Decision No. 184/2006/QD-TTg Approves the National Plan to Implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Pursuant to …;

Approving the National Plan to Implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Regarding Persistent Organic Pollutants

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

The Prime Minister issues this Decision amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Regulation on Response Activities to Oil Spill Incidents issued together with Decision No. 02/2013/QĐ-TTg dated January 14, 2013 of the Prime Minister.

Pursuant to Decree No. 68/2005/NĐ-CP dated May 20, 2005 of the Government on chemical safety;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

DECISION:

Clause 4 of Article 6Approving the National Plan to Implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) with the main contents as follows:

1. On Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants:Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are very toxic chemicals that persist in the environment for a long time and are difficult to decompose, have the ability to spread widely and accumulate biologically in the tissues of living organisms, causing serious harm to human health (causing reproductive, neurological, immune system diseases, cancer, black lesions, etc.), biodiversity, and the living environment.

At present, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as the Stockholm Convention) stipulates the management of chemical safety, reduction, and complete elimination of 12 harmful persistent organic pollutants: Aldrin, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene, Mirex, Toxaphene, DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), Dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins), and Furans (Polychlorinated dibenzofurans). The first nine substances were created by humans for use as pesticides and insecticides; the tenth group of substances, PCB, was used in insulating oil and heat transfer fluids; the last two groups (Dioxins and Furans) are unintended chemicals often produced during industrial production activities, daily life, or waste disposal.

Among the 12 substances or groups mentioned above, our country has banned the use of nine types of pesticides that are persistent organic pollutants and restricted the importation and use of PCB. Therefore, to implement the commitments under the Stockholm Convention, Vietnam must undertake:

- Apply advanced measures and technologies to reduce the formation and unintentional generation of Persistent Organic Pollutants such as Dioxins and Furans;

- Prevent the importation and use of prohibited pesticides; destroy remaining stockpiles of persistent organic pollutant pesticides; treat contaminated storage areas and burial sites of pesticides previously used; detoxify areas severely polluted by Dioxins from chemical weapons used by the United States during the war in Vietnam;

- Eliminate and safely dispose of PCB and equipment containing PCB according to an appropriate schedule.

b) The Stockholm Convention, which contracting countries implement, aims to protect human health, biodiversity, and the living environment from the risks posed by very toxic Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Stockholm Convention stipulates the cessation of production, limitation of use, and complete elimination of certain persistent organic pollutants created by humans, while also implementing necessary measures to continuously reduce the unintentional generation of persistent organic pollutants resulting from industrial production activities, daily life, or waste disposal.

2. Objectives of the Plan:

a) Establishing and perfecting the mechanism, policy, legal framework, and institutional system for managing chemical safety, reducing, and eliminating persistent organic pollutants;

b) Enhancing scientific and technological capacity, information, and financial resources to prevent, control, and safely manage persistent organic pollutants;

c) Controlling, treating, and completely eliminating stockpiles of persistent organic pollutant pesticides, extremely hazardous chemicals that have been phased out, by 2010;

d) Thoroughly treating areas contaminated by persistent organic pollutant pesticides and Dioxins from chemical weapons used by the United States during the war in Vietnam;

đ) Reducing emissions of PCB into the environment; phasing out the use of PCB in equipment and machinery by 2020 and safely disposing of PCB by 2028;

e) Continuously reducing emissions of unintentionally generated Persistent Organic Pollutants (Dioxins and Furans).

3. Principles guiding the implementation of the Plan:

a) Prioritizing prevention, viewing persistent organic pollutants as immediate and long-term threats directly affecting human health, biodiversity, and the living environment;

b) The management of chemical safety, reduction, and elimination of persistent organic pollutants must be carried out regularly, continuously, and thoroughly;

c) The tasks of the Plan must ensure feasibility, align with the objectives of the National Environmental Protection Strategy, and meet the requirements of the Stockholm Convention;

d) The implementation of the Plan must ensure systematic, synchronized, comprehensive, and involve participation at all levels, sectors, communities, and the general public;

đ) Using science and technology as a foundation; leveraging internal capabilities combined with international experience and assistance; applying advanced, clean, and environmentally friendly technologies to effectively manage, reduce, and treat persistent organic pollutants.

