Recently, the EU published several amendments to the POPs regulation in its Official Journal to revise requirements for regulated substances and related provisions.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic chemicals that persist in the environment, accumulate through the food chain, and have adverse effects on human health and the environment. Due to their high toxicity, persistence in the environment, ability to bio-accumulate and survive long-range transport, many countries signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001 to promote their elimination and reduction.
On June 25, 2019, the EU published Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, recasting the POPs Regulation. The new regulation took effect on July 15, 2019 and the original, (EC) No 850/2004, was repealed.
Recently, the EU published several amendments to the POPs regulation in its Official Journal to revise requirements for regulated substances and related provisions. Highlights are listed in Table 1.
| Amendment | Release Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| (EU) 2020/1203 | 2020.08.18 | Revising the exemption requirements of PFOS:
|
| (EU) 2020/1204 | 2020.08.18 | Add dicofol (CAS No 115-32-2) to the Part A of Annex I |
| The above amendments entered into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. | ||
Table 1
In addition, the EU has issued several draft amendments to POPs regulation and launched public consultation. Highlights are listed in Table 2.
| Substances | Highlights |
|---|---|
| PFOA and its salts and PFOA-related compounds | PFOA and its salts and/or PFOA-related compounds equal to or below 2 mg/kg (0.0002 % by weight) where they are present in medical devices other than invasive devices and implantable devices |
| Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and its salts and esters | Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and its salts and esters equal to or below 5 mg/kg (0.0005 % by weight) where they are present in substances, mixtures or articles. |
| The consultation period is from September 1, 2020 to September 29, 2020. | |
Table 2
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Ethan Zhang Technical Supervisor, EET RSTS t: (86) 574 8776 7006 ext. 6007
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