Geneva, 16 December 2024 – The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council has approved a groundbreaking global programme dedicated to the elimination of a class of harmful chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) primarily found in electrical transformers around the world. This ambitious initiative combines USD 43.8 million in GEF grant funding with USD 163 million in partner co-financing and represents a major milestone towards meeting the Stockholm Convention’s 2025 and 2028 PCB elimination goals and facilitating the energy transition to reduce the effects of climate change.

The Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Mr. Rolph Payet, said that “the approval of the Global Elimination Programme for PCBs marks a critical step toward achieving the 2025 and 2028 goals of the Stockholm Convention. This program exemplifies the transformative potential of innovative financing and collaborative efforts in achieving global environmental targets, bringing together the GEF and its agencies, the BRS Secretariat, and key donors to align resources and expertise. By tackling the challenges of PCB elimination through forward-thinking partnerships and sustainable practices, we are advancing environmental protection and laying the groundwork for a healthier future”.

The Global Elimination Programme for PCBs (GEP-PCB, GEF ID 11749), showcases the power of partnership and innovation in tackling complex environmental issues by bringing together a powerful coalition of partners that include the World Bank, the Secretariats of the GEF and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, and key GEF agencies, including the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This gigantic joint effort brings together expertise, resources, and innovative solutions, such as blended finance, to tackle PCB management and environmentally sound disposal, aimed at protecting global health.

"As a longstanding advocate for global environmental health, Norway applauds the approval of the GEF Global Programme on PCB elimination. This initiative is vital for achieving the 2025 and 2028 goals of the Stockholm Convention. By tackling this legacy pollutant through a sectoral approach that integrates PCB elimination with renewable energy and electrification, the programme exemplifies innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges. Norway is proud to support the GEF's catalytic role in addressing such urgent environmental issues in an integrated way."

Tore O. Sandvik, Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway and GEF Donor.

“The GEF is pleased to support a new initiative focused on the elimination of PCBs, a persistent organic pollutant that poses significant risks to human health and the environment. This programme responds to the request from countries to the GEF, to accelerate action on PCBs ahead of the 2025 and 2028 phase out deadline for these dangerous chemicals and aligns with GEF-8 programming strategies and regional priorities, supporting country-driven strategies to achieve global environmental benefits. This new initiative is the result of a collaborative effort among the countries, BRS Secretariat, the GEF Secretariat and the GEF implementing agencies and demonstrates the strength of the GEF partnership in solving challenging environmental issues.”

Anil Bruce Sookdeo, Coordinator, Chemicals and Waste, Global Environment Facility (GEF)

This initiative will support developing countries in updating and verifying their PCB inventories, scale up safe disposal practices, and replace outdated transformers as they engage in the renewable energy transition. By incorporating PCB elimination into the broader energy projects led by the World Bank and other Multilateral Development Banks— the programme will not only address harmful contamination but also pave the way for reducing dangerous carbon emissions.

“The World Bank is committed to supporting global efforts to eliminate PCBs and transition to cleaner, sustainable energy systems. This programme is a game-changer in tackling hazardous chemicals while aligning with development priorities like electrification and renewable energy adoption. If we want to ensure a livable planet for all, no country should be left behind in meeting the 2025 and 2028 Stockholm Convention goals.”

Genevieve Connors, acting Global Director for Environment at the World Bank

“UNDP welcomes the approval of the GEF Global Elimination Programme for PCBs as a critical step towards addressing one of the world's most persistent pollutants. This programme leverages innovative sectoral approaches by linking PCB management with the transition to renewable energy, contributing to a sustainable and electrified future. With leadership of BRS and collaboration through GEF programs, we are confident that the 2025 and 2028 goals of the Stockholm Convention will become a reality.”

Xiaofang Zhou, Director, UNDP Chemicals & Waste Hub

This international collaboration was made possible through crucial support from the European Union, France, and Germany during the programme’s development phase. Their contributions underscore the collective commitment of Parties to the Stockholm Convention to fulfill their obligations while leveraging the GEF’s position as a global financial leader in environmental protection.

The Global Programme is expected to deliver significant global environmental benefits, including the elimination of approximately 8,750 tons of PCBs in Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Uganda (participating countries in phase 1). It will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent through the replacement of old, inefficient transformers. Moreover, the programme will improve the operational and energy efficiency of electricity grids in the participating countries, thus contributing to broader climate change mitigation efforts.

“Gabon is happy to be part of the global efforts of PCB elimination and will work with UNEP to eliminate PCBs from the country and shifting towards a more energy efficient, pollution free planet."

Madame Arcadie Svetlana MINGUENGUI NDOMBA, épouse N’ZOMA, Minister of Environment, Climate, and Human-Wildlife Conflict

“I have the honor to inform you that the Republic of Cameroon is committed to eliminating PCBs in line with the Stockholm Convention deadlines and is thankful for the financial support from the GEF and technical assistance from UNEP and BRS Secretariat in moving forward towards this goal.”

Aoudou Joswa, Chief of Environmental Inspection Brigade, Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, Cameroon

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. http://www.brsmeas.org/

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, is a global treaty requiring its Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment, to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment. http://chm.pops.int/

The group of chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is one of the original twelve POPs covered by the Stockholm Convention. They possess properties including longevity, heat absorbance and form an oily liquid at room temperature that is useful for electrical utilities and in other industrial applications.

Due to their physico-chemical properties, PCBs were manufactured worldwide for use in a wide range of applications, most importantly as insulating fluids in transformers. PCBs were also used in other types of closed and semi-closed applications, such as capacitors, as well as in so-called ‘open applications, such as paints, sealants and carbon paper.

PCBs can cause serious health effects in humans and animals, including reproductive impairment and immune system dysfunctions. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified PCBs as Group 1 “carcinogenic to humans”. PCBs have been detected in human milk, and in some cases, observed levels for indicator PCBs were several orders of magnitude higher than the WHO safety level. Once in the environment, PCBs enter the food chain.

https://www.pops.int/Implementation/IndustrialPOPs/PCB/Overview/tabid/273/Default.aspx

For media inquiries, contact: Maria Cristina Cardenas, Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor of the BRS Secretariat. Email: maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 October 2024 – G20 Environment and Climate Ministers, convened in Rio de Janeiro, adopted a landmark Declaration reaffirming their commitment to address some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

The Ministerial Declaration calls for urgent actions in four key areas: Adaptation to climate change, Oceans, Payment for Ecosystem Services, Waste and Circular Economy.

