National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the obligations on the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The present document contains Finland's National Implementation Plan (NIP) on the obligations of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which updated the NIP of 2006. The document also contains a separate national action plan drawn up to reduce emissions of POPs unintentionally generated in processes (Chapter 5).
In relation to Annex C unintentionally generated pollutants, efforts have been made to limit emissions of these substances by waste management regulations and by requiring, especially from industry, compliance with the best usable technology and the introduction of processes that can prevent the generation of emissions. Further actions concerning mapping the sources of these substances and refining emission estimates are included. As regards dioxin and furan emissions, obligations to monitor or report have been set in permit decisions for facilities whose operations can be estimated to cause dioxin or furan emissions into the air. Government decree (362/2003) has further limited dioxin and furan emissions to air and water caused by waste incineration. No restrictions have been set for small-scale burning, but efforts have been made to influence emissions mainly by educating about good burning practices and fuel quality. Future actions include assessing emissions and estimating discharges, as well as implementing emission requirements for certain industries.
As regards waste, the POP waste handling obligations of the Stockholm Convention have been implemented in the EU by the POP Regulation (EC) No. 850/2004 and (for international shipments of waste) by the EU Waste Transfer Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006. Future actions include instructing regional administrative agencies on the procedures for the exceptional handling of POP waste; exploring carrying out a planned survey of POP emissions from hazardous landfills in communities and industry will be explored and, if necessary, actions to prevent these emissions will be presented; improving the inventory of POP compounds contained in current and previous waste streams and develop the identification of POP waste; updating environmental permits to take into account the legislation on limiting POP compounds; among others.
As regards POP compounds in contaminated soils and sediments, the concentrations of POP compounds in the soil have generally been low. However, there is no information about land areas and groundwater contaminated with POP compounds in Finland, and the matter should be investigated. The Plan contemplates to determine the extent of soil and groundwater contamination and to take measures to reduce risks if necessary.
The Plan further addresses actions to for the monitoring of environmental concentrations of POP compounds. It considers shifting the focus from elusive POP compounds to new substances that are known to have properties similar to POP compounds. The acquisition of concentration data on new substances should be promoted, especially so that the measures to manage the risks caused by them could be measured in the right way. Finland will also actively participate in the development of environmental monitoring related to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the convention. Other obligations under the Stockholm Convention are also addressed.