Chapter 22: Problem 5

What kind of chemicals are the "dirty dozen" POPs? Why are they on a list?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The 'dirty dozen' POPs are a list of 12 dangerous chemicals, including DDT, PCBs, and different forms of dioxin. They are listed due to their harmful characteristics; they're toxic, they persist in the environment, and they can accumulate in the food chain. The list comes from The Stockholm Convention, which seeks to control these pollutants.

Step by step solution

Identifying the Dirty Dozen POPs

Firstly, it's important to know that the 'dirty dozen' refers to a group of 12 toxic chemicals. These chemicals are: aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and two forms of dioxin — 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs).

Understand why they are on a list

The 'dirty dozen' POPs are listed due to their harmful characteristics. These chemicals are toxic, persist in the environment for long periods of time, and can accumulate and pass from one species to the next through the food chain. This makes them a significant concern for human health and the environment. Due to these characteristics, they are subject to international regulations.

Discuss The Stockholm Convention

The inclusion of these 'dirty dozen' POPs in a list comes from The Stockholm Convention, an international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Environmental Science Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

What kind of chemicals are the "dirty dozen" POPs? Why are they on a list?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Identifying the Dirty Dozen POPs

Understand why they are on a list

Discuss The Stockholm Convention

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Environmental Science Textbooks

Ecology Research

Pollution

Energy Resources

Physical Environment

Biological Resources

Living Environment

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.