105
2008a ). When it comes to the Baltic Sea, HELCOM has established a link between
MSFD and the Baltic Sea Action Plan and coordinates the national implementation
by EU Member States (HELCOM 2010b ).
5.3.2 HELCOM Policy
Under the 1974 Helsinki Convention , organochlorinated and several other hazardous substances became targets for HELCOM’s activities. Since then, PCBs have
been in focus for various monitoring (in a coordinated manner since 1979), risk
assessment and risk management measures. Monitoring and assessments under
HELCOM are following a specifi c strategy with, for example, objectives, principles
and indicators (HELCOM 2013 a), and the contracting parties as well as various
expert groups and scientifi c committees participate in the work. A set of PCBs
belonging to the so-called HELCOM ‘ core indicators’ for hazardous substances
under the Baltic Sea Action Plan (HELCOM 2007 , 2013 ), and their trends are monitored over time (Boalt et al. 2013 ).
In terms of risk management, HELCOM measures commonly consist of various
Recommendations to the parties of the convention. Regarding PCBs, the 1974
Convention mentioned them explicitly. Based on a 1981 ICES environmental
assessment , HELCOM adopted a Recommendation (3/1) in 1982 that contracting
parties should, allowing for some exemptions, prohibit the introduction of new
products containing PCBs and develop national regulations for reducing discharges
from existing sources (HELCOM 1982 ). In 1985, another Recommendation (6/1)
underlined the urgency to do so and requested the parties to stop production and
marketing of PCBs from 1987, more specifi c action against existing sources as well
as the use of more specifi ed reporting procedures (HELCOM 1985 ).
Due to the discovery of elevated concentrations of numerous hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea in the 1980s, a 1988 Ministerial Declaration took a broad
approach and set a target to reduce the total discharges of the most harmful substances by around 50 % by 1995 (HELCOM 1988 ). This led to a list of such substances in 1991, initially covering 46 substances and groups of substances, 1 being
the large group of organohalogens (Selin and VanDeveer 2004 ).
Similarly, the 1992 amendment of the Convention required the Contracting
Parties to take a broad approach in order ‘to prevent and eliminate pollution of the
marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area caused by harmful substances from all
sources’ (Helsinki Convention 1992 , Article 5). Annex 1 contained general principles for ‘harmful substances’ and listed both priority groups for action and ‘banned’
substances, where it was stated (Part 2.2) that in ‘order to protect the Baltic Sea
Area PCBs shall be banned for all uses, except in existing closed system equipment
until the end of service life or for research, development and analytical purposes in
the Baltic Sea Area and its catchment area.’
Furthermore, based on a 1996 agreement taken in the Council of the Baltic
Sea States (CBSS 1996 ), another HELCOM Recommendation (19/5) in 1998 set a
5 Governance of Chemicals in the Baltic Sea Region: A Study of Three Generations…
2008a ). When it comes to the Baltic Sea, HELCOM has established a link between
MSFD and the Baltic Sea Action Plan and coordinates the national implementation
by EU Member States (HELCOM 2010b ).
5.3.2 HELCOM Policy
Under the 1974 Helsinki Convention , organochlorinated and several other hazardous substances became targets for HELCOM’s activities. Since then, PCBs have
been in focus for various monitoring (in a coordinated manner since 1979), risk
assessment and risk management measures. Monitoring and assessments under
HELCOM are following a specifi c strategy with, for example, objectives, principles
and indicators (HELCOM 2013 a), and the contracting parties as well as various
expert groups and scientifi c committees participate in the work. A set of PCBs
belonging to the so-called HELCOM ‘ core indicators’ for hazardous substances
under the Baltic Sea Action Plan (HELCOM 2007 , 2013 ), and their trends are monitored over time (Boalt et al. 2013 ).
In terms of risk management, HELCOM measures commonly consist of various
Recommendations to the parties of the convention. Regarding PCBs, the 1974
Convention mentioned them explicitly. Based on a 1981 ICES environmental
assessment , HELCOM adopted a Recommendation (3/1) in 1982 that contracting
parties should, allowing for some exemptions, prohibit the introduction of new
products containing PCBs and develop national regulations for reducing discharges
from existing sources (HELCOM 1982 ). In 1985, another Recommendation (6/1)
underlined the urgency to do so and requested the parties to stop production and
marketing of PCBs from 1987, more specifi c action against existing sources as well
as the use of more specifi ed reporting procedures (HELCOM 1985 ).
Due to the discovery of elevated concentrations of numerous hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea in the 1980s, a 1988 Ministerial Declaration took a broad
approach and set a target to reduce the total discharges of the most harmful substances by around 50 % by 1995 (HELCOM 1988 ). This led to a list of such substances in 1991, initially covering 46 substances and groups of substances, 1 being
the large group of organohalogens (Selin and VanDeveer 2004 ).
Similarly, the 1992 amendment of the Convention required the Contracting
Parties to take a broad approach in order ‘to prevent and eliminate pollution of the
marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area caused by harmful substances from all
sources’ (Helsinki Convention 1992 , Article 5). Annex 1 contained general principles for ‘harmful substances’ and listed both priority groups for action and ‘banned’
substances, where it was stated (Part 2.2) that in ‘order to protect the Baltic Sea
Area PCBs shall be banned for all uses, except in existing closed system equipment
until the end of service life or for research, development and analytical purposes in
the Baltic Sea Area and its catchment area.’
Furthermore, based on a 1996 agreement taken in the Council of the Baltic
Sea States (CBSS 1996 ), another HELCOM Recommendation (19/5) in 1998 set a
5 Governance of Chemicals in the Baltic Sea Region: A Study of Three Generations…