Preface

The objective of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is to protect human health and the environment from the substances listed in the Convention. Under the Convention, each Party is to develop and endeavour to implement a plan for the fulfilment of its Convention obligations. The first National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Sweden was prepared in 2006.In early 2011, the Government commissioned the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to review and update the National Implementation Plan. Under this remit, the update was done in cooperation with the Swedish Chemicals Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.The Swedish Chemicals Agency has prepared the sections relating to deliberately produced POPs in all the chapters. The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management has been involved in discussions and provided comments on the text. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has prepared the other texts and has coordinated and managed the process.In preparing this report, the three agencies have consulted a broad range of stakeholders from other agencies, industry organisations, academia, civil society and environmental non-governmental organisations in Swedish society. In accordance with the Guidelines, the report describes Swedish legislation, on chemicals in general and POPs in particular, as well as measures that Sweden has taken to protect the Swedish population and the Swedish environment from POPs, so as to comply with the Convention obligations. The newly listed substances have been included and references to legislation and work in the EU have been made. This NIP also includes an executive summary in order to enhance reading of the document.A decision on this report was taken by the Director General Maria Ågren, on 16 May 2012 in collaboration with the Swedish Chemicals Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, May 2012.