Review and Update of the National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Samoa.

This updated National Implementation Plan (NIP) provides an assessment of the current inventory and legal, institutional aspects of POPs management in Samoa. Samoa does not have POPs producing industries or factories for manufacturing other synthetic chemicals. The new POPs covered by this NIP are PFOS its salts, PFOSF, PBDE and HBCD and are suspected of being used as by products such as fire-fighting foam, electrical and electronic equipment, printing inks and toners. However, there are no physical quantities of new POPs in Samoa and there is no available information on POPs, contaminated sites and hot spots. The Policy propose the following actions for management of POPs: strengthening national legislative framework for the obligations related to the ban of new POPs; exploring waste management practices for disposal of products/articles containing new POPs; using environmentally sound manner; improving government ministries, corporations, private sectors knowledge on new POPs impact; seeking development partners and securing sufficient funds.
The Plan is designed in 4 Chapters and starts with a review on the general information on the country and profile; in Chapter 2 legal and institutional framework is observed by relying on the pesticides and waste management regulations, forestry and health ordinances. Chapter 3 presents assessment on inventory of POPs including new POPs, stockpiles and wastes and contaminated sites. Chapter 4 provides for implementation strategy and action plans by considering the priorities for new POPs, legal and instrumental arrangements, pesticides and reducing release of unintentionally POPs from anthropogenic sources. The text further elaborates on public information and awareness, reporting and research, monitoring and technical finance. The text has 2 Annexes.