Process for identification and evaluation of new POPs under the Stockholm Convention Katarina Magulova Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Outline Background Mandate POPs review committee Process Step 1 submission review Step-2 risk profile Step-3 risk management evaluation Step-4 recommendation for listing Implications of listing 2
Identifying new POPs (Art. 8) Identifies most harmful substances through an agreed procedure and criteria Any Party may submit a proposal for listing chemicals POPs Review Committee to: (1) review submissions (2) develop risk profiles (3) risk management evaluations (4) make recommendations to the COP COP makes decisions, and the Convention is then amended accordingly 3
Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee - POPRC Subsidiary body of the Stockholm Convention that is mandated to assess proposal(s) by a Party for a chemical to be listed as a POP in Annex A, B, and/or C of the Convention (Article 19) 4 4
Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee - POPRC 31 members Government-designated experts from Parties appointed by the COP * Rotation of POPRC members POPRC expert roster *POPRC meetings are open to observers 5
Review process Step 1: Proposal Any Party may submit a proposal for listing a chemical in the Convention Hazard assessment showing POPs characteristics: environmental fate and behaviour; eco-toxicological effects Monitoring data suggesting presence of a substance far from exposure sources Party has to prepare a dossier containing Annex D information Assistance of other Party and / or the Secretariat is possible Deadline ~4 months before POPRC for practical reasons 6 6
Annex D information requirements and screening criteria Chemical identity Persistence (half life in water >2 mt; soil and sediment >6 mt ) or other evidence of sufficient persistency Bioaccumulation/bioconcentration factor in aquatic environment >5000 or log Kow>5; monitoring data Long range transport as shown by measured levels in areas remote from sources; monitoring data and evidence of transfer between media; as well as modelling information Adverse effects (evidence of adverse human & env. effect /data indicating the potential for damage to health/environment 7
Review process Step 2: Screening POPRC examines the proposal and decides whether screening criteria in Annex D are fulfilled For any proposal set aside, a Party may resubmit the proposal to the POPRC for reconsideration If the POPRC again sets the proposal aside the Party may challenge the decision and the COP shall consider the matter 8
Review process Step 3: Development of Risk Profile POPRC invites Parties and observers to submit information specified in Annex E Ad hoc working group of POPRC prepares Draft Risk Profile based on the information Based on the Risk profile, POPRC evaluates whether the chemical is likely to lead to significant adverse human health or environmental effects, such that global action is warranted * *Lack of full scientific certainty shall not prevent the proposal from proceeding 9
Annex E information requirements for the Risk Profile Sources Hazard assessments Environmental fate Monitoring data Exposure and bio-availability National and international risk Assessment of profiles, labeling evaluations information, hazard classification Status under international conventions HA for the endpoints of concern incl. consideration of toxicological interactions involving multiple chemicals Physical and chemical properties, persistence, LRT, environmental fate, degradation, transformation, bio-concentration 10
Review process Step 4: Development of Risk Management Evaluation POPRC invites Parties and observers to submit information specified in Annex F Ad hoc working group of POPRC prepares Draft Risk Management Evaluation based on the information * Based on the Risk profile and Risk Management Evaluation, POPRC recommends whether the chemical should be considered by the COP for listing and suggest possible control measures COP decides on listing the chemical and specifies its related control measures * Parties and observers are invited to provide comments 11
Addition of new POPs 12 + 9 + 1= 22 POPs Annex A (Elimination) Pesticides: Lindane, alpha-hch, beta-hch, chlordecone and endosulfan Industrial chemicals: hexabromobiphenyl, pentachlorobenzene, pentabde, octabde Annex B (Restriction) Industrial chemicals: PFOS, its salts and PFOS-F Annex C (Unintentional production) Unintentional by-products: Pentachlorobenzene 12
Adoption - Amendment of annexes Text of the proposed amendment shall be communicated to the Parties at least 6 months before the COP meeting (i.e. 22 October 2010 for COP5) Adoption: by consensus of the COP Entry into force: one year after adoption Article 21, 22 13
Opt-out and opt-in Opt-out (non-acceptance) Parties not accepting adoption should inform depositary within one year, withdrawal of non acceptance possible at any time Article 22 Opt-in (if declared upon ratification) A country upon becoming a Party can declare desire to have entry into force of any amendment only when it notifies the depositary of ratification of that amendment Article 25 14
Annexes to the Convention Annex A Elimination: Elimination of production and use of all intentionally produced POPs Annex B - Restriction: Restrict production and use in accordance with the provisions of that Annex Annex C - Unintentional Production: Continuing minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination of the total releases of chemicals. 15
Difference between listing in Annex A and B Annex A Elimination Specific exemptions Parties have to register 1 Exemptions for 5 years with possibility of extension 2 When all registrations have expired, no new registrations possible for a given exemption Annex B Restriction Specific exemptions Same as Annex A Acceptable purpose: Notes: 1 Except for PCBs and recycling of articles containing BDEs, available for all parties 2 Except for PCBs until 2025/2028, for BDEs until 2030. Parties have to register. No expiry unless COP decides Listing with specific exemptions and acceptable purpose possible 16
Necessary actions after listing Review and update the NIP Article 7 Consultation with national stakeholder Preparation of inventories Control measures Article 3, 4 Implement regulation Notify Secretariat to register specific exemption Action plan for unintentional POPs Article 5 Develop and implement an action plan Promote BAT and BEP to reduce release 17
Necessary actions after listing Stockpiles and wastes Article 6 Identify stockpiles of POPs and products, articles and wastes containing POPs Manage stockpiles in environmentally sound manner Reporting to the Secretariat Article 15 Measures it has taken to implement the convention Statistical data on production, import and export Include new chemical in the programme for effectiveness evaluation Article 16 Monitoring Provide information and data 18
For further information www.pops.int 19