The 2025 BRS COP (Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions) took place from April 28 to May 9, 2025, under the theme "Making the Invisible Visible." This powerful message highlights often-overlooked forms of pollution that silently impact our world, emphasizing the need for collective action to address these challenges. The significance of this COP was underscored by the participation of the heads of seven multilateral environmental agreements, reflecting the growing recognition that environmental crises cannot be tackled in isolation.

MedWaves, a Stockholm Convention Regional Centre and a Regional Activity Centre of UNEP/MAP for the Barcelona Convention, co-hosted a side event with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution on the afternoon of April 30, coinciding already with the start of the High-Level Segment of the meetings. The event focused on two critical environmental issues: plastics and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Those are challenges that demand coordinated, global responses. Despite being scheduled alongside other major sessions, the room was packed to capacity, demonstrating the urgency and interest surrounding these topics.

Given the complexity of the issues covered, this article will focus primarily on the first part of the 90-minute side event, where POPs took centre stage. This focus is particularly relevant to MedWaves (SCRC Spain) which leads the new POPs prevention component of the GEF-funded MedProgramme. This part of the project aims to reduce the presence of harmful chemicals in the Mediterranean and promote safer alternatives.

Two flagship initiatives were presented by the Center: the InPlastics project and the MedProgramme, both offering a Mediterranean perspective on plastic pollution and POP management. The MedProgramme, for example, highlighted several critical interventions, including:

• Sampling and Analysis: Extensive sampling of materials like XPS panels was conducted to detect the flame retardant HBCD in Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon, as well as SCCPs in PVC in Lebanon. These efforts are essential for understanding the distribution of hazardous chemicals and supporting targeted regulatory action.
• Legislative Improvement and Promotion of Safer Alternatives: Efforts to strengthen legislation and promote safer chemical alternatives, enhancing environmental protection and public health.
• E-Waste POPs Prevention Campaign: In Montenegro, a targeted campaign is being launched to address the risks associated with POPs in e-waste, in vulnerable communities.
• Technical Capacity Building: A workshop in Tunisia focused on strengthening the capacity of local authorities and stakeholders in detecting POPs in waste and recycled materials containing plastics.

Following this, an expert presentation broadened the discussion to the global challenge of plastic pollution, emphasizing the importance of controlling POPs in recycled plastics. This is especially critical in low- and middle-income countries, where infrastructure for safe recycling is often lacking.

It was highlighted three high-risk sectors for POP contamination:

• Automotive (End-of-Life Vehicles - ELVs)
• Electronics (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment - WEEE)
• Construction

The session then shifted focus to Africa, exploring these three sectors through a range of projects. The first spotlight was on Ghana’s pioneering efforts to manage WEEE plastics through the Sustainable Recycling Industries Programme (2014-2025), the first initiative of its kind on the African continent. This project has already sorted over 60 tons of plastics through Electronic Recycling Ghana, demonstrating the potential for scalable solutions in challenging contexts.

The event also included insights from the automotive sector, with Hyundai Motor Europe R&D discussing the challenges and opportunities of sourcing recycled plastics from ELVs. Two critical points were emphasized:

• For vehicles and other durable goods, circular economy and non-toxic environment strategies are often incompatible.
• The challenge is significant in developed countries but even greater in developing countries, where the necessary infrastructure is often lacking.

For this reason, there is a clear need for realistic thresholds for hazardous substances in recycled materials to support circular economies without compromising public health or the environment.

The final segment featured the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Nigeria, which introduced the just started GEF/UNEP African Plastic Project. This initiative, spanning Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, aims to eliminate POPs from plastic-containing products and improve waste management practices. Zimbabwe, partnering as a co-host, presented data showing that the country imports approximately 59,000 tonnes of POPs-related polymers annually. Pipes, plastic foams for construction, packaging (EPS, XPS, and HIP), and cables each account for about 15% of the total, highlighting the significant impact of POPs in construction.

The lessons from all these sessions are clear: coordinated action and integrated approaches are essential for building a safer, more sustainable future. By moving from the Mediterranean to Africa, MedWaves (SCRC Spain): and other experts underscored the interconnected nature of plastic pollution and POPs management. It emphasized the importance of capacity building and knowledge transfer across regions, reinforcing the critical role of local expertise in creating long-term, sustainable solutions.

By highlighting shared challenges and innovative responses, the event embodied the core principle of "Making the Invisible Visible": revealing the hidden impacts of pollution and fostering greater awareness and action.

For more information, please contact Jordi Moles Matinero: jordimoles@gencat.cat

Cover photo: 2025 BRS COPs | Day 3 | 30 April 25 - Side Event

The Mediterranean Sea Programme: Enhancing Environmental Security (MedProgramme)
2020-2026

The Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme): “Enhancing Environmental Security” is a six (6) year (2020–2026) Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded multi-focal area and cross-sectoral initiative implemented in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia, and Türkiye. UNEP/Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) is the leading executing Agency; the GEF Implementing Agencies are UNEP and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the executing partners are UNESCO/IHP, European Investment Bank (EIB), IUCN Med, GWP Med, WWF Med, University of Geneva-GRID Geneva, Plan Bleu, PAP/RAC, SCP/RAC, SPA/RAC and INFO/RAC. The Programme is also supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The MedProgramme operationalizes priority actions to reduce major transboundary environmental stresses in coastal areas while strengthening climate resilience and water security and improving the health and livelihoods of coastal populations. It also aims to promote sound environmental management that benefits women and men equally, through effective gender mainstreaming. 

Learn more about the Mediterranean Sea Programme.