Persistent Organic Pollutants

National Case Studies Report on POPs

Collection of Regional and National POPs Actions Plans
Available in English, 1999.

Internet Database of POPs Alternatives
Available in English, 1999.

Inventory of Information Sources on Chemicals -Persistent Organic Pollutants

Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances - Workshop Reports from a Global Environment Facility Project
Presents reports of four scientific and technical workshops held from January through April 1999 in preparation for UNEP Chemicals' Global Environment Facility project, Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances. Fifty-seven experts from 30 countries participated. Available in English, September 1999.

Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on the Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants -- Hanoi, Vietnam 16-19 March 1999
Provides presentations on POPs management and related issues from the workshop working groups and expert sessions of the regional workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Available in hard copy (English), September 1999.

Guidelines for the Identification of PCBs and Materials Containing PCBs
Covers the known names, characteristics, and uses of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as well as sampling and analysis techniques. Available in English, First Issue -- August 1999.

Information Sheet on Dioxins
Describes key policy, health, and control issues. Available in English, July 1999.

Dioxin and Furan Inventories -- National and Regional Emissions of PCDD/PCDF
Gives a snapshot of available information on releases to the environment of dioxins and furans, unintended but toxic by-products of many industrial and combustion processes. Available in English, May 1999.

Inventory of World-wide PCB Destruction Capacity
Serves as a first guide for identifying facilities for destruction of PCBs in wastes and other forms in all regions. It was prepared by UNEP Chemicals in co-operation with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. Available in English, First Issue -- December 1998.

Reports of the First and Second Sessions of the Criteria Expert Group for the Development of Science-based Criteria for Identifying Additional POPs for Future International Action
Available in English, French, and Spanish, October 1998 and June 1999, respectively.

Reports of First, Second and Third Sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for Implementing International Action on Certain POPs
Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish July 1998, January 1999 and September 1999 respectively.

Overview of Outcomes from POPs Awareness Raising Workshops Working Groups
Presents an overview and summaries of papers from regional and sub-regional workshops on POPs, conducted by UNEP Chemicals and the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety. Available in hard copy (English), June 1998.

Regulatory Actions and Guidelines concerning POPs
Covers national and international regulatory actions and guidelines on control measures for use, release, and residues of POPs as well as manufacture, importation, and transport. Available in the database and in  hard copy (English), June 1998.

Workshop Proceedings on POPs:
New Independent States (former USSR), (English, Russian) July 1997, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation;
Asia and the Pacific, (English) November 1997, Bangkok, Thailand;
West and Northwest Africa, (English, French) December 1997, Bamako, Mali;
Central America and the Caribbean, (English, Spanish) January 1998, Cartagena, Colombia;
Anglophone Africa, (English) March 1998, Lusaka, Zambia;
South America, (English, Spanish) April 1998, Iguazu, Argentina;
Central and Eastern Europe, (English) May 1998, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia; and
West Asia, (English) June 1998, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Brochure on POPs
Available in hard copy (English, French, Russian, and Spanish), 1997.

Brochure on Stockholm Convention on POPs
Available in English and  French

Information Exchange/Capacity Building

Overview of international agreements/instruments, organisations and programmes concerning chemicals management (3^{rd edition)}

Building National Capacities

Chemicals Management Instruments - A Series of Resource Documents for Countries Making Choices: Joint UNEP Chemicals / UNITAR publication
Module 1 - Chemicals Inventory
Module 2 - New Chemical Notification Systems

Chemical Risk Assessment: Training Module No. 3
Covers human, environmental, and ecological risk assessment. It was developed jointly by UNEP and the International Programme on Chemical Safety. Available in English, 1999.

 International Activities Related to Chemicals:
Excerpts from a report on "Enhanced coherence and efficiency among international activities related to chemicals" presented to the 20th session of the Governing Council of UNEP in 1999 by the Executive Director

Joint UNEP/OECD Workshop on Notification and Assessment of New Industrial Chemicals for Countries of Central and South America
Includes presentations on approaches to notification and assessment of new industrial chemicals, made at the workshop held by UNEP and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 8-10 March 1999. Available in hard copy (English, Spanish), September 1999.

OECD Screening Information Data Sets
Brings the total published of the Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS) for High Production Volume Chemicals to five volumes in 10 parts (November 1998). The series is developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and published and distributed by UNEP Chemicals. Available in English.

Global Opportunities for Reducing Use of Leaded Gasoline
Discusses the urgent need to reduce lead in gasoline, especially in developing countries, and proposes effective measures that governments can take to achieve this goal. Issued by UNEP and partner organisations. Available in hard copy (English), September 1998.

UNEP-UNICEF Childhood Lead Poisoning: Information for Advocacy and Action
Available in English, French, and Spanish, 1997.

Inventory of Information Sources on Chemicals - Intergovernmental Organizations
Available in English, 1997.

UNEP Chemicals -- Internet Guide
Available in English 1997.

Inventory of Critical Reviews on Chemicals
Available in hard copy (English), 1996.

Legislating Chemicals -- An Overview
Provides guidance for legal and technical experts responsible for developing national legislation on chemicals management. It was prepared by UNEP Chemicals and UNEP Environmental Law and Institutions -- Programme Activity Centre. Available in English, July 1995.

Code of Ethics on the International Trade in Chemicals
Provides guidance for private sector parties to complement existing international legal instruments and industry codes on chemicals management. Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, 1994.

IRPTC Legal File
Database on regulations and guidelines on chemicals, available in English.
Hard-copy extracts available:
Legal File 1992-93 -- abstract on approximately 700 chemicals
Legal File 1994-95 -- extract on pesticides
Legal File 1994 -- extract on international environmental guidelines and global conventions

Other Selected Publications

UNEP Chemicals Publications leaflet - May 2000

UNEP Chemicals Publications leaflet - September 1999

UNEP Chemicals Programme Profile
Available in hard copy (English) August 1999.

UNEP Chemicals Newsletter
Vol. 3, Nos. 1 and 2, January and June 1999, respectively. Available in English.

UNEP Chemicals Folder
Includes information sheets on UNEP Chemicals activities and progress in implementation of the Rotterdam Convention, actions involving POPs, information exchange, and capacity building. Available in hard copy (English), 1999.

International Workshop on Endocrine Disruptors -- Report
Available in hard copy (English), 1998.

Inter-organizational Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals Inventory of Activities -- Summary Report of Activities Categorized by Programme Area of Ch. 19, Agenda 21: Programme Area A; Programme Area B and C; Programme D and E Available in English, November 1998.

Rotterdam Convention

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, text and annexes
Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

Final Act of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, Rotterdam, 10-11 September 1998
Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Proceedings of the Sub-regional Awareness Raising Workshop on the Rotterdam Convention, Bangkok, Thailand, 8-11 December 1998.
Published by the Interim Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention. Available in English, December 1998.
Most of these documents can also be accessed on the Internet at the Rotterdam Convention home page: www.pic.int.

Decision Guidance Documents for the Operation of the PIC Procedure
Available in hard copy (English, French and Spanish), for the following chemicals:
Pesticides: 2,4,5-T, aldrin, binapacryl, captafol, chlorobenzilate, chlordane, chlordimeform, DDT, dieldrin, dinoseb, 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB), fluoroacetamide, HCH, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, lindane, mercury compounds, pentachlorophenol, toxaphene, and certain formulations of methamidophos, methyl-parathion, monocrotophos, parathion, and phosphamidon; and
Industrial chemicals: crocidolite, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT), and tris(2,3 dibromopropyl)phosphate.