A PRTR is a catalogue or database of releases and transfers of potentially harmful chemicals to air, water and land, as well as wastes transported to treatment and disposal sites.

PRTRs include information on the nature and quantity of such releases and transfers.

PRTRs make information of chemical pollution accessible to those who may be interested and/or affected by it and help to promote efficient and effective policies for environmental protection and sustainable development.

A GEF medium-sized project was launched in 2009 with the objective of evidencing the value of Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) as a tool to assist countries on reporting and monitoring Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and complying with the Stockholm Convention. The project is implemented by UNEP and executed by UNITAR.

A Steering Committee was created to monitor the implementation of the project and has met three times during the timeframe of the project. The final meeting of the committee was held on 29-30 August 2012, in Geneva, Switzerland.This meeting was held back-to-back with an awareness-raising meeting on PRTRs for NGOs and a working session with the partner countries of the project.