Call for Comments on Persistent Organic Pollutants
The UK is a signatory to the UN Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which aims to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that persist in the environment for long periods of time. There are currently two calls for comments on substances within scope of the convention.
1. Revised indicative list for long-chain PFCAs, PFOA and PFHxS, their salts and related compounds
The POPs Review Committee (POPRC) has requested comments on the latest indicative lists of:
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds.
- Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and related compounds.
- Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs), their salts and related compounds.
Further details are here. To inform Defra’s response, comments are requested by 1st May 2026, and to aid ABHI’s submission, please send input to me by 24th April 2026.
2. Revised draft risk profile of a substance proposed as a POP – PBDD/Fs and PBCDD/Fs
The POPRC has also requested comments on a revised draft risk profile for:
- Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs).
- Mixed polybrominated/chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBCDD/Fs), excluding PCDD/Fs.
The revised draft risk profile can be found here. As above, Defra’s deadline is 1st May 2026, and for ABHI's submission, please send input to me by 24th April 2026.
Please note that, as yet, there is no further consultation on UV-328 and Dechlorane Plus, however, we continue to engage with Defra to represent the sector’s interests.