Sixteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.16)

Online, from 11 to 16 January 2021

Venue: Online

Taking into account the global COVID-19 pandemic situation and in order to ensure the health and safety of all meeting participants, the sixteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee was held online.

Highlights

 The sixteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention was held online from 11 to 16 January 2021.

At its sixteenth meeting, the Committee adopted the risk profile for methoxychlor moving the chemical to the next review stage requiring a risk management evaluation, that includes an analysis of possible control measures, to be prepared by an intersessional working group established for this purpose. The Committee also agreed that the proposal for the inclusion of UV-328 in Annex A met the screening criteria in Annex D moving this chemical to the next review stage requiring a draft risk profile in accordance with Annex E to the Convention, to be prepared by the intersessional working group established for this purpose. With regard to Dechlorane Plus, the Committee deferred its decision on the draft risk profile to the seventeenth meeting of the Committee, noting that, while information on persistence, bioaccumulation and the potential for long-range environmental transport was conclusive, it was unable to reach agreement that the information on adverse effects was sufficient to conclude on the risk profile for Dechlorane Plus. The Committee established an intersessional working group on Dechlorane Plus to review and update the draft risk profile.

The Committee also completed the review of information related to specific exemptions for decabromodiphenyl ether and short-chain chlorinated paraffins and decided to submit the reports on these reviews to the Conference of the Parties for consideration at its tenth meeting. With regard to the draft indicative list of substances covered by the listing of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, the Committee adopted a decision setting out a process inviting members, Parties and observers to submit comments on draft indicative list, and requesting the Secretariat to prepare a further revised draft indicative list. Finally, the Committee reviewed and provided comments on the draft report for the evaluation and review of brominated diphenyl ethers listed in Annex A to the Convention prepared by the Secretariat, for consideration the Conference of the Parties for consideration at its tenth meeting.

The invitation for submission of information on Dechlorane Plus, methoxychlor and UV-328 and comments on the draft indicative list of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds was sent to Parties and observers on 18 January 2021.

The seventeenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee is tentatively scheduled to be held from 27 September to 1 October 2021, back to back with the seventeenth meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention. 

Working languages: The working languages of the meeting were Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Meeting documents

  • Decisions
  • Meeting report
  • Working documents
  • Information documents

Webinars

Outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee

The online briefings will provide an overview of the outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the Stockholm Convention POPs Review Committee (POPRC)), held online, on 11-16 January 2021.

Outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee

Outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee
 
Briefings on the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee and on the outcomes of the sixteenth Chemical Review Committee

The online briefing will provide an overview of the issues that will be considered by the sixteenth meeting of the POPRC, to be held online from 11 to 16 January 2021, and will provide information about the practical arrangements for the meeting. The briefing will in addition provide an overview of the outcomes of the sixteenth meeting of the CRC held online from 8 to 11 September 2020.

Briefings on the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee and on the outcomes of the sixteenth Chemical Review Committee

Briefings on the sixteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee and on the outcomes of the sixteenth Chemical Review Committee