Form for submission of information specified in Annex E

of the Stockholm Convention pursuant to Article 8 of the Convention

Introductory information
Name of the submitting Party/observer / Nigeria
Contact details (name, telephone, email) of the submitting Party/observer / Dr. O. O. dada
Director, Pollution Control & Environmental Health
Federal Ministry of Environment
Plot 444, Aguiyi Ironsi Way,
Maitama, Abuja.
Tel: +234 8033118237
E-mail:
Chemical name
(as used by the POPs Review Committee) / Endosulfan
Date of submission / 16.02.2009
(a) Sources, including as appropriate (provide summary information and relevant references)
(i) Production data: / Endosulfan is not produced in Nigeria
Quantity / Not applicable
Location / Not applicable
Other
(ii) Uses / Endosulfan is currently being used for controlling pests in a wide variety of crops including cotton. However, the national decision on regulatory action was taken at the 2007 National PIC meeting, to stop further imports of Endosulfan, while importers were given a moratorium of 3(three years) to comply, effective from 2007,.
The major importers have continuously assured the Government of their resolve to stop further imports of the controlled item, when the existent stock is exhausted.
Quantity in stock shall be determined from the on-going ASP Inventory activities.
(iii) Releases:
Discharges
Losses
Emissions
Other
(b) Hazard assessment for endpoints of concern, including consideration of toxicological interactions involving multiple chemicals (provide summary information and relevant references)
(c) Environmental fate (provide summary information and relevant references)
Chemical/physical properties / Endosulfan breaks down into endosulfan sulfate and endosulfan diol, both of which have "structures similar to the parent compound and are also of toxicological concern…The estimated half-lives for the combined toxic residues (endosulfan plus endosulfan sulfate) range from roughly 9 months to 6 years."-
US EPA, November 2002)
Persistence
How are chemical/physical properties and persistence linked to environmental transport, transfer within and between environmental compartments, degradation and transformation to other chemicals? / Endosulfan is poorly soluble in water. It sticks to soil particles with which it is transported in surface runoffs. Consequently, a large quantity of Endosulfan can be found in surface water near areas of application (Farm Chemicals Handbook. (1992)).
Endosulfan and endosulfan residues have been found in numerous food products at very low concentrations. They have been detected in vegetables (0.0005 - 0.013 ppm), in tobacco, in various seafoods (0.2 ppt - 1.7 ppb), and in milk.
Bio-concentration or bio-accumulation factor, based on measured values (unless monitoring data are judged to meet this need)
(d) Monitoring data (provide summary information and relevant references)
Endosulfan and endosulfan residues have been found in numerous food products at very low concentrations. They have been detected in vegetables (0.0005 - 0.013 ppm), in tobacco, in various seafoods (0.2 ppt - 1.7 ppb), and in milk.
(e) Exposure in local areas (provide summary information and relevant references)
General
As a result of longrange environmental transport
Information regarding bio-availability
(f) National and international risk evaluations, assessments or profiles and labelling information and hazard classifications, as available (provide summary information and relevant references)
Earlier works have been conducted on environmental implications of Persistent Organic Pollutants in late 90’s, not particularly on Endosulfan. It is not however unlikely that research efforts abound in the academia. Efforts are on-going to integrate all research works in this regard.
(g) Status of the chemical under international conventions
The international community took steps to restrict the use and trade of endosulfan in 2007, when it was recommended for inclusion in the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent, and the European Union proposes to add it to the list of chemicals banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

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