By Xinhuanet

BEIJING, Nov. 11 -- Today marks the first anniversary of China's signing of the Stockholm Convention, a global treaty controlling persistent Organic pollutants (POPs).

"China will continue efforts to fulfil its commitments to the convention by reducing and controlling POPs, safeguarding the environment and people's health in China and the rest of the world," said Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods. They can accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms becoming toxic to humans and wildlife.

"The public has little knowledge of POPs," said Ding Qiong, an official from SEPA.

"People might know that common POPs include the residue of pesticides on vegetables and fruit.

"However, POPs come from many sources, such as electric power equipment, insecticides, and the burning of rubbish and dangerous waste."

It is very important to educate the public about POPs to protect their health. The co-operation of environmental protection departments to better control and reduce pollution is also important, Ding said.

SEPA plans to carry out pilot projects in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in East China to reduce and control POPs.

They will suspend production at factories emitting POPs and urge residents to stop using POP based insecticides."Since the cost of testing and reducing POPs and repairing the damage they cause is very high, the pilot projects are in economically developed areas of the country," said Ding.

SEPA has carried out a wide investigation into the release of POPS, and some key industries have established a special organization to fulfil their commitments to the convention.

"As one of the biggest developing countries in the world, China faces a double challenge reducing existing POPs and preventing new POPS from emerging," said Zhang.

"To meet its targets, China needs help from the international community."