Persistent organic pollutants (POPs): policy information
Published 7 August 2024
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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances that have been identified as meeting the criteria set out in the UN Stockholm Convention on POPs (Stockholm Convention, or the Convention), namely that they:
- are persistent – they do not readily break down, so remain in the environment for long periods of time
- bioaccumulate – they build up in the tissue of humans and wildlife
- cause adverse effects or are toxic – they have harmful impacts on human health or the environment
- have the potential for long-range environmental transport – being found far from where they were used or produced
There are currently more than 30 POPs listed in the Convention.
These fall into 3 broad categories:
- pesticides
- industrial chemicals
- unintentional by-products of combustion and some industrial and non-industrial processes
As a party to the Stockholm Convention, the UK is required to ban or restrict the production and use, and import and export, of POPs. The Convention also requires stockpiles containing POPs to be identified and managed, and waste containing POPs to be disposed of so that the POPs are destroyed or irreversibly transformed.
The Stockholm Convention
The objective of the Stockholm Convention is to protect human health and the environment from POPs. It establishes an international framework for promoting global action on POPs, which are divided into 3 groups according to their mechanism of production and level of restriction.
These are:
- Annex A (Elimination) – parties must take measures to eliminate the production and use of the chemicals listed under Annex A (specific exemptions are available in Annex A and apply only to Parties that have registered for them)
- Annex B (Restriction) – parties must take measures to restrict the production and use of the chemicals listed under Annex B in light of any applicable acceptable purposes and/or specific exemptions listed in the Annex
- Annex C (Unintentional production) – parties must take measures to reduce the unintentional releases of chemicals listed under Annex C with the goal of continuing minimisation and, where feasible, ultimate elimination
The convention includes many provisions, including provision for the identification and safe management of stockpiles containing or consisting of POPs, and provision for the management of waste. This includes a requirement for appropriate measures to be taken so that waste containing, consisting of, or contaminated with POPs is disposed of in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed, in most circumstances.
The Stockholm Convention is implemented in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) by the assimilated Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (as amended), and in Northern Ireland by Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, which applies directly under the Windsor Framework.
Progress so far
The UK’s National Implementation Plan (NIP) sets out how we plan to meet our obligations under the Convention.
The UK submitted its initial NIP in 2007, primarily covering the 12 initial POPs. There have been 3 updates that should be read in conjunction with the 2007 UK NIP – in 2013, 2017 and 2022 – to reflect subsequent decisions by Parties to list additional substances as POPs. The UK’s initial and updated NIPs can be found on the Stockholm Convention website.
Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan for England commits to:
- substantially increase the amount of POPs material being destroyed or irreversibly transformed by 2030, to make sure there are negligible emissions to the environment
- seek to eliminate the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by 2025 in line with our commitments under the Stockholm Convention
Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)
Following stakeholder engagement, the UK submitted a proposal in April 2021 to list chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14-17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45% chlorine by weight (often known as medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)) under the Stockholm Convention. In January 2022, the POPs Review Committee (POPRC) decided that it was satisfied that the initial screening criteria for listing MCCPs as a POP were met. The UK has continued to play a leading role in further work to support POPRC in considering this substance.
In September 2022, the POPRC adopted the Risk Profile for MCCPs.
In October 2023, the POPRC agreed the Risk Management Evaluation for MCCPs. The Committee decided to recommend to the Conference of the Parties (COP), that it consider listing MCCPs for elimination (under Annex A of the Stockholm Convention) with specific exemptions for several applications. The next meeting of the COP is in April to May 2025.
UK research
The UK undertakes research and analysis to inform work to manage the risks posed by POPs. This research is published on Defra Science Search.