Lao People’s Democratic Republic National Implementation Plan Under Stockholm Convention.

This National Implementation Plan (NIP) under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a national policy of POPs management and planning guidance for all relevant stakeholders to implement actions. In light of strategy for the implementation of Stockholm Convention, three strategies are identified, they are: i) Identifying, assessment and mitigation of the stockpiles, articles in use and waste consisting of, containing and contaminated with POPs”; ii) improvement of POPs information exchange; and iii) promote the conduct of POPs and persistent toxic substances research.
In the updated NIP, in addition to action plans to address the commitments on the newly listed POPs chemicals, many untouched components of the first NIP such as training programs, more comprehensive POPs inventory, implementation of environmentally safe waste disposal, mitigation of uncontrolled POPs release as well as POPs technical research, and awareness raising programs are reiterated.
In terms of action plans addressing POPs Pesticides, the Goal is: Eliminate the stockpiles, import and use of POPs pesticides, as well as to secure and remediate POPs pesticides contaminated sites; the Overall Objectives are: Development of appropriate regulatory framework and awareness to effectively implement law enforcement related to POPs pesticides. In terms of action plans addressing PCBs, the Goal is: Reduce risks and minimize impacts caused by PCBs in an environmental sound manner. The overall Objectives are: Environment sound management of PCBs containing equipment (transformers and capacitors) and preliminary investigations on PCBs in open applications. In terms of action plans addressing POP-PBDEs, HBB and HBCD, Goals: Eliminate the use and manage materials containing listed brominated flame retardants (POP-PBDEs, HBB and HBCD); Overall Objectives: Proper management of the materials containing POP-PBDEs, HBB and HBCD, and protection of related recycling flows. In terms of action plans addressing PFOS, PFOSF and related substances, Goals: Eliminate the use and manage materials containing PFOS, PFOSF and related substances; Overall Objectives: Phase out of PFOS uses and management of stockpiles and contaminated sites.