4. Tasks and solutions for implementing the Plan:

a) Perfecting mechanisms, policies, and laws:

Reviewing existing mechanisms, policies, and laws related to persistent organic pollutants to make necessary amendments, supplements, and improvements, prioritizing the following policies:

- Inter-sectoral management policies on chemical safety, including persistent organic pollutants and other hazardous chemicals and wastes;

- Policies encouraging activities to reduce, replace, and eliminate persistent organic pollutants;

- Policy encouraging activities to reduce, replace, and eliminate persistent organic pollutants;

- Policies for preferential treatment, support in capital, tax, fees, land use rights, technology transfer for production, business, service establishments implementing measures to reduce, replace, and eliminate persistent organic pollutants;

- Regulations requiring production, business, and service establishments that have the potential to unintentionally release persistent organic pollutants to self-monitor and periodically report monitoring results on these substances to competent state management agencies;

- Amending, supplementing, and developing new environmental standards as a basis for managing safety and disposing of persistent organic pollutants;

- A mechanism for publicly disclosing information about environmental pollution caused by persistent organic pollutants to the community and a mechanism for community participation in supervising and ensuring safety for persistent organic pollutants;

b) Strengthening management capacity for persistent organic pollutants:

- Enhancing the capacity of the national focal agency and other relevant agencies in state management of persistent organic pollutants; training and building human resources for management, scientific research, and technological development in handling persistent organic pollutants; incorporating programs and curricula on persistent organic pollutants into universities for teaching and learning;

- Building and developing technical capabilities for monitoring and treating environmental pollution caused by persistent organic pollutants;

- Establishing a database and a national information system on persistent organic pollutants and other hazardous chemicals and wastes to share data and information among related parties;

c) Promoting investigation, research, and application of advanced and modern science and technology solutions in managing safety, reducing, disposing of, and eliminating persistent organic pollutants:

- Investigating, statistics, monitoring, evaluating, and updating databases on persistent organic pollutants;

- Developing and applying technical guidelines on statistics, evaluation, reporting on the stock, emissions, use, transport, and disposal of persistent organic pollutants;

- Evaluating, classifying, and establishing a roadmap for treating areas contaminated by persistent organic pollutants; researching and applying solutions to restore the environment in areas contaminated by persistent organic pollutants, prioritizing facilities listed in the "Comprehensive Plan to Address Severe Polluting Facilities" issued with Decision No. 64/2003/QĐ-TTg dated April 22, 2003 of the Prime Minister;

- Developing and implementing national and sectoral programs on chemical safety management and replacing oil containing PCBs, industrial equipment and products containing PCBs, focusing on the electricity industry;

- Developing a program for analyzing, monitoring, and updating data on sources and quantities of unintentional emissions of persistent organic pollutants, prioritizing high-risk sources affecting human health, biodiversity, and the environment;

- Researching, transferring, and applying advanced, modern, clean, and environmentally friendly technologies to reduce unintentional emissions of persistent organic pollutants, focusing on metal production, construction materials, chemical industries, and waste treatment;

d) Enhancing awareness, roles, and responsibilities of all levels, sectors, communities, and citizens in managing chemical safety, reducing, and eliminating persistent organic pollutants:

- Investigating and researching the impact of persistent organic pollutants on human health, biodiversity, and living environments;

- Developing and implementing training programs to enhance awareness and disseminate knowledge about persistent organic pollutants to managers, businesses, and community residents;

- Determining responsibilities and establishing mechanisms for coordinating activities between central and local state management agencies related to managing persistent organic pollutants;

- Mobilizing broad participation and creating favorable mechanisms for communities, social organizations, and citizens to actively participate in managing safety and monitoring the use of persistent organic pollutants;