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, welcomes the commitments made by the G20 Ministers, as reflected in the Declaration, especially those focusing on reducing waste generation, increasing the environmentally sound waste management, and mobilizing new and additional resources to support developing countries to improve their waste management and combat illegal traffic of wastes.

“I express my sincere appreciation to the Brazilian G20 Presidency for prioritizing Waste Management and Circular Economy in this year’s G20 agenda. I commend the G20 nations for their strong commitment to accelerate actions to address the global waste and pollution crisis, which is essential in our fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. Tackling the pollution crisis must continue under the Basel Convention and other key multilateral environmental agreements, like the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which are pivotal in driving global action forward in this area” said Payet.

At the request of the Brazilian G20 Presidency, the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions contributed to the G20’s Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group, providing key insights on the global waste crisis and highlighting the critical role of multilateral environmental agreements - such as the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions - in addressing these challenges, while contributing to climate action and biodiversity preservation.

View the entirety of the Rio de Janeiro G20 Ministerial Declaration on Environment and Climate Sustainability here.

View the Statement by the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions on the Rio de Janeiro G20 Ministerial Declaration on Environment and Climate Sustainability here.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation. It plays an important role in defining and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. For more information about Brazil’s G20 Presidency, please visit: https://www.g20.org/en

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
 http://www.brsmeas.org/

For media inquiries, contact: Maria Cristina Cardenas, Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor of the BRS Secretariat, maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org

The Chemical Review Committee finalises draft decision guidance documents for chemicals recommended to be listed under Annex III to the Convention at the next Conference of the Parties.

The 20th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC-20) of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade convened in Rome, Italy, from 17 to 20 September 2024. Held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CRC-20 adopted draft decision guidance documents for chlorpyrifos and mercury, chemicals recommended to be listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention.

CRC-20 was chaired by Ms. Noluzuko Gwayi from South Africa, leading the intense deliberations among 28 government-designated experts. 65 observers representing 22 governments, and 11 non-governmental organisations also participated in the meeting. The Committee had a busy agenda with 39 notifications of final regulatory actions for its review, an unprecedented number of notifications, as well as four proposals for severely hazardous pesticide formulations.

The CRC experts finalised two draft decision guidance documents on chlorpyrifos and mercury, chemicals that were recommended for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention at the Committee’s nineteenth meeting. These decision guidance documents, essentially “information packages”, set out the scope of the chemical controlled under the Convention and contain basic information on the chemical including hazard classification and information on possible alternatives. They are key tools designed to assist countries to decide if they want to import a chemical or not. If they choose to import, they have information to use the chemical safely.

The recommendations by the Committee on the listing of chlorpyrifos, mercury made at the current meeting, as well as the recommendations for methyl bromide and paraquat made at previous meetings, together with the related draft decision guidance documents, will be considered during the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (COP-12), which will be held from 28 April to 9 May 2025 in Geneva. Should COP-12, based on the recommendations of the Committee, decide to amend Annex III to the Convention to list these chemicals, they will become subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure, which promotes among the 166 Parties to the Rotterdam Convention shared responsibility and cooperative efforts in international trade to protect human health and the environment.

Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide widely used in agriculture. It is a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide known to have adverse effects on the nervous system, posing significant health risks, particularly to children and pregnant women. 

Mercury is used in particular in small-scale artisanal gold mining, as well as products such as lamps, batteries, medical and measuring devices and dental amalgam. It is a toxic heavy metal that, when absorbed into the human body, can cause severe neurological and developmental issues, as well as harm to the kidneys, lungs, and other vital organs. Mercury is already subject to global regulation through the Rotterdam Convention as a pesticide, as well as through the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which aims to mitigate and reduce its environmental and human health impacts.

Methyl bromide, historically used as a soil fumigant and pest control agent in agriculture, is known for its high toxicity to humans and the environment. Due to its adverse environmental impacts and ozone-depleting properties, methyl bromide has been listed as a controlled substance under the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, leading to efforts to phase out its production and use worldwide.

Paraquat is widely used as a herbicide to control weeds in agriculture. Paraquat is highly toxic, primarily affecting the lungs, skin, and other internal organs, with ingestion or inhalation leading to severe health risks, including pulmonary fibrosis and organ failure.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Rotterdam Convention promotes shared responsibility and facilitates cooperative efforts among its Parties to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. http://www.brsmeas.org/

For information on the Rotterdam Convention, contact: Christine Fuell, Executive Secretary a.i. of the Rotterdam Convention, christine.fuell@fao.org

For media inquiries, contact: Maria Cristina Cardenas, Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor of the BRS Secretariat, maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org

The Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee convened its sixteenth meeting in Geneva on 23 and 24 June and from 29 June to 2 July 2024. Among 13 countries receiving one-on-one support from the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee to comply with their reporting obligations under the Convention, Cook Islands and Nauru have successfully overcome their challenges. The Committee also held landmark dialogues with the fourteen regional centres under the Convention and a range of entities from the UN system and beyond to identify the range of resources available to Parties to implement the Convention.

Over a six-day marathon meeting, the Committee engaged with 13 Parties facing implementation and compliance difficulties with key obligations under the Convention to develop adequate legislation and to transmit national reports. In depth discussions took place with representatives of Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Cook Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mauritania, Nauru, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic and Togo, which concluded in the resolution of long-lasting compliance difficulties to transmit national reports faced by two Pacific Small Islands Developing States, Cook Islands and Nauru.

Expressing his satisfaction with the progress achieved, the Chair of the Committee, Mr. Jason Dunn (Australia), said that “The Committee is providing support to Parties that are amongst the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of hazardous wastes. I am delighted to see the leadership shown by Cook Islands and Nauru to improve the protection of human health and the environment in their countries".

Over two days, the Committee also held landmark dialogues with the fourteen regional centres under the Basel Convention and a range of entities from the UN system and beyond to explore ways to harness the full potential of support available to Parties to implement the Convention. Representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme, the Executive Board of the Special Programme on Institutional Strengthening, UN-Habitat, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Grid-Arendal as well as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Costa Rica exchanged information on their activities and on the options available to embed the development of legislation and of national reports in broader efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“The scope of the wastes covered by the Basel Convention is large, and the implementation of the Convention contributes to achieving a wide range of sustainable development goals. I am grateful to the Committee for having established these linkages and for reminding us that the environmentally sound management of waste is central to the social and economic development of all countries” said Mr Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. He went on to underscore the importance of the work carried out and congratulated the Committee in progressing its work on the development of guidance to help Parties embed the implementation of the Convention in the broader sustainable development agenda.

