2. Background

Under Article 5 of the Stockholm Convention, Parties are required to take certain measures, as summarized in Figure 2-1 below, to reduce total releases of by-product emissions of Annex C chemicals from anthropogenic sources "with the goal of their continuing minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination".

** Best Available Techniques (BAT): most effective and advanced activities to limit, prevent or reduce releases (process description, available techniques, and achievable release levels).
*** Best Environmental Practices (BEP): environmental control measures and strategies.

Sources - Part II Annex C Require BAT for new Promote BEP
Sources - Part III Annex C Promote BAT/BEP

Under Article 5 (a), the Convention provides further guidance on the content of an action plan:

  1. An evaluation of current and projected releases, including the development and maintenance of source inventories and release estimates, taking into consideration the source categories identified in Annex C;
  2. An evaluation of the efficacy of the laws and policies of the Party relating to the management of such releases;
  3. Strategies to meet the obligations of this paragraph [measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional production], taking into consideration the evaluations in (i) and (ii);
  4. Steps to promote education and training with regard to, and awareness of, those strategies;
  5. A review every five years of the strategies and of their success in meeting the obligations of this paragraph [measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional production]; such reviews shall be included in reports submitted pursuant to Article 15; and
  6. A schedule for implementation of the action plan, including for the strategies and measures identified therein.

Annex C of the Stockholm Convention lists 17 sectors or categories that are identified as sources of the four unintentionally produced POPs. These have been listed below for reference.

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