Tonga National Implementation Plan for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) of 2020.

This National Implementation Plan (NIP) is an updated version of the first NIP of 2009, taking into consideration new POPs chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention and the national and global environmental and public health risks of POPs and other hazardous chemicals and wastes. This NIP provides a framework for the future management of POPs and other chemicals in Tonga. The key strategies of this NIP are to: (I) create appropriate legal and institutional frameworks to manage POPs; (II) improve data collection and management of POPs; (III) institute sound management of POPs; (IV) develop national human capacity for POPs management; (V) raise stakeholder awareness levels for POPs management; and (VI) improve implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of NIP activities.
The legal and institutional framework will be developed to provide the basis for complying with national obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Measures will be taken to prohibit the importation, manufacture and use of Annex A POPs; better regulate the importation, distribution and use of new chemicals; regulate, manage and minimize waste incineration and open burning processes; and provide greater coordination and inspection of national chemicals management. A National Chemical Unit will be established within the Department of Environment to serve as the National Focal Point for integrated chemical management. Studies will be carried out to identify and quantify additional sources of POPs, particularly those contained in waste disposal sites and from far-field sources. A centralized system will be established for licensing and permitting chemical imports and use. Data collection and management will be improved to inform policy- and decision-making and provide the basis for monitoring the effectiveness of such policies and decisions; and to help Tonga to meet its reporting obligations under the Stockholm Convention and other wastes and chemicals conventions.
The management of POPs will be strengthened to minimize, and ultimately avoid, the adverse health, environmental, and economic impacts associated with mismanagement of POPs. This NIP seeks to ensure the implementation of best practices to reduce, and where possible eliminate, the environmental release of POPs and other hazardous chemicals. It addresses the entire chemical management chain, from importation to transportation, storage, use, and disposal. National human capacity in a range of sectors involved in POPs chemicals management will be developed to effectively implement management strategies and sustain successful implementation outcomes. This NIP lays down targeted short- to medium-term awareness campaigns for stakeholders in POPs management initiatives in order to embed good practice implementation into the national culture, until best practice implementation becomes routine, accepted practice. Appropriate research, development, monitoring and cooperation on POPs will be undertaken.
This NIP gives emphasis on eliminating releases of POPs pesticides. The legal framework will be strengthened to enforce the management of POPs pesticides. Regulatory measures will be developed to combat illegal traffic of banned pesticides and counterfeit pesticides. Environmentally sound management practices will be carried out in terms of use and recycling of pesticides empty containers, integrated waste management, and inspection of pesticide imports. Stakeholders' awareness will be raised on on POPs pesticides alternatives and organic farming.
A policy and legal framework will be established for reduction and minimization of unintentional POPs formation within an integrated pollution prevention and control approach. Emission standards or limits will be identified for uPOPs for sources and in the environment and food. An integrated database of national pollutant releases and a pollutant releases transfer register (PRTR) will be developed. The uPOPs inventory will be updated annually. uPOPs-related training will be provided to environment, waste, agriculture and health workers to enable them to provide a minimum level of sound waste management advice to communities.