The objective of this online briefing is to inform Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, observers and other stakeholders on the outcomes of the nineteenth meetings of the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee (CRC-19) and the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-19).

 

Introduction - 5 min.

Presentations by the Secretariat on the following topics:

Nineteenth meeting of the CRC – 15 min.

Nineteenth meeting of the POPRC – 15 min.

Questions and Answers - 25 min.

 

The nineteenth meeting of the CRC of the Rotterdam Convention (CRC-19) was held from 3 to 6 October 2023 at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. At this meeting, the Committee adopted draft decision guidance documents for methyl bromide and paraquat and decided to forward them to the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties, together with a recommendation to list these chemicals in Annex III to the Convention. Additionally, in line with the procedures for banned or severely restricted chemicals (Article 5, paragraphs 5 and 6), the Committee reviewed the following notifications of final regulatory action on bromacil, carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, diarsenic pentaoxide, ethion, mercury, methidathion and thiodicarb. The Committee recommended listing chlorpyrifos and mercury in Annex III to the Convention and decided to prepare a draft decision guidance documents for consideration at the twentieth meeting of the Committee. The review of notifications on carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, ethion, methidathion and thiodicarb will continue.

 

The nineteenth meeting of the POPRC of the Stockholm Convention (POPRC-19) was held at the same venue as CRC-19 from 9 to 13 October 2023. At this meeting, the Committee adopted a risk profile for chlorpyrifos and decided that the chemical meets all the criteria warranting global action. In addition, the Committee adopted risk management evaluations for “long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), their salts and related compounds” and “chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14-17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45% chlorine by weight (MCCPs)” and recommended listing those sets of chemicals in Annex A with a range of specific exemptions. During the intersessional period between POPRC-19 and POPRC-20, the Committee will develop a draft risk management evaluation for chlorpyrifos, and further assess the information on specific exemptions relating to long-chain PFCAs and MCCPs, including information on their chemical identity.

 

CRC and POPRC members and observers, Rotterdam Convention designated national authorities, Stockholm Convention national focal points, Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions official contact points, permanent missions and interested stakeholders.