National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention.

This National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention is a nationwide sectoral document aiming to implement Egypt's policy aimed at promoting environmental protection and public healt from the risks of hazardous substances, whether imported or generated locally, by identifying and mitigating hazards of chemicals including POPs. This protection covers all stages of production, handling, storing, and safe disposal of these substances, in addition to the substitution of hazardous materials by non/less hazardous alternatives.. This can be achieved through the adoption of cleaner production approach and the application of the risk management methodology. The basic principles of this NIP are (i) participation of all stakeholders; (ii) transparency in information sharing and exchange; (iii) polluter-pays principle; (iv) integration with overall environmental management and sustainable development policies; (v) use of new technologies and applications of international standards; (vi) public awareness and education; and (vii) regional cooperation with attention to the Arab League policies.
The national objectives related to POPs are as follows (1) setting standards related to defining priorities concerning the POPs issues that need to be disposed of in a practical way; (2) defining areas of priority; (3) defining deficiencies in the available information that hinder the full assessment of priorities; (4) setting priorities ; (5) assessment of institutional and legal infrastructure concerned with the management of POPs; (6) requirements and procedures needed for implementation; (7) assessment of concerned capacity-building; (8) assessment of socio-economic impacts of using /reducing POPs including their alternatives and the use of BAT/BEP; (9) assessment of risks, health and environmental effects of POPs; and (10) assessment of monitoring, research and development capabilities. Proposed actions are (i) institutional and regulatory strengthening measures; (ii) measures to reduce or eliminate releases from intentional production and use; (iii) production, import and export, use, stockpiles and wastes of POPs pesticides; (iv) production, import and export, use, identification, labeling, removal, storage and disposal of PCBs and equipment containing PCBs; (v) production, import and export, use, stockpiles and wastes of DDT (if used in the country); (vi) establishment of a register for specific exemptions; (vii) measures to reduce releases from the unintentional production of PCDDs/PCDFs, HCB and PCBs; (viii) measures to reduce releases from stockpiles and wastes; (ix) identification of contaminated sites and remediation in an environmentally sound manner; (x) information exchange and stakeholder involvement; (xi) Public awareness, information and education; (xii) effectiveness evaluation; (xiii) reporting; (xiv) research, development and monitoring.