What Does
Persistent Organic Pollutants Mean?
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are toxic and present risks to human health and well-being, as well as our environment worldwide. POPs are called persistent partially because they can be transported by wind and water, and POPs generated in one country can and do affect other countries. POPs also stay in the environment for a long time and accumulate through the food web.
Safeopedia Explains Persistent Organic Pollutants
Under the United Nations Treaty known as the Stockholm Convention (signed in Stockholm, Sweden) countries agreed to take action against 12 key POPs to stop their production and spread. These 12 include aldrin ¹, chlordane ¹, dichlorodiphenyl and other harmful chemicals that do not break down biologically. Although most developing countries have put measures in place to halt the spread of these material, some less developed areas are only recently making the necessary changes.