The International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) (formerly International POPs Elimination Network) is a global network of

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

s dedicated to the common aim of eliminating pollutants, such as lead in paint, mercury and

lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...

in the environment,

persistent organic pollutants Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They are toxic and adversely affect human health and the environment around the world. Becaus ...

(POPs), endocrine disrupting chemicals, and other toxics. IPEN was established by a number of environmental NGOs, including

Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Action Network (PAN) is an international coalition of more than 600 NGOs in 90 countries which advocates for less hazardous alternatives to pesticides. It was founded in May 1982 with its first meeting in Penang, Malaysia. Origins Th ...

(PAN) and

Physicians for Social Responsibility Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is a physician-led organization in the US working to protect the public from the threats of nuclear proliferation, climate change, and environmental toxins. It produces and disseminates publications, p ...

in 1998. It became one of the most prominent NGOs in negotiations over the

Stockholm Convention Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmental treaty, signed on 22 May 2001 in Stockholm and effective from 17 May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organi ...

and has continued to play an important role in subsequent chemicals-related international negotiations. IPEN is composed of public interest non-governmental organizations who support a common platform for the global elimination of POPs via the Stockholm Convention, work to influence the implementation of the

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

and

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

conventions, as well as the

Minamata Convention on Mercury The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The convention was a result of three years of meetin ...

. IPEN's more than 550 public interest non-governmental organizations in over 120 countries work together for the elimination of toxic pollutants, on an expedited yet socially equitable basis. This mission includes achieving a world in which all chemicals are produced and used in ways that eliminate significant adverse effects on human health and the environment, and where POPs and chemicals of equivalent concern no longer pollute local and global environments. IPEN is co-chaired by Tadesse Amera and Pamela K. Miller. Former co-chairs were Sharyle Patton (1998–2004), Romeo F. Quijano (1998–2006),

Jack Weinberg Jack Weinberg (born April 4, 1940) is an American environmental activist and former New Left activist who is best known for his role in the Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1964. Youth Weinberg was born in Buff ...

(2001–2005), Jamidu Katima (2006–2010),

Mariann Lloyd-Smith Mariann Lloyd-Smith is an Australian scientist and environmentalist known for her work on chemical safety and waste management. She is a founder of the National Toxics Network (NTN) and has worked extensively with international organizations, inc ...

(2006–2011), Emmanuel Calonzo (2011–2015) and

Olga Speranskaya Olga Speranskaya () is a Russian scientist and environmentalist. She has been the Director of the Chemical Safety Program at the Eco-Accord Center for Environment and Sustainable Development in Moscow since 1997 and holds a master's degree in Ge ...

(2010–2018). IPEN is coordinated via Hubs in eight regions: Anglophone Africa; Francophone Africa; Central, Western & (sections of) Eastern Europe (CEWE); a portion of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus & Central Asia (EECCA); Latin America; Middle East & North Africa (MENA); South Asia; and Southeast Asia. Centre de Recherche et d’Education Pour le Développement (CREPD) based in

Yaoundé Yaoundé (; , ) is the Capital city, capital city of Cameroon. It has a population of more than 2.8 million which makes it the second-largest city in the country after the port city Douala. It lies in the Centre Region (Cameroon), Centre Region o ...

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

is the Regional Hub for Fancophone Africa. Arnika Toxics and Waste Programme based in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

is the Regional Hub for Central, Eastern & Western Europe.

References

External links

IPEN Official Website

IPEN Introduction to the Dioxin Toolkit (December, 2016)
by

Pat Costner Pat Costner (born 1 November 1940) is an United States, American scientist and environmentalist. She is a founder and director of the group Save the Ozarks (StO). She worked for a long time as an advocacy scientist for Greenpeace and International ...

International environmental organizations Biodegradable waste management {{environmental-org-stub

See also

References

External links