Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

♤ POPs are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes.

♤ These compounds are capable of long-range transport and bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue, bioaccumulate in food chains, and to have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment.

♤ Specific effects of POP include cancer, allergies, and hypersensitivity, damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system.

♤ Sources of POPs:

o Most POPs are created by humans in industrial processes, either intentionally or as by-products.

o POPs are currently or were in the past used as pesticides.

o In industrial processes and in the production of a range of goods such as solvents, polyvinyl chloride, and pharmaceuticals, POPs are used.

o There are a few natural sources of POPs, such as volcanic activity and vegetational fires.

♤ As POPs are cross boundary pollution problem the United Nations Environment Programme adopted Stockholm Convention for POP regulation.

♤ The convention and its participants have recognized that POPs have the potential for long range transport and bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The convention seeks to study and then judge whether or not a number of chemicals that have been developed with advances in technology and science can be categorized as POPs or not.

♤ The initial meeting in 2001 made a preliminary list of 12 compounds termed as “dirty dozen,” of chemicals that are classified as POPs.

♤ India actively participated in the International Negotiation and ratified the convention in 2006.