Supporting country reports to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

PCBS, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a class of man-made complex chemicals that can have adverse effects on humans and wildlife. PCBs are slow to biodegrade in the environment and magnify in the food chain, both for wildlife and humans.

Although banned in 2001 by the Stockholm Convention On Persistent Organic Pollutants, PCB use still persists in manufacturing and equipment. Only 17% of the elimination goal has so far been achieved. MapX was deployed to manage spatial information regarding PCBs and reporting to the Convention. 

Persistent Organic Pollutants 

Persistent organic pollutants are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation, and can cause detrimental effects to biodiversity and human health. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are a persistent organic pollutant (POP). In 2001, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was signed and came into effect in May 2004. The international environmental treaty aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of POPs. As of June 2018, there are 182 parties to the Convention.

Polychlorinated biphenyls have been used in many different products, including electrical equipment, surface coatings, inks, adhesives, flame-retardants, and paints. PCBs can be released into the environment when waste that contains PCBs is stored in landfills or incinerated. 

In the environment, PCBs can attach to sediments where they can remain buried before being released into water and air. Air-borne PCBs can reach the ground with atmospheric water or simply through gravity. PCBs can build up in the fatty tissues of animals living in water or land, biomagnifying to the top of the food network. Humans can also accumulate PCBs from the food that they eat. 

MapX Support

MapX has developed a customized application to manage PCB inventories and progress reporting to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

After showcasing the application at UNEA, in 2018-2019-2020 MapX is expanding its support to the convention by integrating inventory data from implementing countries and develop risk indices (environmental, social and economic) to support prioritization of sites for decontamination and elimination of stockpiles. MapX is also drawing on this work on site inventories and risk assessment methodologies to host the development of a chemicals observatory for Africa.

Project Profile

UNEP Chemicals Branch
UNEP-Crisis Management Branch
Pure Earth
Pesticide Action Network UK
Global, national and site-level
Collaboration with UNEP Chemicals was launched in September 2017. Country level implementation occurred in 2018-2019. A prototype chemicals observatory on five African countries (Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania) was successfully delivered in April 2020.
To get into contact with us about customizing a dashboard, please email us at 

Story Map: Eliminating PCBs

en English