Talks Agree on Global Ban on 12 Very Toxic Chemicals

The treaty must be ratified by 50 nations before it can take effect. Brooks Yeager, head of the United States delegation, said he expected the ban to be approved by the coming Congress.

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Subject:     Talks Agree on Global Ban on 12 Very Toxic Chemicals
 Date:        Tue, 12 Dec 2000 07:58:24 -0500
From:        Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
          Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation 

Dear Mr. Helliker,  I thought you might like to read an article dated December 11, 2000 entitled: Talks Agree on Global Ban on 12 Very Toxic Chemicals By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 10 - After extending their meeting into a seventh day and haggling all night, negotiators for 122 nations agreed today on a global ban on 12 highly toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer, birth defects and other genetic abnormalities.

The convention calls for the elimination of PCB's, dioxins and other chemicals intentionally used or produced in manufacturing that have become known as the "dirty dozen." They are persistent organic pollutants that dissolve slowly, travel easily and are absorbed by living organisms, including humans.

The treaty, which is to be signed in May in Stockholm, has been more than two and half years in the works after negotiations were begun in June 1998 in Montreal.

The meeting here was scheduled to end late Saturday, but delegates agreed to extend the conference and finally concluded their negotiations early today, said Michael Williams, a meeting spokesman.

"The treaty enjoyed the broadest possible support," said John Buccini, chairman of the meeting, which was organized by the United Nations Environment Program. "People not only felt that we have a treaty, but that we have a good treaty."

The treaty calls for reduction of releases of dioxins and furans toxic byproducts of burning and industrial production  "with the goal of their continuing minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination."

The continued use of electrical equipment containing PCB's will still be permitted until 2025 as long as the equipment does not leak.

It also allows for the continued use of the industrial pesticide DDT to combat malaria until other alternatives are available.

Industrialized countries have already banned several of the chemicals, but the ban will still require "some hard work on the part of all countries to apply," said James Willis, an official with the United Nations Environmental Program.

Countries burning their waste in open air and some factories will have to find alternative techniques, Mr. Buccini said.

"It is a possibility that this could lead to a higher cost," he said. "For example, manufacturing factories are going to have to address reduction of releases of dioxins and furans."

The most contentious issues were provisions for expansion of the treaty to include other chemicals and a mechanism for industrialized nations to pay about $150 million a year to help developing countries use cleaner but costlier options.

In a statement, Greenpeace welcomed the treaty as the "beginning of the end of toxic pollution."

The treaty must be ratified by 50 nations before it can take effect. Brooks Yeager, head of the United States delegation, said he expected the ban to be approved by the coming Congress.

Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company

Well Mr. Helliker, there are safe and far more effective (unregistered) alternatives that actually cost less money - the only real question is will the POISON "industry and regulators" ever allow their use?  I have consistently observed that this group does not really want to SOLVE the pest problem - "they" only want to "treat" the problem on a continual (money-making) basis.

Respectfully,  Stephen L. Tvedten

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