The Stockholm

and Basel Conventions:

Integrated implementation with the
Rotterdam Convention
 Purpose of the Presentation

• Introduce the Basel and Stockholm

Conventions
• Highlight how they relate to the
Rotterdam Convention, and
• Identify opportunities for integrated
implementation

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Structure of the Presentation

• Objectives of the Conventions

• Scope-Coverage
• Key provisions of the Conventions
• Present status
• Integrated implementation

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 Stockholm Convention
OBJECTIVE
• To protect human health and the environment from the
harmful impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
HOW
– eliminate production and use of intentionally produced
POPs
– minimize and where feasible eliminate releases of
unintentionally produced POPs
– clean-up old stockpiles and equipment containing
POPs
– support the transition to safer alternatives
– target additional POPs for action

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 Stockholm Convention
SCOPE/COVERAGE

a)12 chemicals
• Pesticides
– aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor,
mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene

• Industrial Chemicals
– hexachlorobenzene, PCBs

• Unintended byproducts
– chlorinated dioxins, chlorinated furans
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 Stockholm Convention
SCOPE/COVERAGE

b) Clean up Stockpiles and Equipment

• Governments to identify stockpiles, products
and articles containing POPs

• Stockpiles and wastes to be managed in a safe

efficient and environmentally friendly manner

• POPs content must be destroyed

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 Stockholm Convention
TRANSITION TO SAFER ALTERNATIVES
• DDT is permitted for disease vector control until
locally safe, effective and affordable alternatives are
available
• PCBs – governments allowed until 2025 to phase
out ‘in-place’ equipment
• Country specific exemptions for certain pesticides
• Improve ability to minimize release of byproducts
(dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs)
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 Stockholm Convention

CRITERIA FOR NEW POPS

• Add new chemicals following consideration by an
expert body

• Criteria include
– persistence, bio-accumulation, toxicity,
– potential for long-range environmental transport

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 Stockholm Convention
ASSESSMENT OF NEW POPS

• Screening criteria are assessed by a POPs

Review Committee
• If the criteria are satisfied, information is
gathered to prepare a risk profile
• Lack of full scientific certainty shall not
prevent a proposal for global action on a
chemical
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 Stockholm Convention
SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Detailed guidance is available including:
• Developing a national implementation plan (NIP) for
the Stockholm Convention
• Reducing and Eliminating the use of POPs
• Action Plan for the Reduction of Reliance on DDT in
Disease Vector Control
• Framework for the Management of PCBs

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 Stockholm Convention
STATUS

Entered into force 17 May 2004

• 156 Parties as of June 2008

• COP 2, 1-5 May 2006, Geneva

• COP 3, 30 April-4 May 2007,Senegal
• COP 4, May 2009

Website: www.pops.int
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 Basel Convention
OBJECTIVE
• Reduce transboundary movement of hazardous
wastes to a minimum consistent with their
environmentally sound management

• Dispose of hazardous wastes as close as possible

to their source of generation

• Minimize generation of hazardous wastes in terms

of quantity and degree of hazard.
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 Basel Convention
SCOPE-COVERAGE
• Hazardous wastes (specified in Annex I)
– Explosive
– Flammable
– Poisonous
– Infectious
– Corrosive
– Toxic
– Ecotoxic
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 Basel Convention
KEY PROVISIONS
• A procedure for the notification of
transboundary movements of hazardous
wastes or other wastes, based upon a prior
written consent procedure

• Each shipment needs a movement

document from the point of transboundary
movement to the point of disposal
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 Basel Convention
KEY PROVISIONS

• Transboundary movement only among

parties

• Export is prohibited if
– The state of import has an import ban, OR
– The state of import has not given its consent to
the import
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 Basel Convention
SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION

• Manual and guidelines

– Model legislation on control and management of
hazardous wastes
– Implementation manual
– Instruction manual on the control system
– Technical Guidelines

• Basel Convention Regional Centres

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 Basel Convention
Entered into force May 1992
• 170 Parties as of June 2008
• Subsequent amendments have yet to
enter into force

Website: www.basel.int

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 Rotterdam Convention

Entered into force February 2004

• 120 Parties as of June 2008

Website: www.pic.int

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 Areas for integrated
implementation
1. Framework for lifecycle management
2. Chemicals covered
3. Regulatory infrastructure
4. Import/export control
5. Waste management
6. Hazard communication

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 1. Framework for Lifecycle
Management
• Together the three conventions cover the key
elements of the life cycle management of
hazardous chemicals:
– SC sets out specific criteria for identifying POPs that are to
be incorporated into national assessment schemes –
should lead to national regulatory action

– RC candidate chemicals are those that are banned or

severely restricted or refused first time approval for health
or environmental reasons

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 1. Framework for Lifecycle
Management
Rotterdam Convention
• is a first line of defence against future POPs
• gives countries an early opportunity to
consider alternatives
• PIC procedure should assist in avoiding an
accumulation of unwanted stockpiles

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 1. Framework for Lifecycle
Management
Stockholm Convention

• eliminate production and use of POPs chemicals

• restricts the import and export of POPs to cases
where the purpose is the environmentally sound
disposal
• reduce or eliminate releases of POPs working on
BAT/BEP guidelines

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 1. Framework for Lifecycle
Management

Basel Convention
• can assist in managing disposal of
unwanted stockpiles
• technical working group is developing
guidelines on management of POPs wastes

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 2. Chemicals Covered
• 8 of the 10 intentionally produced POPs are
subject to the Rotterdam Convention

• anticipate that in future intentionally

produced POPs in the Stockholm Convention
will be first included in the RC

• as wastes all chemicals will be subject to the

Basel Convention
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 3. Regulatory infrastructure

• Countries can use the experience gained

during ratification of the Basel Convention
for Stockholm and Rotterdam

• Guidance to developing National

Implementation Plans (NIPs) adopted at
Stockholm Convention COP.1 includes
references to integration with the Rotterdam
Convention
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 3. Regulatory infrastructure

• National chemicals legislation – all

three Conventions involve a review of
existing legal or administrative
infrastructure
– Utilize Rotterdam Legal Guide in
reviewing legislation

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 4. Import/Export Controls
• All three Conventions provide mechanisms
to restrict imports and obligations on
exports.
– Import restrictions under Rotterdam may help
prevent stockpiles and wastes accumulating
• Customs officials should be trained on
Convention requirements in a coordinated
manner, addressing all three Convention’s

• Conventions may facilitate monitoring of

movement of hazardous chemicals
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 4. Import/Export Controls

• Secretariats of the three Conventions are

working together to ensure a coordinated
approach to training customs authorities on
the requirements of the Conventions
– in association with UNEP Green Customs
initiative and the World Customs
Organization

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 5. Waste Management
• Movement of wastes under Basel
Convention
– Rotterdam and Stockholm may help to prevent
accumulation of stockpiles

• Basel Convention is developing technical

guidelines for PCB, dioxins, furans and
other hazardous wastes
– These will be taken up by Stockholm Convention

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 6. Hazard Communication
• All three Conventions have mechanisms for hazard
communication

• National focal points for the Conventions should

share information to ensure awareness among
relevant authorities

• Close cooperation between focal points and

regulators will assist in an integrated approach
– such cooperation may assist in coordinated
implementation, as common issues can be considered
together
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 Synergies process among the Basel
Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
Decisions of the 3 COPs

• Establish the Joint ad Hoc Working Group on

enhancing cooperation and coordination among the
Conventions
– 15 representatives from each Convention (3 per UN
region)
– First meeting March 2007, Helsinki Finland
– Second meeting December 2007, Vienna, Austria
– Final meeting March 2008 – Rome, Italy
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