THE

STOCKHOLM
CONVENTION
 WHAT IS THE STOCKHOLM
CONVENTION?
• A global treaty to protect human health and
the environment from persistent organic
pollutants (POPs)
• Adopted on May 23, 2001 by 91 countries,
including the Philippines
• Entered into force 90 days after 50th
ratification
• Signatories = 151
• Parties = 75 (July 2004)
 Stockholm Convention on POPs

• Philippines is the 51st Party

• Signed SC on May 23, 2001
• Ratified SC on Feb. 17, 2004 by the
Philippine Senate
• Became a Party on Feb. 27, 2004
• SC entered into force in the Philippines
on May 27, 2004
World Map Showing the Signatories and Parties to
the Stockholm Convention

* Signatories in Green, Parties in Red

Stockholm Convention on POPs

• Aims to protect human health and the

environment from POPs by eliminating
production and use and by minimizing
releases of the “Dirty Dozen”

• 12 POPs chemicals initially covered by

the Convention.
 THE DIRTY DOZEN

1.Aldrin1 7.Hexachlorobenzene 1,2

1 8.Mirex1
2.Chlordane
3.DDT 1 9.Toxaphene 1

4.Dieldrin 1 10.PCBs 1

5.Endrin 1 11.Dioxins 2

1 12.Furans2
6.Heptachlor
1 - Intentionally Produced
2 - Unintentionally Produced
 What are the scope and coverage of the
Stockholm Convention?

• Evaluation/regulation of new and existing chemicals

• Import/Export Controls
• Waste Management
• Hazard Communication
• Replacement
• Environmental Releases
 What are the advantages of implementing
the Convention?
• Ability to assess and understand the impact of POPs on
the community and the environment
• Access to technical assistance to assess and manage
POPs
• Access to funding of POPs project
• Ability to ensure that their trade in chemicals does not
compromise human health and the environment
• Ability to shape the Convention in the future
• A more sustainable future
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
1. Evaluation and regulation of new and existing
chemicals
Existing chemicals
 Parties must eliminate certain chemicals from
production and use and lay down POPs screening
criteria for assessing other chemicals for possible
inclusion
 Starts with the 12 initial POPs -the Dirty Dozen
 Specific exemptions for production and use may
be claimed
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
1. Evaluation and regulation of new and existing
chemicals
New chemicals
 Parties with regulatory and assessment
schemes are required to prevent
production and use of new pesticides or
new industrial chemicals that exhibit POPs
characteristics
 Adopt a “precautionary approach”
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
2. Import and Export Controls
Restricts import and export of POPs
 It will prohibit their improper transport
across international boundaries
 Allows import/export for environmentally
sound disposal or for an exempted use or
production that is permitted for the
importing party
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
3. Waste Management
 Prevent the creation of POPs in waste
management practices; their toxic content needs
to be destroyed and will not allow recovery,
recycling, reclamation, direct reuse or alternative
uses of POPs
 Concepts of Best Available Technique (BAT) and
Best Environmental Practices
(BEP)
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
4. Environmental Releases
 Stockholm Convention’s principal articles
aim to reduce and/or eliminate releases of
POPs from:
 intentional production and use
 unintentional production
 stockpiles and wastes
 Stockholm Convention on POPs
5. Hazard Communication and Replacement
 Requires parties to communicate hazard
information to the secretariat, other parties and/or
public
 Calls on governments for information exchange
and updates, research on alternatives, public
awareness, educational programs, technology
transfer, and provision of financial aid
 Calls on governments to to report and advise
regularly on BAT and BEP as experience is gained
and shared and as technology advances
 WHAT THE PHILIPPINES HAS DONE

