National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

This National Implementation Plan (NIP) consists of nine chapters: 1. Country Profile; 2. Institution, Policy and Regulatory Framework; 3. Key approaches and procedures for POPs Chemical and Pesticide Management; 4. Assessment of POPs issue in the country; 5. Current level of Information, Awareness and Education; 6. Identification of Social Impacts of POPs; 7. Strategy, Action Plan Elements of the National Implementation Plan; 8. Development and Capacity-building Proposals and Priorities; and 9. Conclusion.
Chapter 1 describes the geography, environment, demographics and profile of economic sectors of Maldives. Chapter 2 discusses the institution, regulatory and policy framework. Chapter 3 analyses the POPs chemical and pesticides management in the country. It states that the implementation and enforcement of environmentally sound management of hazardous waste and chemicals has been a challenge due to the lack of chemical databases indicating the usage and disposal of such chemicals. Chapter 4 comprises of the assessment of POPs pesticides; PCB contaminated sites and management of PCB waste; PDBEs; DDT; PFOS, its salts and PFOSF; releases of unintentionally produced chemicals from waste incineration, brick production, asphalt mixing etc.; disposal and landfill. Chapter 5 captures the current level of information, awareness and education among the general public.
Chapter 6 identifies social impact of POPs on vulnerable groups and women. Chapter 7 provides a policy statement, an implementation strategy, along with the activities and timelines to implement these activities. Strategies and action plans include strengthening institutional capacity and regulatory measures; eliminating PCB containing equipment and its wastes by 2025; safe disposal and monitoring of PFOS; reduce releases from UPOPS, stockpiles and wastes; establishing information exchange and data sharing mechanism; improving sampling and analysis of POPs in Labs; and strengthening financial and technical capacity. Chapter 8 highlights the need to address priority areas likes open burning of waste, release of UPOPs through vehicle emissions, waste and hazardous waste management.