Persistent Organic Pollutants Network Established in Japan

The Japan Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Network was established on May 17, 2004, on the occasion of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) coming into effect. This Convention is a global treaty aimed at reducing and phasing out POPs such as PCBs, dioxins, and chlorinated pesticides such as DDT and aldrin. POPs are defined as toxic organic pollutants that are persistent, liable to bio-accumulate and prone to long-range transport and deposition, a practice which gives rise to concerns about potentially substantial impacts on future generations.

The Japan POPs Network is an initiative by a non-profit organization (NPO), the Organization for Research and Communication on the Environmental Risks of Chemicals, which aims for a balance between our use of chemicals and the need to protect our environment. The new network will strive to promote research on POP counter-measures, and on risk assessment, risk communication and risk management by establishing a POP-related information network as well as a network of people from various sectors, such as academia, government, business, and civic organizations, in various regions and countries.

The network has already established cooperative partnership relationships with the POPs Network at Tsinghua University in China, with the Hazardous Material Section of the Japan Society of Waste Management Experts, and the Environmental Risk Management for Bio/Eco Systems, a 21st Century Core of Excellence (COE) program funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology at Yokohama National University Graduate School. The POPs Network will be calling for the involvement of more individuals and organizations that support its principles.



Posted: 2004/07/30 10:26:14 AM
Japanese version