Persistent Organic Pollutants

Its list of regulated substances has since been expanded through regular reviews, and the Review Committee is scheduled to meet again this year. The Stockholm Convention distinguishes between substances that are prohibited and those whose use is restricted. It also addresses unintentionally produced substances, for which reducing releases and emissions is an important objective.

By now, most countries have implemented the Stockholm Convention. However, it is important to note that the Convention itself is not a law; rather, it is an international commitment under which countries agree to incorporate its requirements and provisions into their national legislation.

During industrialization, numerous substances were produced and subsequently released into the environment, resulting in pollution that extended far beyond the sites where these substances were originally used and causing long-lasting environmental damage. This becomes particularly concerning when a substance is persistent, as its degradation may take centuries or even millennia. A well-known example is the infamous pesticide DDT. Although highly effective as an insecticide, DDT was eventually banned in many countries because of its adverse effects on human health and its persistence in the environment.

To prevent similar incidents, address existing environmental problems before they escalate, and eliminate organic pollutants known to persist in the environment, the Stockholm Convention was established to prohibit or severely restrict the production and use of persistent pollutants. The Convention was adopted in 2001, initially covering 12 substances or groups of substances, including DDT.

What does this mean in practice? Each country develops a National Implementation Plan (NIP), which sets out how it will implement the Convention within its national legal framework.

Since then, the European Union has implemented the provisions of the Stockholm Convention in a relatively harmonized manner through Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which is directly applicable and binding throughout the EU. The Regulation establishes specific prohibitions and restrictions on the production, placing on the market, and use of persistent organic pollutants.

What are the obligations regarding persistent organic pollutants in the EU? Which substances are banned and which are restricted in the EU? Would you like to import a substance from a third country? Request a quote and we will explore the possibilities.