Global POPs Convention Review Committee 18th meeting discusses listing Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 to Annex A

POPs Convention Review Committee 18th meeting discusses listing Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 to Annex A

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter “Stockholm Convention”), on the website of the 18th meeting of the POPRC, which to be held from September 26 to 30, 2022, issued daft risk management evaluations for Dechlorane Plus and its syn and anti-isomers (additive-type chlorine-based flame retardants) and UV-328 (benzotriazole-type UV absorbers); and draft risk profiles (working documents) for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (”LC-PFCAs”), medium chain chlorinated paraffins (additive-type chlorinated flame retardants, hereinafter “MCCP”), and chlorpyrifos (pesticides). All documents were issued as of June 30, 2022.

The section below provides outlines of the draft working documents for Dechlorane Plus and UV-328.

 

Dechlorane Plus

(Working documents: UNEP/POPS/POPRC.18/2 / UNEP/POPS/POPRC.18/2/Add.1)

The POPRC recommends, in accordance with paragraph 9 of Article 8 (Listing of chemicals in Annexes A, B and C) of the Stockholm Convention, that the Conference of the Parties consider listing Dechlorane Plus in Annex A (Elimination) with time-limited specific exemptions as indicated below.

Specific exemptions:

  1. Time-limited specific exemption for production and use in aerospace and defense applications and for medical imaging- and radiotherapy-devices/installations due to the stringent safety requirements for certain products that increases the length of the substitution process.
  2. Time-limited specific exemption for production and use in legacy spare parts to allow for repair of existing articles/ products with long life-times for:
    • Motor vehicles including all land-based vehicles (cars, motorcycles, agriculture and construction vehicles and industrial trucks)
    • Industrial machines for use in agriculture and construction;
    • Marine, garden and outdoor power equipment including forestry machinery;
    • Aerospace and defense applications including aircraft engine fan case rubstrip products; and
    • Medical imaging and radiotherapy-devices/installations.

With regard to the time-limited specific exemptions as indicated in items (1) and (2) above, while a company that may be the sole global manufacturer of Dechlorane Plus exists in China, the Chinese authorities plan to issue a List of Prioritized Regulated Chemicals by the end of 2022, according to the Action Plan on Controlling New Pollutants, which was issued on May 24, 2022. As a draft of the List published on October 11, 2021 stipulates that “the production, use, import and export of Dechlorane Plus will be banned from 1 January 2026,” the working document states that this implies that a specific exemption over five years is not likely to be necessary.

 

UV-328

(Working documents: UNEP/POPS/POPRC.18/3 / UNEP/POPS/POPRC.18/3/Add.1

The POPRC recommends, in accordance with paragraph 9 of Article 8 of the Stockholm Convention, that the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention to consider listing and specifying the related control measures of UV-328 in Annex A with specific exemptions as indicated below.

Specific exemptions:

Time-limited specific exemption for the use of UV-328 in legacy spare parts and industrial machines (agricultural machinery, construction machinery, medical equipment, electric and electronic instruments)

 

If the above proposals on Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 will be adopted by the POPRC 18th meeting, these substances will be considered at the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, which will be held from May 8 to May 19, 2023.

In the draft risk profiles for LC-PFCAs and MCCP, it is stated that the substances are “likely to lead to significant adverse human health and environmental effects, such that global action is warranted.” So both substances are likely to move to the next stage, the Draft Risk Management Evaluation. If so, these Draft Risk Management Evaluations will be examined at the 19th meeting of the POPRC, which will be held from October 9 to 13, 2023.

 

It should be noted that Singapore is the only country in Asia that has already promulgated law regulating Dechlorane Plus and UV-328. From January 2023, these substances and products containing them will be regulated under such a law. For further details, visit:
Singapore newly regulates Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 under the Environmental Protection and Management Act

 

Related URL

Eighteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.18)
http://www.pops.int/TheConvention/POPsReviewCommittee/Meetings/POPRC18/Overview/tabid/9165/Default.aspx

Author / Responsibility

AOKI Kenji

Senior Consultant, EnviX Ltd.
General Director, E&H Consulting Co., Ltd.

Business Performance

Expertise in EHS (environment, health and safety) consulting in ASEAN region.
- Environmental regulations updating
- Chemical regulations consulting

Background

MSc in Earth Science, The University of Tokyo

AOKI Kenji