The Committee also tackled compliance challenges with a series of core obligations under the Convention which legally bounds its 191 Parties. It continued its meticulous work of classifying Parties’ compliance performance with their national reporting obligations, and concluded that, for the first time ever, Parties have reached one of the targets set by the Basel Convention Conference of the Parties. The Committee also considered the outcome of the self-review of their legislation undertaken by 64 Parties, thereby identifying areas of improvement to ensure that national legislation fully reflects the provisions of the Convention. Preventing and combating illegal traffic was also high on the agenda the Committee, with the review of a report scoping the extent of illegal traffic which identifies that three main waste streams are currently of concern, namely, waste electrical and electronic equipment and their parts, end-of-life vehicles and their parts and plastic waste.

The Committee will resume its sixteenth meeting in October 2024. The outcomes of the Committee will be considered by the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 28 April to 5 May 2025.

The work of the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee benefits from generous financial support provided by Belgium, the European Union, Japan, Norway and Switzerland.

NOTES for EDITORS:

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is the most comprehensive international environment treaty on hazardous and other wastes and is almost universal, with 191 Parties. With an overarching objective of protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes, its scope covers a wide range of waste subject to transboundary movements defined as hazardous based on their origin and/or composition and characteristics, as well as three types of waste defined as “other wastes”, namely household waste, residues arising from the incineration of household wastes ash and certain plastic wastes requiring special consideration.

The Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee is mandated to assist Parties to comply with their obligations under the Convention and to facilitate, promote, monitor and aim to secure the implementation of and compliance with the obligations under the Convention.

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, or BRS Secretariat, supports Parties implement the three leading multilateral environment agreements governing chemicals and waste management, in order to protect human health and the environment.

For questions on the Implementation and Compliance Committee, contact:

Juliette Voinov Kohler, Senior Legal Officer and Chief (Officer in Charge) of the Governance Branch, BRS Secretariat, juliette.kohler@un.org

For media enquiries, contact: 

Maria Cristina Cardenas-Fischer, Head of Unit and Senior Policy Advisor, Policy and Strategy Unit, Executive Office, BRS Secretariat, maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org

 

Scientists at the 19th Persistent Organic Pollutant Review Committee (POPRC-19) meeting agreed that two chemicals should be considered hazardous and controlled under the Stockholm Convention of the United Nations.

In a crucial step in protecting human health and the environment, a Committee of expert scientists gathered at the POPRC-19 meeting in Rome, Italy, to review hazardous chemicals and to decide whether to recommend that they be included in the Stockholm Convention, so countries take measures to eliminate or restrict production and use and manage their wastes.

The family of chemicals known as medium-chain chlorinated paraffins has been recommended to be listed for elimination under the convention. These chemicals are often used in metalworking fluids as lubricants and coolants and can also be used as an additive to make plastic softer. They are also used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, as well as in paints, sealants, and rubber. However, scientists have concluded they pose a significant risk to human health, due to their ability to last over time in the human body without breaking down, leading to severe health conditions including cancer.

Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids have been recommended to be listed for elimination under the convention. These chemicals belong to the family of PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals’. Owing to their water, stain, and grease-resistant properties, they are commonly used in industrial and consumer products such as in the manufacture of semiconductors, printing inks, paints and coatings, paper and food packaging, waterproof textiles, cleaning products, and firefighting foams.

Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Rolph Payet, said:

“The outcome of this meeting continues the dynamic science of the Stockholm Convention in identifying and eliminating persistent organic pollutants.

This week builds on the world-leading scientific research that has been carried out under the Stockholm Convention, to protect the environment, biodiversity, and human health.”

The Committee agreed that these chemicals may still be used in specific circumstances. The recommendations for listing including specific exemptions will be considered at the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, which will take place in 2025.

In addition to these decisions, POPRC-19 adopted the risk profile for the highly toxic pesticide ‘chlorpyrifos’, meaning that the chemical will now be considered for recommendation at the next POPRC meeting. Chlorpyrifos is a highly toxic insecticide widely used in agriculture. It poses significant health risks, is particularly dangerous to children and pregnant women, and has adverse effects on the nervous system.

Over the next year, the Committee will assess information on socio-economic considerations and possible control measures for chlorpyrifos as part of its risk management evaluation and will consider a recommendation for listing.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
http://www.brsmeas.org/

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, is a global treaty requiring its Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment, to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment.
http://chm.pops.int/

The 19th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19) was chaired by Dr Peter Dawson from New Zealand, and was held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 9 - 13 October 2023.

During this meeting, POPRC-19 recommended the inclusion of two groups of chemicals in Annex A for elimination: chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14–17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight, commonly referred to as ‘medium-chain chlorinated paraffins’ or MCCPs, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, their salts and related compounds.

For information on the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention, contact: Kei Ohno Woodall, BRS Secretariat Senior Coordination Officer, kei.ohno@un.org

For media inquiries, contact: Asana Greenstreet, BRS Secretariat Public Information Officer, asana.greenstreet@un.org

The 19th Chemical Review Committee meeting recommended that chlorpyrifos and mercury be listed in Annex III to the Convention.

The 19th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC-19) of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade convened in Rome, Italy, from 3 to 6 October 2023. Held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CRC-19 recommended that chlorpyrifos and mercury be listed in Annex III and thus become subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure of the Rotterdam Convention. The CRC experts will now start developing draft decision guidance documents to accompany the recommendations on those chemicals to be considered by the Convention’s governing body, the Conference of the Parties.

CRC-19 was chaired by Ms. Noluzuko Gwayi from South Africa, leading the intense deliberations among twenty-eight government-designated experts in chemicals management present and elected by the Conference of the Parties. Seventy-one observers representing twenty-four governments and twenty-six non-governmental organisations also participated in the meeting.

The CRC experts also finalized two draft decision guidance documents on paraquat and methyl bromide, previously recommended for listing in Annex III at the Committee’s eighteenth meeting.

The recommendations on the listing of chemicals, together with their draft decision guidance documents, will be considered during the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (COP-12), which will be held in 2025 in Geneva. Should COP-12, based on the recommendations of the Committee, decide to amend Annex III to the Convention to list these chemicals, they will become subject to the PIC procedure. This enables the currently 165 Parties to the Rotterdam Convention to take informed decisions on potential future imports of these chemicals.

Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide widely used in agriculture. It is a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide known to have adverse effects on the nervous system, particularly to children and pregnant women, and genotoxic potential, hence posing significant health risks.

Mercury is used in particular in small-scale artisanal gold mining, as well as products such as lamps, batteries, medical and measuring devices and dental amalgam. It is a toxic heavy metal that, when absorbed into the human body, can cause severe neurological and developmental issues, as well as harm to the kidneys, lungs, and other vital organs. Mercury is subject to global regulation through the Minamata Convention, which aims to mitigate and reduce its environmental and human health impacts.

Methyl bromide, historically used as a soil fumigant and pest control agent in agriculture, is known for its high toxicity to humans and the environment. Due to its adverse environmental impacts and ozone-depleting properties, methyl bromide has been listed as a controlled substance under the Montreal Protocol, leading to efforts to phase out its production and use worldwide.

Paraquat is widely used as a herbicide to control weeds in agriculture. Paraquat is highly toxic, primarily affecting the lungs, skin, and other internal organs, with ingestion or inhalation leading to severe health risks, including pulmonary fibrosis and organ failure.

The Rotterdam Convention promotes shared responsibility and facilitates cooperative efforts among its Parties to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

NOTES TO EDITORS 

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. 

http://www.brsmeas.org/

 

For information on pesticides under the Rotterdam Convention, contact: Christine Fuell, Executive Secretary a.i. of the Rotterdam Convention, christine.fuell@fao.org

 

For information on industrial chemicals under the Rotterdam Convention, contact: Abiola Olanipekun, Chief, Science and Technical Assistance Branch, abiola.olanipekun@un.org

 

For media inquiries, contact: Asana Greenstreet, BRS Secretariat Public Information Officer, asana.greenstreet@un.org

Geneva, 15 May 2023

After two weeks of intense negotiations, the 2023 meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the three leading multilateral environmental agreements for the sound management of chemicals and waste, came to a close on Friday close to midnight having gavelled bold decisions strengthening the sound management of chemicals and wastes for the protection of human health and the environment.

Over 2000 delegates representing 180 countries attended the meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, which were held in Geneva from 1 to 12 May 2023, and took important decisions including the listing for elimination of three new chemicals that have been determined as posing significant risks to human health and the environment under the Stockholm Convention, making an additional pesticide subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure for imports and exports under the Rotterdam Convention, and the adoption of technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste, POPs waste and e-waste under the Basel Convention. Furthermore the adoption of procedures and mechanisms on compliance by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), marked a historical achievement after two decades of work.

The Listing of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Further Development of the Stockholm Convention

The Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention took the decision to eliminate the use of three persistent organic pollutants, namely the pesticide methoxychlor and the industrial chemicals Dechlorane Plus and UV-328, by listing these chemicals in Annex A to the Convention.

Methoxychlor has been used as a replacement for DDT against a wide range of pests including biting flies, houseflies, mosquito larvae, cockroaches and chiggers on field crops, fruit, vegetables, ornamentals as well as on livestock and pets. It is known to be very highly toxic to invertebrates and fish, including through its endocrine-disrupting effects, and has been detected in the environment and biota in the Arctic and in Antarctica, far from its production and use. Methoxychlor has also been detected in human serum, adipose tissues, umbilical cord blood and human breast milk.

Dechlorane Plus is a flame retardant and UV-328 a UV absorbent, both chemicals are heavily used as plastic additives, such as for motor vehicles, industrial machines and in medical devices.

Governments also adopted the monitoring results that indicate that regulations targeting POPs have succeeded in reducing levels of POPs in humans and the environment. For the initial 12 POPs, concentrations measured in air and in human populations have declined and continue to decline or remain at low levels due to restrictions on POPs; and for the newly listed POPs, concentrations start showing decreasing levels.

The Conference of the Parties also requested the POPs Review Committee, the scientific body under the Convention, to make recommendations regarding options for identifying persistent organic pollutants in stockpiles, products and articles in use and in wastes.

The report on the second effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention was launched. It highlights that the Convention provides an effective and dynamic framework for regulating persistent organic pollutants throughout their life cycle, addressing the production, use, import, export, release, and disposal of these chemicals worldwide, and that progress has occurred since the first evaluation in 2017.

With the adoption of procedures and mechanisms on compliance, the Conference of the Parties has finally put in place the last institution required under the Stockholm Convention. The procedures and mechanisms, which will be operated by a Compliance Committee, will help Parties in fulfilling their obligations under the Convention by both examining systemic issues of interest to all Parties and challenges faced by individual Parties.

Listing of Chemicals and Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention agreed to the listing of the pesticide terbufos for which an extremely high hazard to terrestrial organisms had been identified. This listing will make terbufos subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure, thereby granting Parties to the Convention the right to decide on its future import.

Many delegates commended the Chemical Review Committee on its excellent work and recognized that an increasing number of notifications get to the agenda of this subsidiary body of the convention.

The Conference of the Parties also held intensive debates on ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention. Agreement was reached to further address the impacts regarding listing of chemicals to Annex III and its implementation, while a proposal to amend the Convention with an additional Annex to facilitate information exchange for chemicals and pesticides which have been recommended by the Chemical Review Committee for listing but which have not been listed by the Conference of the Parties was rejected.

Basel Convention: Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of Wastes

The sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention adopted technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of plastic waste, which reflect the first global understanding of how to minimize the generation of plastic wastes and to ensure that their collection, transport and disposal minimize negative impacts on human health and the environment. The Conference of the Parties also adopted technical guidelines on wastes containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants, and, again on an interim basis, technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electronic and electrical waste and used electrical and electronic equipment in particular regarding the distinction between waste and nonwaste under the Basel Convention and welcomed the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of waste lead-acid batteries. The Technical Guidelines are meant to provide guidance to countries which are building their capacity to manage waste in an environmentally and efficient way and in their development of detailed procedures, waste management plans or strategies.

