The EU has set a limit for pentachlorophenol (PCP), its salts and esters under the POP Recast Regulation. The amendment will become effective on March 15, 2021.
In 2019, the European Union (EU) published Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants – ‘the POP Recast Regulation’ (consolidated version to September 2020).
Since its publication, Annex I to Part A of POP recast has been amended on several occasions. These include:
- Adding perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds
- Revising point 4 under ‘Specific exemption on intermediate use or other specification’ for perfluorootance sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS)
- Adding dicofol
- Amending several entries under ‘Specific exemption on intermediate use or other specification’ for PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds (Regulation (EU) 2021/115)
When the POP Recast Regulation was published, PCP and its salts and esters were listed in Annex I to the legislation without an Unintentional Trace Contaminant (UTC) limit value. Since that publication, the European Commission (EC) has determined these substances are an impurity in some articles, including imported textiles and recovered wood chips for the manufacture of wood panels.
On February 23, 2021, the EU published Regulation (EU) 2021/277 to set a limit of no more than 5 mg/kg for PCP, its salts and esters under ‘Specific exemption on intermediate use or other specification’ in Part A to Annex I of the POP Recast Regulation. This limit value applies to PCP, its salts and esters when they are present in substances, mixtures or articles.
The latest amendment will become effective on March 15, 2021 – the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).
Highlights of the new law are summarized in Table 1.
| Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 Substances listed in the Convention and in the protocol as well as substances listed only in the Convention | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regulation (EU) 2021/277 amending Part A to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 | Part A to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 | |
| Substance | PCP and its salts and esters (CAS 87-86-5 and others) | PCP and its salts and esters (CAS 87-86-5 and others) |
| Specific exemption on intermediate use or other specification | ≤ 5 mg/kg in substances, mixtures or articles | None |
| Effective Date | March 15, 2021 | In force |
Table 1
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