A chemical soup of long-lasting substances like DDT, PCBs and PBDEs
has contaminated our environment and our bodies for decades. Most of
the global community recognized years ago that these persistent
chemicals pose a threat to current and future generations around the
world. That's why 169 countries have adopted the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which targets this entire class of chemicals for worldwide phaseout.
The U.S. has not yet ratified the Stockholm Convention. Giving EPA the authority to tackle Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBTs) here are home will bring us one step closer to joining this global effort, and will strengthen our hand in international negotiations to protect current and future generations from these dangerous chemicals.
Persistent organic pollutants - or POPs - are PBT chemicals that can be transported across the globe. These dangerous chemicals einclude pesticides, industrial chemicals and chemical byproducts. POPs share basic characteristics that make them an urgent global problem:
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POPs break down slowly and persist in the environment for long periods of time.
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POPs concentrate in the food chain, building up in all living creatures, including humans.
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POPs are linked with serious health effects, including reproductive and developmental illnesses, immune suppression, nervous system disorders, cancers and hormone disruption.
- POPs travel long distances in global air and water currents, and concentrate in the polar regions.
PAN has worked with partner groups around the world to successfully press for a strong international treaty, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), which - for the first time ever - targets an entire class of chemicals for global elimination. The POPs Treaty sets mandatory timetables for phaseout of listed chemicals, provides technical and financial assistance to help countries eliminate POPs, and includes a process for adding new chemicals to the target list.
Twelve POPs chemicals were included on the initial phaseout list under the treaty: the pesticides endrin, mirex, toxaphene, chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin and DDT; the industrial chemicals hexachlorobenzene (also used as a pesticide) and PCBs; and the industrial byproducts dioxins and furans. In May 2009, nine new chemicals were added to the treaty's list for global elimination, including the organochlorine pesticide lindane. In October 2009, the POPs Treaty's scientific committee agreed to consider the pesticide endosulfan for possible addition to the list.
PAN is now focusing on pressing the U.S. government to ratify the treaty in a way that allows the U.S. to play a positive leadership role in implementation of the treaty both at home and worldwide.
Resources
PAN Information Sites
PAN Articles, Blogs & Press Releases
- PANUPs: Health advocates tell Congress: Time to protect next generation (Feb 2010)
- Guest Blog: Will future generations be less contaminated? Lawmakers are deciding now (Feb 2010)
- Guest Blog: Memo to Congress: Toxic chemicals wreak havoc on developing minds (Feb 2010)
- Magazine article: Changing Climate Accelerates Toxic Threat in Arctic (Fall 2009)
- Press release: Groups Demand US Action on Endosulfan (Dec 2009)
- Press release: Global Chemical Treaty Adds Lindane to Ban List (May 2009)
- PAN in Foriegn Policy in Focus: "One More Failed U.S. Environmental Policy" (Aug 2006)
- Press release: Global Treaty Targets Dangerous Pollutants (April 2006)
- Press release: Congress Struggles to Ratify Global Toxics Treaty (March 2006)
- Press release: Governments Celebrate POPs Treaty and Target New Chemicals (Aug 2005)
- Press release: POPs Treaty Achieves 50th Ratification (April 2004)
Other Resources and Links
- US POPs Watch
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics POPs resources
- Center for International Environmental Law
- International POPs Elimination Network
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
- US EPA POPs Booklet