Speaking at the closing of the PCB Fair held in the margins of the meetings, Mr Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions stressed the need for countries to accelerate action to meet the upcoming deadlines related to the elimination of the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in equipment by 2025 and the environmentally sound waste management of liquids containing PCB and equipment contaminated with PCB by 2028 under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. PCB have historically been used in industry as heat exchange fluids, in electric transformers and capacitors, and as additives in paint, carbonless copy paper, and plastics. PCBs are toxic to fish, killing them at higher doses and causing spawning failures at lower doses. Research also links PCBs to reproductive failure and suppression of the immune system in various wild animals, such as seals and mink.

Τhe three conferences closed with a further strengthened mandate for international cooperation with other organizations, including the Minamata Convention on mercury, as well as in support of the recently adopted resolutions by the United Nations Environment Assembly to forge a new international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, and to establish a science policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and prevent pollution.

Promoting action on making visible the invisible, to address the triple planetary crises on pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, the three conferences also further strengthened the mandate for international cooperation with other organizations, including with the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Global Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework, and noted that actions under the BRS conventions may contribute to achieving the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Notes for Editors:

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions, or BRS Secretariat, supports Parties implement the three leading multilateral environment agreements governing chemicals and waste management, to protect human health and the environment. See www.brsmeas.org for more information and follow the @brsmeas twitter feed for daily news.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal is the most comprehensive international environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes and is almost universal, with 190 Parties. With an overarching objective of protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes and other wastes, its scope covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous” based on their origin and/or composition and characteristics, as well as other types of wastes requiring special consideration, including household waste, incinerator ash, and plastics wastes. See www.basel.int

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, is jointly administered by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN Environment (UNEP). The 165 Parties to this legally-binding Convention share responsibility and cooperate to safely manage chemicals in international trade. To date 54 chemicals and pesticides and formulations are listed in its Annex III. The Convention does not introduce bans but facilitates the exchange of information among Parties on hazardous chemicals and pesticides, and their potential risks, to inform and improve national decision making. In addition, through the PIC Procedure, it provides a legally-binding mechanism to support national decisions on the import of selected chemicals and pesticides in order to minimize the risk they pose to human health and the environment. See www.pic.int

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment. Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) can lead to serious health effects including certain cancers, birth defects, dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems, greater susceptibility to disease and damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems. The Convention requires its Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. As of today, this legally-binding Convention has 186 Parties, giving it almost universal coverage. To date, 34 chemicals of global concern have been listed under the Stockholm Convention. See www.pops.int

For more information, please contact:

For media enquiries:

Maria Cristina Cardenas, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (UNEP), Geneva: +41-79-477 0886, maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org.

Christine Fuell, Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention (FAO), Christine.fuell@fao.org.

Geneva, 01 May 2023

Under the theme “Accelerating Action: Targets for the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”, over 2000 delegates from around the globe gather in Geneva, Switzerland for two weeks. They will take further key decisions to address pollution, and achieve the objectives of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the three leading multilateral environmental agreements for the sound management of chemicals and waste.

The meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, which are being held in Geneva from 1 to 12 May 2023, are expected to make progress on key issues under the conventions. These are for example listing of new chemicals, that are determined as posing serious concerns to human health and the environment, for elimination under the Stockholm Convention; subjecting additional chemicals and pesticides to the Prior Informed Consent procedure and considering an amendment proposal concerning the listing process under the Rotterdam Convention. Finally the development of technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste, POPs waste and e-waste under the Basel Convention.

Speaking at the opening session of the BRS COPs, Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary (UNEP) of the three conventions, underscored that “the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) targets under the Stockholm Convention, to eliminate the use of PCB in equipment by 2025 and to achieve the environmentally sound management of liquids containing PCB and equipment contaminated with PCB by 2028, are just around the corner! It is thus imperative for the international community, donors and the funding institutions to accelerate action to assist Parties in achieving these targets”.

Listing of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Further Development of the Stockholm Convention

Three new chemicals are proposed for listing in Annex A, B or C to the Stockholm Convention namely the pesticide: methoxychlor and the industrial chemicals Dechlorane Plus and UV-328. Methoxychlor has been used as a replacement for DDT against a wide range of pests including biting flies, houseflies, mosquito larvae, cockroaches and chiggers on field crops, fruit, vegetables, ornamentals as well as on livestock and pets. It is known to be very highly toxic to invertebrates and fish, including through its endocrine-disrupting effects, and has been detected in the environment and biota in the Arctic and in Antarctica, far from its production and use. Methoxychlor has also been detected in human serum, adipose tissues, umbilical cord blood and human breast milk.

Dechlorane Plus is a flame retardant and UV-328 a UV absorbent, both chemicals are heavily used as plastic additives, including for uses that require time to be phased out, such as for motor vehicles, industrial machines and in medical devices. For that reason, the POPRC-18 recommendations included time-limited specific exemptions. The three chemicals are proposed for listing based on a robust review process addressing risks, management options and alternatives by the UN’s POPs Review Committee.

Amongst other key issues, the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention will also discuss the development of compliance procedures and mechanisms, review a range of recommendations stemming from the second evaluation of the effectiveness of the Stockholm Convention, evaluate the continued need to use DDT for disease vector control, based on the report on the work of the DDT expert group; the report on progress towards the elimination of PCB, and the draft strategy to meet the 2025 and 2028 goals to eliminate PCB set out in the Stockholm Convention.

Listing of Chemicals and Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-11) will consider the listing of four pesticides, two severely hazardous pesticide formulations, and one industrial chemical into Annex III to the Convention. Among them are the fungicide iprodion with a high long-term risk to aquatic organisms, and the insecticide terbufos for which an extremely high hazard to terrestrial organisms was identified. Both will be considered for the first time by this COP.

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade enables parties to take informed decisions on future imports of chemicals and pesticides that have been listed in its Annex III. Through the subsequent PIC procedure parties will benefit from a structured information exchange that contributes to the environmentally sound use of those hazardous chemicals. “Managing safely such hazardous chemicals and pesticides will is one of the main objectives of the Rotterdam Convention and at the same time contributes to the achievement of target 7 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in December 2022” highlighted Christine Fuell, ad interim Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam Convention.

