U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the United States' failure to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) despite signing it in 2001. It argues that federal laws (TSCA and FIFRA) are outdated and ineffective, leaving a policy void that has been filled by individual states. The document highlights the 'vanguard' role of Maine, California, and Washington, which have implemented their own bans on mercury, PBDEs, and lindane, and developed strategies to monitor and reduce bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) to protect public health and wildlife.

• The United States signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001 but has failed to ratify it due to a lack of necessary changes to U.S. environmental law. Consequently, the U.S. was unable to participate in the first Conference of the Parties (COP1) held in Uruguay from May 2-6, 2005.
• The Stockholm Convention aims to protect human health and the environment by banning or restricting a class of toxic chemicals, starting with the 'Dirty Dozen'. This includes an immediate ban on eight pesticides (aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, chlordane, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, and toxaphene), an immediate prohibition on PCB production, and limiting DDT use to disease vector control.
• Federal regulation of POPs in the U.S. is hindered by outdated laws, specifically the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The report notes that TSCA has never been amended despite being widely considered ineffective.
• Maine has implemented aggressive state-level actions to combat POPs and PBTs (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals), including mercury product bans and a far-reaching ban on certain brominated flame retardants. This is partly a response to high mercury levels in local fish, loons, and eagles, which are among the highest in North America.
• California has used its significant economic influence to drive national change by banning the pesticide lindane for pharmaceutical use and leading the charge for PBDE-free products. Its PBDE legislation has served as a model for at least 11 other U.S. states.
• Washington State developed a comprehensive PBT Strategy to identify and reduce persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals. This included the 2003 Mercury Chemical Action Plan (MCAP) and the Mercury Education and Reduction Act, which banned various mercury-containing products such as automotive switches and thermometers (except by prescription).
• High levels of POPs have been documented in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in Puget Sound. Southern Resident orcas are among the most contaminated marine mammal populations globally, with PBDE levels 2 to 10 times higher than other whales worldwide. Additionally, a 2004 study found PBDEs in the breast milk of every woman tested among 40 mothers from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Montana.

APA

Stillerman, K. P. (n.d.). U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/States_POPs_May05.pdf

Chicago

Stillerman, Karen Perry. U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty. Center for International Environmental Law, n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/States_POPs_May05.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stillerman |first1=Karen Perry |title=U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/States_POPs_May05.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stillermanndstates, author = {Stillerman, Karen Perry}, title = {{U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/States_POPs_May05.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }