Ratification of seven Persistent Organic Pollutants listed under Stockholm Convention

The Union Cabinet has approved the Ratification of seven (7) chemicals listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

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Key-Points

These are:

• Chlordecone,
• Hexabromobiphenyl
• Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether
• Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether
• Pentachlorobenzene
• Hexabromocyclododecane
• Hexachlorobutadiene

The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) financial resources in updating the National Implementation Plan (NIP).

The Cabinet further delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to Union Ministers of External Affairs and Environment with regard to POPs already regulated under the domestic regulations thereby streamlining the procedure.

The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs, which are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms and have the property of long-range environmental transport.

Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders etc.

India had ratified the Stockholm Convention in 2006. The Ministry of Environment had notified the ‘Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules in 2018 under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.