The meeting will also consider, among other important items, an amendment proposal co-sponsored by Australia, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Georgia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Republic of Maldives, Switzerland and Togo to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention by creating a pathway for listing chemicals under the Convention in a new Annex VIII when all efforts to reach consensus to list them in Annex III have failed. Finally, the Conference of the Parties will hear about the progress achieved by the Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee which launched its work in 2022.

Technical guidelines for the sound management of wastes

The sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention will consider the potential adoption of technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of plastic waste, as well as wastes containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants. Parties will consider recommendations from the Implementation and Compliance Committee to improve Parties’ compliance with a range of obligations under the Convention, including progress achieved to reach national reporting targets. Parties will also discuss possible ways to improve the functioning of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, which is the corner stone of the Basel Convention regime to control transboundary movements of wastes, electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents and work on further clarifying the disposal operations and hazardous wastes covered by the Convention. Progress on the work under the Convention’s partnerships, focusing on electronic and electrical waste, plastic waste and household waste, as well as on preventing and combatting illegal traffic in hazardous and other wastes will be presented to the Conference of the Parties.

Notes for Editors:

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions, or BRS Secretariat, supports Parties implement the three leading multilateral environment agreements governing chemicals and waste management, in order to protect human health and the environment. See www.brsmeas.org for more information and follow the @brsmeas twitter feed for daily news.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal is the most comprehensive international environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes and is almost universal, with 190 Parties. With an overarching objective of protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes and other wastes, its scope covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous” based on their origin and/or composition and characteristics, as well as other types of wastes requiring special consideration, including household waste, incinerator ash, and plastics wastes. See www.basel.int

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, is jointly administered by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN Environment (UNEP). The 165 Parties to this legally-binding Convention share responsibility and cooperate to safely manage chemicals in international trade. To date 54 chemicals and pesticides and formulations are listed in its Annex III. The Convention does not introduce bans but facilitates the exchange of information among Parties on hazardous chemicals and pesticides, and their potential risks, to inform and improve national decision making. In addition, through the PIC Procedure, it provides a legally-binding mechanism to support national decisions on the import of selected chemicals and pesticides in order to minimize the risk they pose to human health and the environment. See www.pic.int

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment. Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) can lead to serious health effects including certain cancers, birth defects, dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems, greater susceptibility to disease and damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems. The Convention requires its Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. As of today, this legally-binding Convention has 186 Parties, giving it almost universal coverage. To date, 31 chemicals of global concern have been listed under the Stockholm Convention. See www.pops.int

For more information, please contact:

Maria Cristina Cardenas, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (UNEP), Geneva: +41-79-477 0886, maria-cristina.cardenas@un.org

Christine Fuell, Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention (FAO), Christine.fuell@fao.org

Representatives from 120 countries, industry and civil society meet under the Basel Convention’s Plastic Waste Partnership in Uruguay, ahead of the inaugural session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

From 23 to 25 November 2022, the members of the Basel Convention’s Plastic Waste Partnership (PWP) convened in Punta del Este, Uruguay, to discuss plastic waste prevention, elimination of hazardous constituents in plastic products, trade control of plastic waste, promotion of the environmentally sound collection, separation and recycling of plastic waste, and to plan the PWP’s work for the 2024-25 biennium.

“I was delighted to see that the PWP’s membership keeps growing, we are now up to 265 representatives from over 120 government, industry and civil society entities from around the world, all dedicated to successfully tackling the plastic waste crisis,” noted in his opening remarks the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, Rolph Payet.

Established under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal in 2019, the PWP aims to significantly reduce and ultimately eliminate the discharge of plastic waste and microplastics into the environment – particularly, in marine ecosystems. To that end, PWP members work to foster best practice solutions for the environmentally sound management of plastic waste by building on the existing body of knowledge at the local, regional and global levels.

One of the flagships of the PWP is its pilot project programme, through which 23 projects in 22 countries have so far been selected for implementation.  The new round of proposals will seek to include pilot projects with a regional focus.

“Following this year’s second call for proposals, we are evaluating over 100 projects in countries where the need for action is greatest. We expect this round of to focus on innovative projects that both scalable and replicable in other country settings,” said the PWP Working Group Co-chair, Ross Bartley, from the Bureau of International Recycling.

On the occasion of the third PWP meeting, the BRS Secretariat launched the digital version of a photography book, featuring the finalist entries of the PWP’s Plastic is Forever (so it’s time to get clever about managing it) photo competition. People from all around the world entered the competition to share images depicting how plastic pollution is affecting their daily lives. All photographs were previously displayed in photo exhibitions held in Geneva and online, on the UN Exhibits website. The three competition winners were announced in June 2022 during the Plastics Forum, held in the margins of the 2021/2022 meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the BRS Conventions.

Following the third PWP meeting, delegates from around the world gather for the first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The INC meeting takes place in Punta del Este, from 28 November to 2 December, after the adoption of the relevant historic resolution during resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly. With the ambition of completing negotiations by end of 2024, the INC will consider how to promote sustainable production and consumption of plastics from product design to environmentally sound waste management, through resource efficiency and circular economy approaches.

The BRS Secretariat is participating in the INC to closely cooperate and coordinate with the United Nations Environment Programme. Through the Plastic Waste Amendments, the Basel Convention is currently the only international treaty to legally bind countries to minimise the generation of plastics wastes, strictly control their transboundary movements, and ensure their environmentally sound management. In addition, the Stockholm Convention controls several hazardous chemicals used in plastics, and requires countries to manage waste with such chemicals in an environmentally sound manner. Thanks to support from Norway, the Secretariat is undertaking a study to map the global governance landscape of plastics and associated chemicals, and to identify governance gaps and complementarities with existing multilateral instruments. The study is set to provide possible considerations for the role of a new plastics instrument in regulating plastics and associated chemicals. The draft report is available for comments by 10 January 2023.

Looking to raise awareness among youth of the initiatives taken by the international community to curb and eliminate plastic waste pollution, the BRS Secretariat launched the Plastic is Forever Tik Tok challenge during the INC conference. Top players will be awarded a hard copy of the Plastic is Forever photography book.

The third meeting of the PWP working group was co-organised by the BRS Secretariat and the Basel and Stockholm Conventions Regional Centre in Uruguay (BCCC-SCRC Uruguay), thanks to the generous support of the European Union and Norway.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes
https://www.brsmeas.org/

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal aims to protect people and the environment from the negative effects of the environmentally unsound management of hazardous wastes and other wastes worldwide.
https://www.basel.int/

More information on the Plastic is Forever campaign is available below:
https://trello.com/b/6wO64kva/plastic-is-forever

For more information on the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Partnership, contact: BRS Programme Officer, Susan Wingfield, susan.wingfield@un.org

For media inquiries, contact: BRS Associate Public Information Officer, Marisofi Giannouli, marisofi.giannouli@un.org

Photo galleries

PWP-3		INC-1

The Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee successfully concluded its inaugural meeting on 18 November 2022, following three days of intense deliberations.

Established in 2019 with the adoption of an additional Annex VII of the Rotterdam Convention, the Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee (RCCC-1) addresses possible challenges faced by Parties in fulfilling their basic obligations and facilitates their compliance to the Convention. In its first meeting, the Committee considered its mandate, and reviewed systemic issues of general compliance, including notifications of final regulatory actions, and exports of chemicals listed in Annex III to the Convention. RCCC-1 also began working on collecting information from the Rotterdam Convention Parties with respect to submitting import responses.

“The concrete outcomes of the Committee’s first ever meeting are highly encouraging: Members hit the ground running from the start and are making every effort to ensure their work responds to Parties’ needs,” said the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Mr Rolph Payet.  

The Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee adopted a draft programme of work for 2024-2025, which will be considered in May 2023 by the 11th meeting of the governing body of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties.

"We hope that work initiated by the Compliance Committee will increase the awareness that complying with the Convention is to everybody’s benefit and will strongly contribute to the protection of human health and the environment,” stated Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Senior Technical Officer Christine Fuell, speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim.

RCCC-1 was held back-to-back with the 15th meeting of the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee. Apart from their individual sessions, the two Committees also held a joint session on issues of common interest. Following a rich discussion, Committee Members agreed on the modalities to enhance their cooperation.

According to RCCC-1 Chair Osvaldo Álvarez-Pérez (Chile), “The first meeting of the Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee was a resounding success!” Mr Álvarez-Pérez went on to add that “Beginning the work of the Committee is an exciting time to forge a new path, building on what we’ve learned from the past.”

The Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee benefits from generous financial support provided by Germany and Switzerland.

NOTES

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade is jointly administered by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The 165 Parties to this legally binding Convention share responsibility and cooperate to safely manage chemicals in international trade. To date, 54 hazardous chemicals and pesticides are listed in its Annex III, making their international trade subject to a prior informed consent (PIC) procedure.

The Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee deals with specific submissions relating to the compliance of an individual Party and reviews systemic issues of general compliance.

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together three leading multilateral environment agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and waste.

For questions on the Compliance Committee, contact: Yvonne Ewang-Sanvincenti, Legal Officer, BRS Secretariat, yvonne.ewang-sanvincenti@un.org; Christine Fuell, Senior Technical Officer, christine.fuell@fao.org.

For media inquiries, contact: Marisofi Giannouli, BRS Associate Public Information Officer, marisofi.giannouli@un.org.

 

In September 2022, the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) became a member of the Mountain Partnership, the United Nations voluntary alliance dedicated to improving the lives of mountain peoples, and protecting mountain environments around the world. The BRS Executive Secretary, Rolph Payet, welcomed the induction, noting that “Achieving sustainable development in mountains is a chance we have to take and win, as we want to achieve the Global Goals and leave no one behind.”

To mark the occasion, the BRS Secretariat participated in the 6^th Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership, which was held from 26 to 28 September 2022, in Aspen, Colorado. Organised every four years, these global meetings, serve as an opportunity for Mountain Partnership members to network and forge meaningful alliances that foster building up the resilience of mountain communities and ecosystems, within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year’s Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership is organized against the backdrop of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022 and the 77^th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

During the Meeting, the BRS Secretariat organized the “Keeping our Mountains Waste-Free” side event in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, GRID-Arendal and the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation. Drawing from the Plastic Waste in Remote and Mountainous Areas project, the side event focused on enabling policymakers, national park managers and tourists to preserve mountain ecosystems and protect local communities from pollution. The Plastic Waste in Remote and Mountainous Areas project is financed by the Governments of France and Norway and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. Lesotho, Mauritius, Nepal, North Macedonia, and Peru are the first Parties to the Basel Convention to benefit from the project as pilot countries.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
 https://www.brsmeas.org/.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, aims to protect people and the environment from the negative effects of the inappropriate management of hazardous wastes worldwide.
https://www.basel.int/

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade provides countries with a first line of defence against hazardous chemicals by facilitating information exchange about their characteristics.
https://www.pic.int/.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants looks to protect human health and the environment from highly dangerous, long-lasting chemicals by restricting and ultimately eliminating their production, use, trade, release and storage.
https://chm.pops.int/.

For information on the Plastic Waste in Remote and Mountainous Areas, contact: Jost Dittkrist, BRS Programme Management Officer, jost.dittkrist@un.org.

For media inquiries, contact: Marisofi Giannouli, BRS Associate Public Information Officer, marisofi.giannouli@un.org.

 

Legendary Hollywood actor Pierce Brosnan and Paris Brosnan, a filmmaker and environmental activist, have joined forces with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Conventions) to draw attention to the need for plastic waste management. Their PSA video is part of the Basel Convention “Plastic is Forever…so it’s time to get clever about managing it!” campaign. 

In the video, the Brosnans remark on the almost infinite life cycle of plastic, which typically takes hundreds of years to disintegrate, breaking down into microparticles that have been detected in the air, water, and even in human placentas.

“Our campaign slogan was born out of the need to show that not all is bleak when it comes to global environmental governance,” said Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the BRS Secretariat. “We want to raise awareness of the work put in place by the international community, and the tangible results we are achieving while trying to tackle the plastic waste crisis.”

The BRS Conventions are three multilateral environmental agreements administered by the United Nations Environment Programme, focused on protecting people and the environments from hazardous chemicals and wastes. The Basel Convention is the only international treaty that legally binds 189 countries in implementing strict controls for the transboundary movement of plastics. The Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments are a steppingstone towards forging an international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution.

“We wholeheartedly welcome the gracious contributions of Pierce Brosnan and Paris Brosnan to inform the general public about the constantly evolving state of the global plastic waste crisis and the tools we have at our disposal to address it,” noted Payet. “Hopefully, their millions of fans – including decision-makers – will be inspired by their message and engage in the minimization and management of plastic waste.”

