What are POPs?

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. With the evidence of long-range transport of these substances to regions where they have never been used or produced and the consequent threats they pose to the environment of the whole globe, the international community has now, at several occasions called for urgent global actions to reduce and eliminate releases of these chemicals.

Why are POPs being phased out?

POPs are being phased out because of their:

  • Toxicity
  • Persistence
  • Bioaccumulation
  • Capability of traveling vast distances via water and air

What are the dirty dozen?

The 12  'poisons without passports' or ‘Dirty dozen’ include the following chemicals:

  • Aldrin, Dieldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Endrin, Heptachlor, Minex (Pesticides)
  • HexachloroBenzene and PCBs (Pesticide, Industrial chemical and By-product)
  • Chlorinated Dioxins and Chlorinated Furans ( By- product)

What are the health effects of POPs?

  • Cancer
  • Birth defects
  • Endocrine
  • Disruptors
  • Loss of immunity