• P.D. 1144 – Creation of Fertilizers and

Pesticides Authority (FPA)
• R.A. 6969 – Toxic Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear Wastes Control Act
• R.A. 8749 – Philippine Clean Air Act
• R.A. 9003 – Ecological Solid Waste
management Act of 2000
• R.A. 9275 – Clean Water Act
 STATUS OF POPS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Chemicals Banned Status
Aldrin 1989
Chlordane 1999
DDT 2005
Dieldrin 1989
Endrin 1989
Heptachlor 1989
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) Never registered
Mirex Never registered
Toxaphene 1989
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Production & Distribution (2004), Use
(2014)
Dioxins Sources: uncontrolled combustion, heat
& power generation, disposal / landfill
Furans
 PHI/01/G32:
THE PHILIPPINE ENABLING ACTIVITY PROJECT

As one of the early signatories to the

Stockholm Convention, the
Philippine government has been
granted an initial assistance to
implement and comply with the
provisions of the Convention,
through PHI/01/G32
 THE PHILIPPINE
ENABLING ACTIVITY
PROJECT
 PROJECT OBJECTIVES
• To create a sustainable capacity and ownership in the Philippines to
meet the obligations under the Stockholm Convention.
• Specifically, the project aims
• To assess national infrastructural and institutional capacity,
• To strengthen the government capacity to implement the
Stockholm Convention,
• To prepare an initial national inventory of POPs,
• To set priorities for POPs and POPs reduction and elimination
options, and

• To prepare a National Implementation Plan for POPs Management

 Inventory of POPs: A Background

• Conduct of an Initial National Inventory of

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Actual validation of data in 5 regions:
• National Capital Region
• Region 3
• Region 4
• Region 7
• Region 11
 Review of Existing
Data
Inception Inception
Report Workshop
Development of Inventory
Tools (Training Module,
Guidelines, Survey Forms)

Conduct of
POPs Inventory Training Workshop

Inputs of Survey Conduct of Survey

and Inventory Data and Inventory

Data Evaluation
and Analysis
Interim Report Technical
Presentation
Workshop
Initial Assessment of Development of
Opportunities for Policy Options for
Disposal of Obsolete POPS Country
Stocks Specific Exemptions
Initial National
and Terminations Inventory of POPS
  (Final Report)
 Inventory of POPs: Status of the Project

• Submission of Inception Report

• Conduct of Inception Workshop
• Preparation of Training Module/Guidelines
• Pesticides, PCB, Dioxins and Furans

• Preparation of Inventory Forms

• Pesticides, Open and Closed Applications of
PCB, Dioxins and Furans
• Forms available in EMB Website

• Conduct of Training of Task Teams

 Inventory of POPs: Status of the Project

• Survey and Inventory - ongoing

• PCBs
• Fielding out of PCB inventory forms
• Visit to electric cooperatives, military installations,
former US Bases, manufacturing plants, retrofitting
facilities
• Pesticides
• Fielding out of pesticide inventory forms
• Visits to pesticide manufacturers, formulators,
repackers, hardware stores, etc.
• Database Development - ongoing
 NEXT STEPS FOR PI GOVERNMENT

• Preparation and development of a

National Implementation Plan
ROAD MAP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE STOCKHOLM
CONVENTION
START
Establishment Approval of Project Proposal
of PHASE for the Enabling Activity/
I
Coordinating
Signing of Grant Agreement
Mechanism &
Process
Organization

Establishment of 
POPs Inventories Completed
& Assessment
PHASE II of
Priority Nat’l on the 2nd Q
PHASE
Assessment Infrastructure of 2004
III
& Objective
Setting

 Combined in 1
Formulation of Sub-contract
aPHASE
National Endorsement &
IV
Implementation Submission of a
Plan
National
Implementation
Plan:PHASE
May 27, V2006
 Establishment of POPs
Inventories
& Assessment of Nat’l
Infrastructure

• Initial National Inventory

• Trained Inventory Task Teams
• Conducted initial inventories of POPs from
the 5 Priority Regions (NCR, 3, 4, 7 & 11),
w/c will serve as the baseline data for SC
implementation.
• Came up w/ a listing of contaminated sites
• Made recommendations for the National
Implementation Plan.
 Establishment of POPs Inventories
& Assessment of Nat’l
Infrastructure

