]]<br/>and [[heptabromodiphenyl ether]] || various || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' recycling and reuse of articles containing these compounds
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Lindane]] || 58-89-9 || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' Human health pharmaceutical for control of head lice and scabies as second line treatment
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Pentachlorobenzene]] || 608-93-5 || None
|-
| A. Elimination || [[Tetrabromodiphenyl ether]]<br/>and [[pentabromodiphenyl ether]] || various || '''Production''' none<br/>'''Use''' recycling and reuse of articles containing these compounds
|-
| B. Restriction || [[Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid]] (PFOS), its [[Salt (chemistry)|salts]] and [[perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride]] (PFOSF) || various || '''Production''' for permitted uses<br/>'''Use''' various uses specified in part&nbsp;III of Annex&nbsp;B
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pops.int/ Official site]
** [http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/Repository/convention_text/UNEP-POPS-COP-CONVTEXT-FULL.English.PDF Text of the Convention]

[[Category:Persistent organic pollutants|*]]
[[Category:Chemical safety]]

{{Imported from Wikipedia|name=Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants|id=332282589}}