- Publicly disclosing information about establishments causing environmental pollution due to the use of persistent organic pollutants;

đ) Strengthening and diversifying investment sources:

- Increasing investment from the state budget, attracting ODA funds, and mobilizing other sources of funding for managing safety, reducing, disposing of, and completely eliminating persistent organic pollutants;

- Incorporating the management of safety, reduction, disposal, and complete elimination of persistent organic pollutants into economic and social development programs, plans, and projects to effectively utilize resources;

e) Expanding and enhancing the effectiveness of international cooperation:

- Fully fulfilling Vietnam's obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Establishing mechanisms for registering exemptions, supplementing lists of persistent organic pollutants to be managed, and regularly reporting on the implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Vietnam;

- Participating in bilateral and multilateral cooperative activities on persistent organic pollutants in the region and internationally, sharing information, experiences, transferring technology, and exchanging experts on implementing the Stockholm Convention;

- Actively participating in implementing monitoring programs for persistent organic pollutants at regional and global levels;

- Coordinating and integrating activities to implement the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants with related conventions and agreements for environmental protection;

5. Implementation of the Plan:

a) To implement the objectives and tasks of the Plan, assign ministries to promptly take the lead in drafting, approving, or submitting to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval the following 15 projects:

- Project to improve mechanisms, policies, and laws for managing safety of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

- Project to manage safety, disposal, and elimination of plant protection products that are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in charge);

- Project to thoroughly address areas contaminated with dioxins from chemical toxins used by the United States during the Vietnam War (Ministry of Defense in charge);

- Project to manage medical waste to reduce emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other harmful substances (Ministry of Health in charge);

- Project to thoroughly address areas contaminated by persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including plant protection products and PCBs (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

- Project to manage chemicals safely, eliminate their use, and dispose of PCBs and products containing PCBs in the electrical industry and industrial products (Ministry of Industry in charge);

- Project to build and develop technical capacity for monitoring and analyzing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) at monitoring facilities; establish a network of laboratories meeting standards for analyzing and assessing the level of pollution and negative impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human health, biodiversity, and the environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

- Project to encourage and support the application of advanced, modern technologies, clean technologies, environmentally friendly technologies, and best available environmental protection practices to reduce and eliminate unintentional emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) caused by industrial production activities, daily life, and waste treatment (Ministry of Industry in charge);

- Project to investigate and study the negative impacts of environments contaminated by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on public health (Ministry of Health in charge);

- Project to promote education and raise awareness about the hazards of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

- Project to strengthen technical and financial resources to support implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in Vietnam (Ministry of Planning and Investment in charge);

- Project to enhance management and control capabilities over the production, export, import, use, storage, and transportation of chemicals banned in Vietnam (Ministry of Trade in charge);

- Project to research and develop emission standards and related technology standards concerning persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to meet development and integration requirements (Ministry of Science and Technology in charge);

- Project to establish a national information system on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), enhance participation of relevant parties, communities, and citizens in safe management of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

- Project to investigate and assess the situation of managing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) nationwide (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge);

b) Assignment of responsibilities:

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as the national focal point for implementing the Stockholm Convention, is responsible for organizing the implementation of the Plan; supervising and inspecting ministries, sectors, provincial People's Committees under central cities in carrying out assigned tasks; compiling data and periodically reporting the results of Plan implementation to the Prime Minister and the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants;

- Ministries, sectors, provincial People's Committees under central cities within their jurisdiction have the responsibility to develop and implement the contents of the Plan assigned to them, and periodically report the results of implementation to the Prime Minister and the national focal point for implementing the Stockholm Convention, which is the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance will balance and allocate funds from the state budget and other sources annually and long-term to effectively implement the contents and projects of the Plan;

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette;

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for guiding and implementing this Decision. Ministers, heads of agencies equivalent to ministries, heads of government agencies, Chairmen of provincial People's Committees under central cities, and related agencies and units are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.