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Latvia participates in several international conventions:
1989 Basel Convention (ratified by Latvia in 1992) On Control
of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their
Disposal, 1979 Geneva Convention (ratified in 1994) On
Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, 1992 Helsinki
Convention (ratified in 1994) On the Protection of the Marine
Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1985 Vienna Convention (ratified
in 1995) for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, and the 2001
Stockholm Convention (signed in 2001) On Persistent Organic
Pollutants. The goals of these conventions include restriction
and minimization of pollution released during use of chemical
substances and products, and even prohibition of production
and distribution of some particularly hazardous chemicals.
Safety aspects in work with hazardous chemicals are
regulated by the Law on Chemical Substances and Products
(1998) and several associated legislative acts, including the
List of Hazardous Chemical Substances (2001) which presently
includes about 2,700 substances.
For many of persistent organic pollutants use is regulated
by law.
Response indicator
Regulation of use of persistent
organic pollutants in Latvia
| Year of legislation |
POP name |
Allowed/prohibited use |
| 1966 |
DDT |
Prohibited for use, except manufacture
of pharmaceuticals |
| 1972 |
Aldrin |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 1986 |
Heptaclor |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Dieldrin |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Endrin |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Chlordane |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Hexachlorobenzene |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Hexachlorocyclohexane |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Toxaphene |
Prohibited import and use as a plant
protection product |
| 2000 |
Mirex |
Not registered in Latvia, use prohibited |
| 2000 |
PCB |
Use prohibited, except in closed systems |
| 2000 |
PCDD/F |
Presently not regulated |
Source: Environmental State
Inspectorate
The implementation of the excise tax in 1997
significant lowered the share of lead-containing fuels in the
market. Since 1999, the sale of fuel with a lead concentration
greater than 0.15 g/l has been prohibited, which further decreased
the proportion of this type of fuel. The goal of environmental
policy in this field is complete replacement of leaded fuel by
unleaded fuel.
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