During the two-week meetingcountries are expected to make progress in adding new so-called “chemical forever” on the list of harmful substances prohibited or restricted under Stockholm Convention – global treaty protecting human health and the environment from long-term chemical pollution.
They will also find a way to continue to regulate the use of chemicals and pesticides Under Rotterdam Convention on hazardous chemical management; and develop technical guidelines on the proper management of plastic waste and e-waste according to Basel Conventionon transboundary hazardous waste management.
Millions of people died
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019 a small number of chemicals for which data are available are estimated to have caused the deaths of two million people, including heart and respiratory diseases, as well as cancer.
Among other important issues, the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Stockholm Convention, will discuss the development of compliance procedures and mechanismsand consider a series of recommendations stemming from the second review of the Convention.
This will include an assessment of the continue to use insecticide DDT – still used for malaria control in some countries – based on a report on the work of the DDT expert group; and report on progress towards eliminating a group of toxic organic chemicals, known as PCBsand draft strategy to meet PCB elimination goals by 2025 and 2028, set forth in the Stockholm Convention.
Waste management
At the end of this month, the international community will meet again in Paris to continue working towards a new, legally binding international treaty on plastic pollution.
The 16th meeting of the COP to the Basel Convention, will consider the applicability of technical guidelines to manage plastic waste, as well as persistent organic pollutants in an environmentally friendly manner. .
The parties will consider recommendations from the Implementation and Compliance Committee, including progress made towards achieving national reporting goals.
An update on the partners’ work related to the Convention, focusing on electrical and electronic waste, plastic waste and domestic waste, as well as the prevention and combating of the illegal trade in hazardous waste. hazardous and other waste, will also be presented to the COP.
Meanwhile, WHO says total worldwide production of chemicals is on the rise and sales are expected to nearly double between 2017 and 2030.
