Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Australia's National Implementation Plan.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Australia's National Implementation Plan (2006) (NIP 2006) lays down the actions that the Australian government commits to meet its obligation under the Stockholm Convention. The actions proposed in the NIP under each article of the Convention are: 1) Article 3. The Australian Government to: enforce controls banning the production and use of aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, toxaphene, mirex (for this latter limit its use); maintain controls banning the production of PCBs; maintain existing controls on the import and export of chemicals listed in the Convention; promote environmentally sound alternative processes and chemicals; continue phasing out the use of PCBs in accordance with the PCB Management Plan. 2) Article 4. The Northern Territory Government to: maintain controls on the use of Mirant to ensure that releases of mirex to the environment are minimised; cease issuing new authorisations; continue further trial work on alternative control for the giant termite; ensure that remaining stocks of mirex are destroyed in an environmentally sound manner. 3) Article 5. Details on how Australia will meet its obligations under Article 5 are addressed in the National Action Plan for Addressing Dioxins in Australia (NAP). 4) Article 6. The Australian Government, and state governments holding stocks of organochlorine pesticides (OCP) to continue efforts to ensure that these chemicals are destroyed; to develop strategies for identifying sites contaminated with chemicals listed on Annexes A, B and C; to review the two protocols for assessing new facilities to treat POPs; among others. 5) Article 8. The Australian Government to: maintain a watching brief on chemicals that have been flagged by other countries or consider submitting proposals for including chemicals. 6) Article 9. The Australian Government to provide information to other Parties or the Stockholm Secretariat on Australian initiatives related to the management of POPs. 7) Article 10. The Australian Government to: establish appropriate forums and collaborate with relevant existing forums to ensure effective consultation with all stakeholders; build and disseminate information material; training and ensure public access to information. 8) Article 11. The Australian Government to: research on current and candidate POPs in Australia and mechanisms for monitoring. 9) Article 12. The Australian Government to continue assisting neighboring developing countries. 9) Articles 13 and 14. The Australian Government to continue supporting the Global Environment Facility (GEF). 10) Article 15 and 16. The Australian Government to report to the Conference of the Parties, and contribute to the global monitoring programme.
The outcomes from implementation of the plan will include: protecting Australians’ health from the effects of POPs; a cleaner Australian environment improving Australia’s capacity to maintain the quality of its food; reducing Australia’s contribution to the global pollutant loading and Australia meeting its obligations under the Stockholm Convention.