UK Updates GB PIC List to Reflect International Chemical Restrictions
Reference source : HSE
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has updated the Great Britain Prior Informed Consent (GB PIC) list to reflect international decisions under the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), as well as export restrictions under the GB Mercury Regulation.
The changes, which apply from 28 August 2026, add chemicals to Parts 1, 3 and 4 of the GB PIC list and a range of mercury-containing products to Part 5.
Chemicals Added Under the Rotterdam Convention
Five chemicals and formulations have been added to Part 3 of the GB PIC list to reflect their inclusion in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention. Chemicals listed in Part 3 are subject to the PIC procedure and may not be exported without the consent of the importing country.
|
Chemical |
CAS No. |
Category |
|
Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) |
1163-19-5 |
Industrial |
|
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds |
335-67-1 and others |
Industrial |
|
Terbufos |
13071-79-9 |
Pesticide |
|
Carbosulfan |
55285-14-8 |
Pesticide |
|
Fenthion (ultra-low-volume formulations at or above 640 g active ingredient/L) |
55-38-9 |
Severely Hazardous Pesticide Formulation |
As carbosulfan and the specified fenthion formulations are now included in Part 3, their existing entries in Part 2 of the GB PIC list have been removed.
POPs Subject to Export Restrictions
Seven chemical entries have been added to Part 4 of the GB PIC list to reflect their listing in Annex A or B to the Stockholm Convention. Part 4 covers chemicals and articles subject to an export ban under Article 15 of the GB PIC Regulation. HSE has also amended the wording of Part 4 to clarify that an export is not prohibited where a specific exemption or other derogation applies under the GB POPs Regulation. The existing group entry covering articles containing bromodiphenyl ethers has been deleted.
|
Chemical |
CAS No. |
|
Dicofol |
115-32-2 |
|
Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters |
87-86-5 and others |
|
PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds |
335-67-1 and others |
|
PFOS, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride |
1763-23-1, 2795-39-3, 70225-14-8, 56773-42-3 and others |
|
PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compounds |
355-46-4 and others |
|
Methoxychlor |
72-43-5 and others |
|
Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) |
1163-19-5 |
In addition, decaBDE and PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds have been added to Part 1 because their use is severely restricted for all industrial uses under the GB POPs regime.
Mercury-Containing Products Added to Export Ban List
The HSE has also updated Part 5 of the GB PIC list, which covers chemicals and articles subject to an export ban under the GB Mercury Regulation.
The additions cover a range of mercury-added products, including certain compact fluorescent lamps and lamps for electronic displays; batteries and accumulators; switches and relays; cosmetics; pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics; non-electronic and electronic measuring devices; and other products such as mercury vacuum pumps, tyre balancers and wheel weights, photographic film and paper, and propellant for satellites and spacecraft.
Certain exemptions continue to apply, including for products essential for civil protection and military uses, products used for research or calibration, and certain replacement components where no feasible mercury-free alternative is available.
Next Steps
Companies exporting chemicals or products covered by the GB PIC Regulation should review the updated list to determine whether the changes affect their exports from Great Britain. Depending on the part of the list in which a chemical is included, requirements may include export notification, explicit consent from the importing country or a prohibition on export.
The changes apply from 28 August 2026, with further updates to other parts of the GB PIC list expected at a later date.
