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Macro shot of industrial polymer samples and liquid testing tubes in a modern chemical compliance laboratory, cool daylight, deep slate tones
Macro shot of industrial polymer samples and liquid testing tubes in a modern chemical compliance laboratory, cool daylight, deep slate tones

Compliance Hub | POP Legislation

Stockholm Convention and the Persistent Organic Pollutants

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.

Environmental Protection and National Commitments

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. 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.

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.

Close-up shot of chemical regulatory documents with European seals and precision laboratory testing glassware, cool daylight, deep slate and navy tones
Close-up shot of chemical regulatory documents with European seals and precision laboratory testing glassware, cool daylight, deep slate and navy tones
Európai Uniós Jogszabály

Binding Force Regulation (EU) 2019/1021

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.