9 March 1996
Click to download: Report of POPs Session at ISG2, March 1996, 18K/6K, English
J. Buccini introduced this item, referencing the documents ISG/96.5a and ISG/96.5B, and summarized the general background to the issue, the mandate contained in UNEP GC Decision 18/32 (May 1995), progress achieved to date and the decisions that were required of the meeting. Following extensive discussions, the meeting agreed on the following.
1. The available scientific evidence on tasks a) and b) of Decision 18/32 is sufficient to demonstrate the need for international action on the 12 specified substances.
2. An "open file" will be created to provide for more comprehensive reporting of peer reviewed scientific information on tasks a) and b), i.e. the chemistry, toxicology, transport pathways, origin, transport and deposition of the 12 specified substances on a global scale.
3. Information (in addition to a trade survey compiled by UNEP) is needed on the 12 specified substances to complete the tasks in paragraphs c), d) and e) of Decision 18/32 and to address socio-economic considerations as a basis for development of recommendations and information on international action.
4. UNEP will serve as a clearing house for information on tasks a), b), c) and d) and will issue periodic updates on the contents of the file, perhaps using the INTERNET (subject to the availability of resources).
5. An IFCS Working Group on POPs was established by adopting the ad hoc working group on POPs that was set up by UNEP within the framework of the IOMC.
6. An IFCS sponsored meeting will be held to address tasks c) and d) of Decision 1 8/32. Several delegates described ongoing work that could contribute to this meeting. In nominating participants for this meeting, IFCS contact points will be encouraged to include experts that can address tasks c) and d).
7. An open meeting of the IFCS Working Group on POPs will be convened to review the results of the meeting held to address tasks c) and d), to address task a) of Decision 18/32 and to develop recommendations and information on international action, including such information as would be needed for a possible decision regarding an appropriate international legal mechanism on POPs.
8. The meetings to address tasks c), d) and e) will be held in June 1996 in the Philippines, with only a short break between them. Efforts will be made to encourage the widest possible participation of IFCS delegations, especially developing countries.
9. IFCS will not develop criteria for adding POPs to the list during 1996. However, a proposed process for the development of science-based criteria should be included in the recommendations to UNEP GC and WHA, and should build upon ongoing activities such as those under the UN ECE LRTAP Convention. The meeting requested the UK to consider drafting a proposal for this process based on the work of the UN ECE Preparatory Working Group on POPs.
10 Considerations should be given to the need for obtaining information on the production, use and release of POPs and to monitor trends following implementation of future measures
11. Consideration should be given to the need for monitoring networks to establish baseline levels of POPs in environmental and biological media and to monitor trends following implementation of future measures.
12. Coordination among different regional and international initiatives on POPs is essential to ensure mutually supportive, harmonized and effective programs that do not result in the development of policies with conflicting objectives.
13. There is a need to improve access to national information on POPs, as well as to improve access to information by all countries, especially developing nations.
14. The IFCS Working Group on POPs would submit its report containing recommendations and information resulting from the June meetings to all IFCS participants for review and comments by July 31, 1996. A summary of the comments received would be submitted with the report to UNEP and the WHA by August 31, 1996.
Some delegates (Australia, New Zealand, UNIDO, IUPAC, WRI, etc.) offered to provide additional scientific, national, regional (Southern Hemisphere) and sub-regional (Gulf of Guinea) information to improve the data base for the assessment. Consideration may also need to be given to forming an ongoing assessment process for peer review of new data as they are made available.
GIFAP reported that a survey of manufacturing sites of PIC chemicals was conducted in 1992 by the American Crop Protection Association. The information was provided to UNEP and GIFAP offered to coordinate the update of the information with UNEP.
Several delegates thought that it was important to recognize that the 12 specified POPs comprise pesticides, industrial chemicals, and unintentionally produced byproducts and contaminants, and that this would need to be taken into account in the deliberations of the IFCS meetings.
In order to facilitate coordination with POPs work under the UN ECE, interested non-ECE countries were encouraged to consider participation in relevant meetings, according to the terms of reference applied by the Executive Body for the Convention on LRTAP, which would allow for such participation.
The Philippines requested guidance on the participation and agenda for the two June meetings. It was agreed that these issues would have to be addressed at the meeting of the Working Group on POPs on March 9, 1996.
There was limited discussion of resources needed to support the work on POPs; however, 3 nations indicated their willingness to support developing country participation at the June meetings and previous discussions on encouraging "twinning" arrangements was reiterated.