Invitation to submit comments and additional information on the guidance on alternatives to PFOS and derivatives

As requested by the Conference of the Parties in paragraph 5 of decision SC-5/5, the Committee at its seventh meeting developed terms of reference for a technical paper on the identification and assessment of alternatives to the use of PFOS in open application, including consideration of the following aspects of the substitution of PFOS:

(a) Technical feasibility;
(b) Health and environmental effects;
(c) Cost-effectiveness;
(d) Efficacy;
(e) Availability;
(f) Accessibility;

You are invited to submit information on alternatives to the use of PFOS in open application. PFOS in open application includes the following:

(a) Aviation hydraulic fluids
(b) Insecticides for control of red imported fired ants and termites
(c) Chemically driven oil production
(d) Carpets
(e) Textiles and upholstery
(f) Leather and apparel
(g) Electric and electronic parts for some colour printers and colour copy machines
(h) Paper and packaging
(i) Fire fighting foams
(j) Insect baits for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp
(k) Coating and coating additives
(l) Rubber and plastics
(m) Metal plating (hard metal plating)
(n) Metal plating (decorative plating)
(o) Others
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Invitation to submit information on alternatives to the
use of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in open
application to the POPs Review Committee



Format for submission of information on alternatives
to the use of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in
open applications

Where feasible, the form should be completed including precise references for the data sources. If the information is not readily available in the public literature, the original source of the information to the submission may be attached to the form.

Parties and observers are invited to complete the form and submit it to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention, no later than 9 January 2012. Information in other United Nations official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) should be submitted by 15 December 2011.

The information should be submitted preferably by e-mail (ssc@pops.intkohno@pops.int) to:

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention
Att: POPs Review Committee
United Nations Environment Programme
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219, Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland
Fax: +41 (22) 917 8098
E-mail: ssc@pops.intkohno@pops.int

If you have any questions regarding this request or you would like to receive hard copies of the documents from the Committee, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Kei Ohno (e-mail: kohno@pops.int; telephone +41 22 917 8201).