Rome, Italy, from 21 - 25 September 2026

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

Overview

The twenty-second meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.22) will take place from 21 to 25 September 2026, back-to-back with the twenty-second meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention. An online preparatory meeting will be held on 9 September 2026 from 1 to 4 p.m. (UTC + 2). The meeting will provide an opportunity to introduce the key documents related to the technical work of the Committee at its twenty-second meeting, raise questions and solicit comments.

At POPRC.22, the Committee will consider the revised draft risk profile for polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and mixed polybrominated/chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, developed by the intersessional working group established at its twenty-first meeting. The Committee deferred its decision on this matter at that meeting and invited Parties and observers to submit Annex E information, in particular on the linkages between long-range environmental transport and adverse effects on human health.

The Committee will also consider two proposals for the listing of chemicals in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention, namely:

• Proposal by the Government of Norway to list decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) and its related substance, 1,1'-ethane-1,2-diylbisbenzene, brominated;
• Proposal by the European Union to list bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), covering any of its individual isomers and/or combinations thereof.

The Committee will also consider other technical matters, including:

• Follow-up to the report on POPs in stockpiles, products and articles in use and in wastes, as well as ways to enhance the submission of Annex F information;
• Evaluation of the continued need for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF) for acceptable purposes and specific exemptions;
• Review of the specific exemption for the use of perfluorooctyl iodide (PFOI) in the production of perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) for pharmaceutical products;
• Review of the indicative lists of substances covered by the listings of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), their salts and related compounds, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds, and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds.

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