Nineteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.19)

Rome, Italy, from 9 to 13 October 2023

Venue: FAO Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy

Highlights

The nineteenth meeting of the POPs Review Committee (POPRC-19) took place from 9 to 13 October 2023 in Rome, Italy, back-to-back with the nineteenth meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention.

Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, was concluded to meet all the criteria warranting global action. The Committee adopted the risk profile for chlorpyrifos and invited Parties and observers to submit Annex F information to prepare a draft risk management evaluation. Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids and related compounds, belonging to the PFAS family, also known as “forever chemicals,” were recommended for listing in Annex A for elimination, with a range of specific exemptions, including semiconductors, electronic equipment, medical devices, motor vehicles, and textiles for oil and water repellency. More information on these applications will be collected to further strengthen the recommendations to be sent to the COP in 2025.

Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, another widely used industrial chemical, were also recommended for listing in Annex A, with several specific exemptions, such as for metalworking fluids, PVC, adhesives and sealants, and tape used for non-structural bonding in aerospace and defense products. Despite robust discussion, the precise chemical identity of these substances remained a topic of intense debate, set to continue into the upcoming POPRC-20 session.

The Committee also agreed on the modalities for undertaking the activities on POPs in stockpiles, products and articles in use and in waste, requested by the Conference of the Parties in decision SC-11/12. Furthermore, the document on long-range environmental transport has been finalized and the Committee recommended that the future evaluations of proposals for listing chemicals within the context of Article 8 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants take into account the information in that document.

POPRC-20 is scheduled to take place from 23 to 27 September 2024 in Rome, back-to-back with CRC-20.

Please see factsheets of the chemicals under review for further information.

Working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Meeting Documents

  • Decisions
  • Meeting report
  • Working documents
  • Information documents

Webinars

Outcomes of the nineteenth meetings the Chemical Review Committee and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee

The online briefings will provide an overview of the outcomes of the 19th meetings of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention, held respectively on 3-6 October 2023 and 9-13 October 2023, in Rome, Italy.

Outcomes of the nineteenth meetings the Chemical Review Committee and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee

Outcomes of the nineteenth meetings the Chemical Review Committee and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee
 
Online briefings on the nineteenth meetings of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention

The online briefings will provide an overview of the issues that will be considered by the nineteenth meetings of the CRC and POPRC, to be held respectively from 3 to 6 October 2023 and from 9 to 13 October 2023, in Rome, Italy.

Online briefings on the nineteenth meetings of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention

Online briefings on the nineteenth meetings of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention
 

Daily highlights

POPRC-19 - Day 2 highlights

Following a busy first day of discussions within the plenary and contact groups, the 19th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19) resumed today at 10:00am.

POPRC-19 - Day 2 highlights

POPRC-19 - Day 2 highlights

Following a busy first day of discussions within the plenary and contact groups, the 19th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19) resumed today at 10:00am.

In the morning plenary session, progress reports were provided by the chairs of the contact groups regarding the discussions on the draft risk management evaluation for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and the draft risk profile for chlorpyrifos.

Members and observers considered a draft document on long-range environmental transport. This document aims to capture the Committee’s work, considerations and practices. Long-range environmental transport is a crucial factor when evaluating chemicals proposed for listing under the Stockholm Convention. The draft document will be revised further, incorporating the feedback received. The Committee will consider the revised document later this week.

The Committee continued its work in contact groups throughout the morning. During the lunch break, participants engaged in a side event titled “Chemical Long-Range Environmental Transport and Local Sources: An Arctic Perspective” organized by Norway and Canada. In the afternoon, the Committee continued its discussion in contact groups, focusing on chlorinated paraffins and chlorpyrifos. These matters will be revisited by the whole Committee later in the week.

POPRC-19 - Day 1 highlights

The 19th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19) officially started today in Rome, at the FAO Headquarters.

POPRC-19 - Day 1 highlights

POPRC-19 - Day 1 highlights

The 19th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19) officially started today in Rome, at the FAO Headquarters. Over a hundred participants representing experts in chemicals assessment and management, government observers, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations are participating in this meeting.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Rolph Payet (Executive Secretary of the BRS Conventions) highlighted that the scientific work under the Convention has triggered and further catalysed POPs scientific research activities worldwide. He drew to the attention of the meeting that the Conference of the Parties has adopted all of the POPs Review Committee’s recommendations for listing chemicals, noting that this was an impressive track record. He also drew attention to the vital role played by the Committee in informing Parties’ decisions as a great example of how science can support policy makers on informed decisions.

This 5-day (Oct 9th-13th) meeting, to be chaired by Dr Peter Dawson (New Zealand), aims to consider several topics:

Draft Risk Profiles

On the first day, members and observer exchanged views on the persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-range environmental transport of the pesticide, chlorpyrifos. The POPRC will continue to consider the draft risk profile for this chemical in a contact group in the coming days.

Draft risk management evaluation

The POPRC is tasked to consider the draft risk management evaluation for chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14-17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight (MCCPs), and draft risk management evaluation for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). After presentations made by the chairs of the drafting groups and the initial proponents, the Committee exchanged views and agreed to further continue the work within contact groups.

Long-range environmental transport

The POPRC will consider a draft document on long-range environmental transport, intended to provide guidance when evaluating chemicals proposed for listing under the Stockholm Convention.

POPs in stockpiles, products and articles

As requested at the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the POPRC will explore options for identifying POPs in stockpiles, products and articles in use and in wastes, to support Parties. 

Indicative lists of POPs

The POPRC will also work on further updating and refining indicative lists of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts, and PFOA-related compounds and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds.

On the first day, the meeting also heard about the outcomes of the eleventh meeting of the COP, which took place in May 2023 and had initial exchanges about the Chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14–17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight.

Contact groups discussions continued on LC-PFCAs and Chlorpyrifos into the evening.

Media

DSC_0217 POPRC-19: photo gallery on flickr