India has argued against the inclusion of the pesticide chlorpyrifos under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide that has been connected to long-term exposure to lung and prostate cancer, decreased birth size, and negative effects on neurodevelopment. Chlorpyrifos has been categorised as a moderately hazardous pesticide by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The substance suppresses an enzyme called acetyl cholinesterase, which leads in unfavourable nervous system effects.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Stockholm Convention . Adopted in Stockholm, Sweden, in May 2001, it became operative on May 17, 2004, when the fiftieth ratification or accession was submitted.

It seeks to shield the environment and human health from dangerous substances referred to as persistent organic pollutants. In order to settle disagreements between member nations, it also requires the Conference of the Parties to set up arbitration and conciliation processes.

Three annexes of the Stockholm Convention contain a list of substances. Annex B and C list compounds to be limited to minimise unintended production and release of designated chemicals, whereas Annex A includes chemicals to be removed.

Phase-out Procedures for Chlorpyrifos The European Union nominated Chlorpyrifos for worldwide phase-out in 2021. The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) recommended in 2024 that Chlorpyrifos be included in Annex A of the Convention (elimination), with exceptions for certain uses like wood preservation, plant protection, and cattle tick control. Countries discussed exemptions for Chlorpyrifos in agricultural uses and pest control at the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) conference.

Since its registration in 1977, India's Stance Chlorpyrifos has been the most widely used insecticide in the nation from 2016 to 2017. India maintained that chlorpyrifos is still a widely used insecticide in India and that it is essential for agricultural and pest control, especially for urban pests and vector-borne illnesses.

In India, it is seen as crucial for managing vector-borne illnesses and urban pests like termites and cockroaches. In India, food products have been discovered to have residues of chlorpyrifos; a study conducted in 2024 revealed the chemical in 33% of the examined samples.

In 2013, the Anupam Verma Committee was established to examine 66 pesticides that were still being used in India but have been outlawed, restricted, or withdrawn in other nations. The committee's findings was submitted in 2015. It acknowledged the fact that chlorpyrifos is toxic to fishes and bees.

Plans for the Future

Under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, the Indian government has been advancing a nationwide initiative on natural farming through a centrally sponsored program.

The BRS Convention is also discussing other compounds, such as long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins. In 2015, India turned in its report.