Current Affair Diary 8/10/2020

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

✓The Union Cabinet has approved the ratification of seven chemicals listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

✓These are: (1) Chlordecone; (2) Hexabromobiphenyl; (3) Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether; (4) Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether, (5) Pentachlorobenzene; (6) Hexabromocyclododecane; (7) Hexachlorobutadiene.

✓The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) financial resources in updating the National Implementation Plan (NIP).

✓Stockholm Convention

✓It is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs.

✓POPs are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms and have the property of long-range environmental transport.

✓Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders etc.

✓India had ratified the Stockholm Convention in 2006.

✓The Ministry of Environment had notified the ‘Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules in 2018 under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

#GALLANT IAS