POPs treaty

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  May, 2005  by Rose Marie Williams

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Pollution in the Great Lakes during the 1960s became a serious enough threat to warrant cooperative action between the United States and Canada. The focus was on reducing the prevalence of toxic pollutants including untreated sewage, industrial discharges, and agricultural chemicals. In Lake Erie life systems collapsed and newspapers declared the lake was "dead." (1)

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Injury to predator species included reproductive failures and population decline, thyroid and hormone system dysfunction, feminization of males and masculinization of females, abnormal behavior patterns, weakened immune systems, cancers, and gross birth defects. (2) By the late 1980s significant improvement had been noted in the lakes, yet top predator species failed to recover. Populations in remote areas suffered injury and decline from the persistent organic pollutants. (1)

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) refer to man-made synthetic chemicals that are slow to break down, persisting for decades in soil and water. They contain hormone-mimicking chemicals, act as endocrine disrupters, are fat soluble, and bioaccumulate up the food chain. Humans, at the top of the food chain, accumulate large amounts of these toxic chemicals, especially from eating high fat foods such as meat, dairy, and predator fish.

Twelve of the most notorious POPs (DDT, aldrin, chlordane, deildrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, dioxins, and furans) were discussed in more detail in last month's column of the TLfDP, #261, April 2005, titled "Persistent Organic Pollutants."

The 1992 Earth Summit coalesced a renewed interest in persistent organic pollutants and a strong desire by scientists and environmental groups to draw attention to these toxic chemicals. Early in June of 1995 over 100 experts from 40 countries met in Vancouver, Canada, to discuss the production, use, and release into the environment of POPs. (1,2)

The culmination of the worldwide grassroots movement resulting from the 1992 Earth Summit took a giant step in 1997, when intergovernmental institutions, including the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical safety (IFCS), and others were given a mandate by the world's governments to develop a global POPs action plan. (2)

In the summer of 1998, ninety-two countries met in Montreal to conclude the first round of talks on ways to reduce and eliminate worldwide use and emissions of POPs. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been the driving force behind these meetings. The International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), then represented by approximately 75 public interest groups from around the world, has played a critical role in guiding the talks. (1)

Negotiations continued in Bonn, Germany, during March 2000. It was at this meeting that Greenpeace was given a leaked memo indicating the US was pressing European negotiators to back down on several positions that were stronger than those of the US government. A counter-effort to the US government's intentions to weaken negotiations was launched by dozens of NGOs worldwide calling on the US to strengthen its position on POPs. Ads were placed in the NY Times, USA Today, and on CNN television in Washington, DC, and in Europe. (1)

In December 2000, 122 countries, with support from more than 300 NGOs, met in Johannesburg, South Africa, and engaged in a week of negotiations. The long anticipated international treaty on POPs was formally signed into legal existence on May 23, 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden. It would become effective upon ratification by 50 countries. Canada was among the first countries to submit its ratification to the United Nations Environmental Programme in 2001. It was hoped the U.S. would ratify by early 2002. (1,3)

In May 2001, EPA Administrator, Christine Todd Whitman joined officials from 90 other nations in signing the "Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants." (POPs). (3)

In January 2005, the US Senate was presented with a version considered too weak and too full of loopholes by environmental advocates. According to Kristen Schafer of the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANUPS), a newer tighter version was quickly being drafted for Senate approval.

Meanwhile, on May 1, 2004, France became the pivotal 50th nation to ratify, putting the treaty into effect August 1, 2004. Additional countries continue to ratify the treaty. The next meeting will be held during May 2005 in Uruguay. If the US still has not ratified the treaty at least 90 days prior to this meeting, our government will sit at the table as a silent member, having no say in future discussions. (1)

Future debate will include discussion about what additional chemicals are to be annexed to the original dirty dozen POPs. It is not anticipated that industry, government agencies, and environmental proponents will fall into immediate agreement on this point.