Press Release
Korea gears up to ratify the Stockholm Convention on POPs
- Date:
- 2004-05-24
- View:
- 17,973
The 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) enters into force on Monday, May 17, marking the start of an ambitious international effort to rid the world of POPs.
The Republic of Korea, having singed the Convention on October 4, 2001, hits up the final efforts to ratify the Convention before the end of this year. Among the efforts include banning the production and use of 7 types of organic chlorinated pesticides and an industrial chemical, setting stringent emission standards on dioxin discharge, and exploring the Best Available Technology (BAT) and the Best Environmental Practices (BEP) applicable to national conditions. As well, the Government is already carrying out a base work to develop national plans for implementing the Convention.
* The Convention will require Parties to develop, within two years, national plans for implementing the Convention and to designate national focal points for exchanging on POPs and their alternatives.
Upon the ratification, the Government of Korea will seek a start to action against POPs by joining the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP 1) in Punta del Este, Uruguay in the first week of May, 2005.
Since the 1992 Rio “Earth Summit”, collaborated efforts to rid the world of POPs were witnessed through the International Forums on Chemical Safety and the Interorganization Programme on the Sound Management of Chemicals among many others. Finally, the UNEP Governing Council Decision of the 1997 invited UNEP to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to prepare an international legally binding instrument on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). On 22 May 2001, the world’s governments met in Sweden and adopted the Stockholm Convention on POPs, targeting 12 particularly toxic POPs for reduction and eventual elimination.
Once in force, the convention will require all member states (known as Parties) to stop producing or using aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, mirex, heptachlor, toxaphene, DDT, HCB, PCBs, and those wishing to use remaining supplies to register publicly for exemptions. Also, it will mandate industries to utilize the best available techniques or best environmental practices to reduce the release of POPs as byproducts of incineration or industrial production.
The Republic of Korea, having singed the Convention on October 4, 2001, hits up the final efforts to ratify the Convention before the end of this year. Among the efforts include banning the production and use of 7 types of organic chlorinated pesticides and an industrial chemical, setting stringent emission standards on dioxin discharge, and exploring the Best Available Technology (BAT) and the Best Environmental Practices (BEP) applicable to national conditions. As well, the Government is already carrying out a base work to develop national plans for implementing the Convention.
* The Convention will require Parties to develop, within two years, national plans for implementing the Convention and to designate national focal points for exchanging on POPs and their alternatives.
Upon the ratification, the Government of Korea will seek a start to action against POPs by joining the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP 1) in Punta del Este, Uruguay in the first week of May, 2005.
Since the 1992 Rio “Earth Summit”, collaborated efforts to rid the world of POPs were witnessed through the International Forums on Chemical Safety and the Interorganization Programme on the Sound Management of Chemicals among many others. Finally, the UNEP Governing Council Decision of the 1997 invited UNEP to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to prepare an international legally binding instrument on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). On 22 May 2001, the world’s governments met in Sweden and adopted the Stockholm Convention on POPs, targeting 12 particularly toxic POPs for reduction and eventual elimination.
Once in force, the convention will require all member states (known as Parties) to stop producing or using aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, mirex, heptachlor, toxaphene, DDT, HCB, PCBs, and those wishing to use remaining supplies to register publicly for exemptions. Also, it will mandate industries to utilize the best available techniques or best environmental practices to reduce the release of POPs as byproducts of incineration or industrial production.
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