The release of the Plastic is Forever promotional videos coincided with the conclusion of the 2022 BRS Conferences of Parties (BRS COPs). The campaign also includes a photo competition, a hackathon, a social media challenge (plastic in the sea and plastic on mountains), and an illuminations show that took place in Geneva’s Palais des Nations during the BRS COPs.

The PSA video featuring Paris and Pierce Brosnan was produced by Keely Brosnan on behalf of The Krim Group and Special Order.  Special thanks to Nancy Forner, ACE for assisting with post-production.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
 https://www.brsmeas.org/

Communication material is available on the Plastic is Forever Trello: https://trello.com/b/6wO64kva/plastic-is-forever. 

For media inquiries contact: Marisofi Giannouli, BRS Associate Public Information Officer, marisofi.giannouli@un.org

Pierce Brosnan and Dominic Thiem salute Basel Convention’s work to foster the environmentally sound management of plastic waste.

Geneva, 17 June 2022 — The 2021-2022 meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs) come to a close today after marathon proceedings that begun with the online segment in July 2021, continued with the High-level Segment in Stockholm, Sweden, on 1 June 2022 in association with the Stockholm+50 international meeting, and were finalized with the face-to-face segment in Geneva, Switzerland from 6 to 17 June 2022. Under the theme “Global Agreements for a Healthy Planet: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”, the online and face-to-face segments of the BRS COPs were attended by over 1500 delegates from around the world.

Basel Convention

Upon the proposal by Ghana and Switzerland, the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-15) adopted landmark amendments to Annexes II, VIII and IX, which ensure that all transboundary movements of e-wastes, whether hazardous or not, are subject to the prior informed consent of the importing state and any state of transit. This bold decision not only protects vulnerable countries from unwanted imports, but also fosters the environmentally sound management of e-wastes with state-of-the-art technology and thus contributes to a circular economy.

In addition, BC COP-15 adopted technical guidelines on mercury wastes, as well as three updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Other adopted technical guidelines included the environmentally sound incineration of hazardous and other wastes as covered by disposal operations D10 and R1, and the environmentally sound disposal of hazardous wastes and other wastes in specially engineered landfill (D5).

Decisions were taken to update the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of waste lead-acid batteries, to initiate the development of technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of other waste batteries, and to move forward on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents.

BC COP-15 also continued the small intersessional working group to prepare findings and improve the strategic framework of the Convention for 2012–2021, initiated a new track of work to improve the functioning of the Prior Informed Consent procedure, and adopted new measures on tackling plastic wastes.

COP-15 further welcomed the work of the Implementation and Compliance Committee to support individual Parties overcome their compliance difficulties, and adopted two guidance documents it to improve the implementation of the Convention’s prior informed consent procedure – one of transit transboundary movements and the other on insurance, bond and guarantee.

Finally, COP-15 agreed to further consider the amendments put forward by the European Union to amend Annex IV of the Convention which is key to determining when a substance or object is to be considered a waste falling within the scope of the Convention.

Rotterdam Convention

The tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-10) engaged in very extensive and inclusive discussions on chemicals and pesticides, and listed two industrial chemicals: decabromodiphenyl ether, and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds. This listing will make these chemicals subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure, thereby granting Parties the right to decide on their future import.

“Parties explicitly thanked the Secretariat and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for their support to identify less hazardous alternatives to the pesticides on the agenda” said Christine Fuell, Coordinator of the FAO part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat. However, no consensus to list them could be reached due to just a few of the 160 Parties present objecting. Numerous delegates commended the Chemical Review Committee for its excellent work in reviewing the chemicals and pesticides recommended for listing, and noted with disappointment that most of the reasons brought forward to object listings fell outside the scope of the Rotterdam Convention.

On a positive note, RC COP-10 agreed on the work programme for the newly established Compliance Committee. This important subsidiary body will take up its work as soon as possible and is expected to further improve the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention.

Stockholm Convention

The tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-10) listed perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and PFHxS-related compounds in Annex A to the Convention, setting them for elimination. PFHxS, its salts and related substances have a high resistance to friction, heat, and chemical agents. They are widely used in firefighting foam, carpets, and non-stick cookware. They have been found to influence the human nervous system, brain development, and thyroid hormone.

In addition, a process was put in place for Parties to provide information on a voluntary basis about cases of trade occurring in contravention of the Stockholm Convention, building on the positive experience under the Basel Convention which sets out a similar process.

SC COP-10 also adopted decisions on two of the initial POPs listed under the Convention: PCB and DDT. On PCB, the SC COP urged Parties to step up their efforts by immediately implementing actions to eliminate its use in equipment by 2025, and to achieve the environmentally sound management of relevant PCB wastes by 2028. On DDT, the COP noted that, while there is a continued need for DDT for indoor residual spraying in specific settings for malaria vector control, it is assumed that DDT use may not be needed after 2030. Parties still using DDT for disease vector control were invited to review their needs, while a decision was taken to initiate a consultative process on a possible DDT phase-out plan.

Plastics Forum

From 8 to 10 June, the BRS COPs hosted the Plastics Forum, a multi-stakeholder event dedicated to promoting the environmentally sound management of plastic waste. The Plastics Forum, which featured more than 20 side events held in a 3-D virtual platform, marked the peak of the Plastic is Forever campaign, with a hackathon, a photo exhibition, the launch of a social media challenge, and an illuminations show on Geneva’s Palais des Nations. Two of the campaign’s promotional videos were screened during the closing plenary of the BRS COPs, featuring Hollywood stars Pierce Brosnan and his son Paris, as well as professional tennis player Dominic Thiem. The videos will be officially released on 21 June 2022, with a separate press release to follow.

Τhe three conference meetings strengthened the mandate for international cooperation with other organizations, including the Minamata Convention on mercury, in support of the recently adopted resolutions by the United Nations Environment Assembly to forge a new international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, and to establish a science policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and prevent pollution.

The 2023 BRS COPs will be held next May in the Bahamas.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) brings together the three leading multilateral environmental agreements that share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. www.brsmeas.org

Communication material is available on the BRS Secretariat Trello: https://trello.com/b/iEDpXNHv/the-basel-rotterdam-and-stockholm-conventions

For media inquiries contact: Marisofi Giannouli, BRS Associate Public Information Officer, marisofi.giannouli@un.org