HCB is one of 12 prioritised persistent organic pollutants (POP) covered by the Stockholm Convention, a protocol under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE-CLRTAP). POPs are organic compounds that are resistant to chemical, biological and photolytic degradation and therefore are able of trans-boundary transport by air, water and via bioaccumulation in migrating animals.

Stationary combustion accounts for more than 98 % of the estimated national HCB emission in 2009. This owe mainly to combustion of municipal solid waste in heating and power plants. Wood combustion in households is an important source, too. The HCB emission from stationary plants has decreased 83 % since 1990 mainly due to improved flue gas cleaning in MSW incineration plants. The emission from residential plants has increased 264 % since 1990 due to increased wood consumption in this source category.

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