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" LEGISLATIVE MEASURE ON POPs LEGISLATIVE MEASURE ON POPs By Muhammad Yasin Hatif, LL.M. (London) Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are hazardous chemicals1 which persist in the environment and are sources of diseases. They are group of chemicals which are very toxic and can lead to negative health effects both in male and females2 causing endocrine disruption3, cancer, birth defects, affecting reproductive system and synergistic effects on them at large. People and animals are exposed to POPs mostly through their diet as they accumulate4 in the fatty tissues which don't degrade quickly over the time and these POPs travel vast distances via air and water. To restrict the production, storage, usage and improper disposal of the POPs, the international community conducted the Stockholm Convention5 on 22 May 2001 which was entered into force on 17 May 2004 (the "Stockholm Convention"). POPs exert negative effects6 on the environment through the processes of long range transport, bioaccumulation and bio magnification and over 90% of exposure comes from animal product foods due to its bioaccumulation in the fat tissues. Initially the Stockholm Convention recognized only twelve POPs which were called as "Dirty Dozen" for their adverse effects on human health and the environment like Aldrin, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Dioxins Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), etc. but subsequently this list was updated with further addition in it counting to 26 in numbers7 in different period of the years. POPs pose particular threat to the human being due to consumption of contaminated marine mammal8 species in traditional diets. The Stockholm Convention requires parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs in the…