Objectives

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 twentieth meetings of the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee (CRC-20) and the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-20).

 

Introduction - 5 min.

Presentations by the Secretariat on the following topics:

Twentieth meeting of the CRC – 20 min.

Twentieth meeting of the POPRC – 20 min.

Questions and Answers - 20 min.

The twentieth meeting of the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention took place from 17 to 20 September 2024, back to back with the twentieth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention.

 

At its twentieth meeting, the Committee adopted draft decision guidance documents for chlorpyrifos and mercury 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.

 

In line with the procedures for banned or severely restricted chemicals (Article 5, paragraphs 5 and 6), the Committee reviewed 35 notifications of final regulatory action on benzidine and its salts, carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, cyhexatin, dichlorvos, ethion, hexachlorobenzene, methidathion, paraquat and paraquat dichloride, pentachlorobenzene, phenthoate, profenofos, prothiofos, quinalphos, thiodicarb and zineb. The Committee found notifications on chlorpyrifos-methyl and paraquat to meet the criteria set out in Annex II to the Convention. The review of notifications on carbaryl, chlorfenvinphos, dichlorvos, ethion, methidathion phenthoate, profenofos, prothiofos, quinalphos and thiodicarb will continue at the twenty-first meeting of the Committee.

 

Furthermore, the Committee reviewed four proposals for listing severely hazardous pesticide formulations in Annex III to the Convention, in line with the criteria set out in part 3 of Annex IV to the Convention. The Committee agreed to continue the review of the proposals for listing cypermethrin emulsifiable concentrate 10%, cypermethrin emulsifiable concentrate 35% and emamectin benzoate water soluble granules 5% at its next meeting. Additionally, the Committee would undertake intersessional work in order to facilitate its review of such severely hazardous pesticide proposals.

 

The twentieth meeting of the POPRC of the Stockholm Convention (POPRC-20) was held at the same venue as CRC-20 from 23 to 27 September 2024.

 

At this meeting, the Committee adopted the risk management evaluation for chlorpyrifos and decided to recommend its listing in Annex A to the Convention with specific exemptions.

 

The Committee also further specified the exemptions for chemicals which have been recommended by the Committee at its nineteenth meeting for listing in Annex A to the Convention, namely long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) 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?. An initial indicative list of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, their salts, and related compounds has been made available following the Committee’s recommendation to establish a process to keep and update this list in consultation with the Committee. For chlorinated paraffins, the Committee also clarified the chemical identity and recommended concentration limits.

 

Moreover, the Committee agreed that polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and mixed polybrominated/chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans met the screening criteria in Annex D to the Convention and decided to establish an ad hoc working group to further review the proposal and prepare a draft risk profile. The Committee also decided to submit a report to the Conference of the Parties on the options for identifying persistent organic pollutants in stockpiles, products and articles in use and in wastes, and on issues related to the production, import and export of products and articles containing persistent organic pollutants with a set of recommendations.? Likewise, the Committee provided comments on the draft evaluation of brominated diphenyl ethers and on the indicative lists of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, and PFHxS, its salts and PFHxS-related compounds?.

 

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.