DENR urged to support ban on 'nasty' chemicals

MANILA, Philippines – Environmental groups yesterday called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to actively support global action to ban nine more “extremely nasty” chemicals that pose significant risk to human and ecological health, as they pushed for the expansion of the original 12 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention.

Local waste and pollution watchdog Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste) and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) said DENR is the national focus agency for the Stockholm Convention, a treaty ratified by the Senate in 2004 to protect human health and the environment from POPs.

On May 4-8, the 4th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP4) of the Stockholm Convention on POPs is slated in Geneva, where the proposal to add nine “unacceptably toxic chemicals” to the original “dirty dozen” POPs chemicals will be considered, the group said.

DENR Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio and Angelita Brabante will represent the Philippines at the meeting.

“The COP4 next week will be a historic milestone as the international community considers the proposal of the POPs Review Committee to add nine unacceptably toxic chemicals for reduction and eventual elimination,” noted Manny Calonzo, president of the EcoWaste Coalition. – Katherine Adraneda