6 May 2005, Punta del Este, Uruguay:

The International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) congratulates Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) for keeping the promise at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

IPEN views the Stockholm Convention as a promise by the global community to take action to protect human health and the environment throughout the world from the injuries that persistent organic pollutants cause. After a week of hard work by governments, NGOs, and other civil society stakeholders, IPEN is pleased that the Stockholm Convention is on track toward realizing its promise.

Financial and Technical Resources: Parties laid the necessary legal groundwork to provide developing country Parties with financial and technical resources that will cover the full incremental costs associated with fulfilling their obligations under the Stockholm Convention.

Public Participation and Awareness: Parties agreed to keep the Convention promise of full access to information, transparency, and public participation in Convention implementation activities. IPEN congratulates the many governments that maintained an open dialogue with our Participating Organizations throughout the Conference, and that committed themselves toward building a transparent, participatory process for implementation of the Convention. This cooperative spirit and practice directly contributed to the successful results of COP 1.

Elimination of Intentionally Produced POPs: IPEN is encouraged by those Parties that recognized the importance of public health measures and non-chemical alternatives to address the problems posed by intentionally produced POPs. Regarding DDT, we congratulate Kenya for highlighting the need for integrated vector management (IVM) to address malaria. We remain concerned, however, by the resistance of some countries to take adequate measures to eliminate their reliance on DDT. We strongly encourage donor countries and financial institutions to support public health measures and non-chemical alternatives and techniques to rollback malaria.

Elimination and Reduction of Unintentionally Produced POPs: The Convention’s goal for unintentional POPs (e.g., dioxins) is to achieve “their continuing minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination.” IPEN is encouraged by the Parties’ recognition that more work is necessary to improve the guidelines for eliminating and reducing dioxins. These guidelines are crucial because of their implications for public health and their role in determining how financial resources will be allocated. IPEN’s recent “Global Egg Project” demonstrates the need for urgent action on unintentionally produced POPs. (See http://www.oztoxics.org/ipepweb)

Disposal Of POPs Wastes: The COP acknowledged that more work is necessary to improve the guidelines for the management of POPs stockpiles and wastes. We applaud the COP for recognizing the importance of continued, close cooperation and coordination with the Basel Convention in further improving and developing these guidelines.

Identification of New POPs: IPEN congratulates COP 1 for keeping the promise to establish an effective, transparent, and participatory body for evaluating new POPs that may be added to the Convention. We welcome and support the nomination by Norway of the flame retardant pentabromodiphenyl ether (penta-BDE) and the plan by Mexico to nominate the pesticide lindane (HCH). IPEN further urges Parties to consider the many other substances that are widely used and known to have POPs characteristics, including other brominated flame retardants; dicofol; endosulfan; perfluorinated chemicals, including but not limited to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); chlorinated paraffins; organotins; brominated dioxins and bromo-chloro-dioxins; polychorinated napthalenes (PCN); and octachlorostyrene (OCS).
 

Notes:

1. The International POPs Elimination Network is a global network of public interest non-governmental organizations working together for the elimination of persistent organic pollutants, on an expedited yet socially equitable basis. IPEN includes more than 350 public health, environmental, consumer, and other non-governmental organizations in 65 countries.

2. The Stockholm Convention on POPs is the first global, legally binding instrument whose aim is to protect human health and the environment by controlling production, use and disposal of toxic chemicals.

For additional information please contact:

Björn Beeler

IPEN International Coordinator

BjornBeeler@ipen.org

www.IPEN.org

www.oztoxics.org/ipepweb/

http://ipen.ecn.cz/index.php?z=&l=en&k=news&r=viewtxt&id=109&id_rubriky=1