Environment Minister Urges Continued Vigilance as POPs Convention Comes Into Force

OTTAWA, May 17, 2004 - The Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment is urging all Canadians to continue working for further reductions in levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that accumulate in the environment and pose a risk to human health. The Minister’s call comes as the global treaty for reducing these pollutants comes into force.

The Stockholm Convention on POPs, which bans or severely restricts the use of the so-called “dirty dozen,” a group of toxic substances that includes PCBs, DDT, dioxins and furans, came into effect today. The 90-day countdown to the Convention’s entry into force was triggered when France became the 50th state to ratify the agreement on February 17. Canada was the first country to sign and ratify the Stockholm Convention in 2001.

“We have much to celebrate now that the Stockholm Convention is in force and countries are preparing their implementation plans to reduce emissions of these pollutants, said Minister Anderson. “However, we cannot afford to become complacent.”

Canada has been a leader on every front in the battle against POPs. Canadian scientists did much of the original research that showed how POPs were disseminated in the environment, as well as their environmental and health effects. Canada was one of the first countries to ban or restrict their manufacture, use and release. In addition, a Canadian led the negotiations for the Stockholm Convention. Canada also provided $20 million to an international fund to help developing countries build their own capacities to clean up POPs and switch to safer alternatives, and was the only country to make such a financial commitment during the critical negotiating period of the Convention.

Minister Anderson noted that while levels of POPs in the Arctic had declined slowly, substances such as chlorinated paraffins, brominated flame retardants and fluorinated surfactants were now being detected in the Arctic. He also highlighted recent research by scientists with the Meteorological Service of Canada which suggests that global warming may free POPs from previously accumulated sinks, such as soil.

“With the emergence of new POPs, and the likely re-emergence of others from global sinks because of global warming, it is essential that we continue long-term monitoring in the Arctic to further establish the relationships between POPs concentrations in the environment, changes in our climate, and associated health impacts,” he said.

Environment Canada has worked in partnership with groups such as the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) to point out the effects of POPs on the Arctic environment. The department is also co-leader of the Government of Canada's climate change file. As both the ICC and Environment Canada have noted on many occasions, the impacts of climate change are already being felt in Canada's north.

The substances included in the Stockholm Convention are among the most harmful substances to human health and the environment. They fall into three broad categories:

Aside from banning or severely restricting the use, production and release of the “dirty dozen,” the Stockholm Convention also requires countries that have ratified the treaty to clean up existing stockpiles of POP pesticides and toxic chemicals.

Parties to the Stockholm Convention will meet in Uruguay in 2005 to begin the process of evaluating other chemicals and pesticides that could be added to the initial list of 12 POPs.

Canada is currently consulting with northern aboriginal representatives, non-government organizations and other stakeholders on a National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention, a draft of which is expected to be completed next year.

More information about Persistent Organic Pollutants is available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/pops/brochure_e.htm.

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