Background

At the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) held in 2009, by its decision SC- 4/15, Lindane was listed in the Convention under Annex A with specific exemptions for use as a Human health pharmaceutical only for the control of head lice and scabies as second line treatment. The amendment on Lindane entered into force on 26 August 2010.

In response to a request made by the same above decision, the Secretariat in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a work plan for reporting and reviewing requirements on the use of Lindane allowed for the specific exemption.

As part of this work plan, the Secretariat in collaboration with WHO gathered some baseline information on distribution and use of Lindane from selected countries and stakeholders. As a next step, the information collected needs to be reviewed to identify pragmatic solutions for the development of a pilot study for reporting and reviewing the continued need for Lindane in selected countries.

Objectives

1. Presenting the experience of Mexico on implementing a phase-out plan for the use of lindane as a pharmaceutical to control head lice and scabies,
2. Identifying barriers for Parties to review and report on continued need for lindane and possible solutions for phasing out its uses.

Contents

1. Introduction – 5 min.
2. Presentations:
   1. Overview of the listing of Lindane in the Stockholm Convention, Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention – 10 min.
   2. Mexico’s approach and experience in phasing out Lindane from pharmaceutical uses, Representative from Mexico – 20 min.
3. Discussion – 25 min.

Target group

Country parties and entities who were involved in the baseline survey, health sector representatives of country Parties to the Stockholm Convention, regional centres, industry groups and IGOs.

Schedule and registration

The webinars will be conducted in English only.

When you register, you will be given additional information regarding the system requirements and instructions on how to log in to the webinar.

Background:

Since the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention in 2007, the Secretariat provides assistance to developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition to participate effectively in the work of POPs Review Committee (POPRC).

The assistance provided aims at increasing Parties and stakeholders’ understanding of the POPRC’s work and at providing guidance on how to contribute to it. The ultimate objective of the assistance is to enhance Parties and stakeholders’ capacity to provide information requested by the POPRC. Information to be provided can address the review of chemicals being proposed for listing and can also relate to other POPRC’s technical work, e.g. assessment of alternatives to newly listed POPs.

At its seventh meeting held in October 2011, by its decision POPRC-7/12, the Committee invited the Secretariat to continue its efforts in this matter and to organise web-based seminars with the technical input of the POPRC members.

Objectives:

1. Enhancing awareness of the POPRC’s current work programme on candidate POPs and on emerging issues regarding newly listed POPs (e.g. assessment of alternatives and evaluation of the progress made in eliminating newly listed POPs),
2. Supporting Parties and observers to collect information that contributes to the work of the POPRC in that regard.

Contents:

1. Introduction – 5 min.
2. Presentations:
   • Overview of the intersessional work plan between POPRC-7 and POPRC-8, Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention – 10 min.
   • The POPRC’s intersessional work on Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), POPRC member – 10 min.
   • The POPRC’s intersessional work on Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN), Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), Pentachlorophenol (PCP), its salts and esters, and Short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCP), POPRC member - 15 min.
3. Discussion – 20 min.

Target group:

Official Contact Points and National Focal Points nominated within the framework of the Convention, and stakeholders involved in the work of POPRC.

Schedule and registration

Background

Most Parties to the Stockholm Convention have developed PCBs inventories as part of their National Implementation Plans. However, due to in particular financial and time constraints, many countries have only prepared partial and/or preliminary estimations of the existing quantities of equipment and oils contaminated with PCBs. The National Implementation Plans provide a mixed set of data that is widely differing in detail and accuracy among Parties. This makes it difficult to evaluate the progress made in eliminating PCBs at the national and the global level.

Parties need a comprehensive inventory on PCB to have a better picture of their national PCB situation and to embark on further steps in the environmentally sound management of PCBs (e.g. storage, elimination, etc.). An issue that has in particular not been addressed yet by many countries is the existence of PCBs in open applications.

The Advisory Committee of the PCBs Elimination Network (PEN) developed guidance and learning materials compiling existing knowledge and experiences on the identification of PCBs in closed and open applications to help countries improve their PCB inventories.

Objectives

1. Raising awareness on existing guidance materials on the environmentally sound management of PCBs, particularly those developed under the PEN
2. Providing guidance to Parties on how to enhance their current PCBs inventories
3. Increasing knowledge on the existence of PCBs in open applications

Contents

1. Introduction – 5 min.
2. Presentations:
   1. Guidance documents on the environmentally sound management of PCBs recently developed by the PEN, Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention – 10 min.
   2. How to enhance preliminary PCB inventories and take PCBs in open applications into account, Mr. Urs K. Wagner, PCB expert – 20 min.
3. Discussion – 25 min.

Target group

PEN members, Official Contact Points and National Focal Points to the Stockholm Convention, and Regional Centres.

Schedule and registration

The webinars will be conducted in English only.

When you register, you will be given additional information regarding the system requirements and instructions on how to log in to the webinar.

Background

According to Part II of Annex A of the Stockholm Convention, PCBs can be used in existing equipment (transformers, capacitors, etc.) until 2025.

Most Parties to the Convention still have considerable stocks of in-use and out-of-use equipment containing PCBs. This equipment needs to be handled in an environmentally sound manner in order to avoid danger to human health and the environment from leakage and accidents, and also to avoid contamination of sites and cross-contamination of PCB-free equipment. It is therefore important to raise the awareness of owners of PCBs contaminated equipment and concerned workers on environmentally sound maintenance of PCBs equipment, including handling, service, storage and transportation.

The Advisory Committee of the PCBs Elimination Network (PEN) developed guidance compiling existing knowledge and experiences on the sound handling and maintenance of equipment containing PCBs.

Objectives

1. Raising awareness on existing guidance materials on the environmentally sound management of PCBs, particularly those developed under the PEN,
2. Providing guidance to Parties on how to handle PCBs in an environmentally sound manner, in particular to avoid cross-contamination.

Contents

1. Introduction – 5 min.
2. Presentations:
   1. Guidance documents on the environmentally sound management of PCBs recently developed by the PEN, Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention – 10 min.
   2. How to handle PCBs in an environmentally sound manner and avoid cross-contamination, Ms. Anna Ortiz, PCB expert – 20 min.
3. Discussion – 25 min.

Target group

PEN members, Official Contact Points and National Focal Points to the Stockholm Convention, and Regional Centres.

Schedule and registration

The webinars will be conducted in English and Spanish.

When you register, you will be given additional information regarding the system requirements and instructions on how to log in to the webinar.