• Capacity and Needs Assessment

• Prepared the Philippine National Profile on Chemical
Management
• Conducted a Capacity and Needs Assessment for the
implementation of the SC through the:
• Determination and evaluation of the existing
capacities and needs of the stakeholders to
implement the SC.
• Identification of the related regulations to SC
implementation and evaluate its effectiveness.
• Determination of the country’s options, priorities
and objectives on POPs Management.
 Priority Assessment &
Objective Setting

• Part of the on-going Subcontracted Activity for the Development

of NIP
• Commenced in September 2004
• This activity intends to derive the following output from the
results of the Capacity and Needs Assessment and the Initial
National Inventory Activities:
• A set of criteria for prioritizing health and environmental
impacts of POPs,
• A preliminary priority assessment for the country,
• Identification of data gaps and deficiencies preventing full
assessment, and
• A series of preliminary country objectives for POPs
Management in compliance with the Stockholm Convention.
 Formulation of a National
Implementation Plan

• The NIP, which will address all the gaps and needs
identified for the effective implementation of the
Stockholm Convention will be prepared upon the
completion of the Priority Assessment and Objective
Setting Activities and should cover the following:
• Needs for technology transfer and info exchange,
• Cost estimates of needed investments,
• Specific action plans for unintentional by-products,
for PCBs, for DDT and for other POPs as
prioritized, and
• Targets, time frames for their achievement, and
measurable indicators of success.
 Endorsement & Submission of
a
National Implementation Plan

• Upon the completion of the draft NIP:

• Presentation to the responsible government
agencies and to the stakeholders for review and
to achieve consensus.
• Finalization to incorporate the outputs
obtained from the stakeholders review.
• The final version will be submitted to the
Conference of the Parties of the Convention.
 NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (NIP)
Summary of Phases
 Establishment of coordinating mechanism
and process organization
 Establishment of POPs inventories and
assessment of national infrastructure and
capacity
 Priority assessment and objective setting
 Formation of National Implementation
Plan (NIP)
 NIP endorsement and submission

Philippines submission of NIP: May 27, 2006

 COMPONENTS OF THE NIP

Action Plans Addressing

POPs pesticides
PCBs
Dioxins and Furans
POPs contaminated sites
Public awareness, information and
education
POPS PESTICIDES
Accurate identification
Proper control
Ultimate elimination
Environmentally sound disposal of any
unwanted and obsolete stocks
 Polychlorinated Biphenyls
For PCBs, PCB-containing materials, and
PCB wastes
Comprehensive and complete national inventory

Program for safe handling, storage, and transport

Elimination and destruction

 DIOXINS and FURANS
Updated inventory of releases for all
significant sources

Development and implementation

BAT/BET

Formulation and enforcement of

appropriate policies and regulations
Programme for information on the
prevention of environmental and
health effects of these substances
 POPs CONTAMINATED SITES
Complete identification of contaminated sites and hot spots
Pool of trained personnel for the identification, assessment,
and management of contaminated sites
Complete assessment of at least 100 priority sites
Recommendations to manage contaminated sites
PUBLIC AWARENESS, INFORMATION
&EDUCATION

Full awareness and high level of knowledge

across all sectors on POPs

Sustained partnership/network for implementing

the NIP
The best approach will be for everybody to
participate in tackling POPs:

Government, from the local to the national

level, can promote public awareness,
administer programs to reduce POPs
risks, identify problems and
implementing solutions
The best approach will be for everybody to
participate in tackling POPs:

Industry, can share POPs information with

users, find alternatives, review
production processes, and participate in
voluntary programs
 The best approach will be for everybody to
participate in tackling POPs:

International financial institutions, can fund

projects that reduce POPs risks and avoid
projects that increase them
The best approach will be for everybody to
participate in tackling POPs:

Public interest groups and the general

public, can contribute to local decision-
making on public health and the
environment and make informed
purchasing choices
The best approach will be for everybody to
participate in tackling POPs:

Academe and educators, can discuss

environmental issues and problems with
students for they will be our future
policy makers and stakeholders...