Persistent Organic Pollutants

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact for long periods, become widely distributed geographically and accumulate in the tissue of humans and wildlife.  Exposure to POPs can lead to serious health effects.  The Stockholm Convention, which entered into force in 2004, requires Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment.

Prior to the Stockholm Convention, UNEP’s Chemicals Branch undertook extensive activities on POPs. These activities continue, both in support of the Convention and as a part of UNEP’s mandated work programme. Major areas of programmatic work include polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), POPs analysis capacity and the database on operational POPs laboratories, and information on POPs and alternatives.