UN countries add 3 substances to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention

2023-05-15 Reference source : Stockholm Convention

At the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Stockholm Convention on 5 May 2023, more than 120 countries agreed to add 2 plastic chemicals and one pesticide to the Conventions list of substances for global elimination (Annex A). The delegates to the COP found that the chemicals, the plastic additive UV-328, the flame retardant Dechlorane Plus (also often used in plastics), and the pesticide methoxychlor all meet the Convention criteria as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) required for a global ban.

The uses and hazards of the 3 substances are:

Substance	Use	Hazard
UV-328	Automotive paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives, plastics and rubbers to protect materials from UV light-induced degradation or color-change Additives and printing inks in the plastics and rubbers for outdoor furniture, construction materials and food packaging (in non- food contact layer) and wood products	Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) Very Persistent and very Toxic (vPvT)
Dechlorane Plus	Flame retardant in adhesives, sealants and polymers Used in cables, wires and in motor vehicles	Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) Subject to long-range transport
Methoxychlor	Pesticide used to protect crops, ornamentals, livestock, and pets against fleas, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other insects. Replacement for DDT	Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) Endocrine disruptor

However, time-limited exemptions were agreed on for the use of UV-328 and Dechlorane Plus. The exemptions are summarised in the tables below.

UV-328
For 5 years after the amendment takes effect	Motor vehicles Mechanical separators in blood collection tubes Industrial coating applications for automotive coating, engineering coating, rail transit coating, and heavy-duty coating for large steel structures Tri-acetyl cellulose (TAC) film in polarizers and photographic paper
Replacement parts for these applications until the end of service life of the articles or 2044, whichever comes earlier	Motor vehicles Stationary industrial machines for use in agriculture, forestry and construction Liquid crystal displays in medical and in-vitro diagnostic devices Liquid crystal displays in instruments for analysis, measurement, control, monitoring, testing, production and inspection

Dechlorane Plus
Specific exemptions for the production and/or use for 5 years after the amendment takes effect	Aereospace Space and defence applications Medical imaging and radiotherapy devices and installations
For replacement parts, and repair of, in these applications until the end of service life of the articles or 2044, whichever comes earlier	Aereospace Space Defence Motor vehicles Stationary industrial machisnes for use in agriculture, forestry and construction Marine, garden, forestry and outdoor power equipment Medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices Medical imaging and radiotherapy devices and installations Instruments for analysis, measurements, control, monitoring, testing, production and inspection

Several countries called for labelling of products that contain the 2 plastic additives while others opposed. The Convention’s Scientific Review Committee plans to evaluate options for identifying POPs in products and waste.

We acknowledge that the above information has been compiled from Stockholm Convention.

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UN countries add 3 substances to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention

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