Attention! The European Commission has agreed to add three new substances to the POPs Convention

On May 12, 2025, the EU Official Journal published Resolution (EU) 2025/868, agreeing to include MCCPs, chlorpyrifos, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids and their salts and related compounds (LC-PFCAs) in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention), and supporting the revision of the Convention's specific exemptions for certain specific uses of substances such as UV-328, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorosulfonic acid (PFOS).

The main contents of Resolution (EU) 2025/868 are as follows:

1. Agree to include chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) with a carbon chain length in the range of C14-17 and a chlorination level equal to or greater than 45% (by weight of chlorine) in Appendix A, grant additional specific exemptions for certain defense and aerospace applications (such as coatings, lubricants, ammunition and their packaging) based on specific exemptions recommended by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC), and extend the validity period of certain exemptions for aerospace and defense applications to 2041. If these substances are used in such applications, the validity period can be extended to the end of the service life of equipment and spare parts.

2. Agree to include chlorpyrifos in Appendix A and grant specific exemptions recommended by POPRC.

3. Agree to include long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, their salts and related compounds (LC-PFCAs) in Appendix A and grant specific exemptions recommended by POPRC.

4. Support the proposal submitted by Ethiopia to amend Appendix A of the POPs Convention to add specific exemptions for certain limited uses of UV-328 in civil and military aircraft (including related spare parts), provided that the applicable period of the exemption is as short as possible and does not exceed five years;

5. Accept the request submitted by South Korea to extend the validity period of the specific exemption for the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and PFOA-related compounds, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts, and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride, which only applies to the requesting party South Korea. This specific exemption applies to firefighting foams used for liquid fuel vapor suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) in installed systems (including mobile and fixed systems).

Three new main uses of substances

• MCCPs: can be used as plasticizers, flame retardants and leather treatment agents in the production of plastics, rubber, textiles, synthetic leather, sealants and adhesives; MCCPs can also be used in paints and coatings to make the coatings have certain flame retardant, waterproof and weather resistance.

• Chlorpyrifos: A broad-spectrum organophosphorus insecticide, mainly used to control agricultural pests and sanitary pests. It is highly toxic to aquatic organisms and has long-term adverse effects on the water environment.

• LC-PFCAs: Due to its waterproof, oil-proof, and high-temperature resistant properties, it is often used as a plasticizer, flame retardant, lubricant, adhesive, sealant, metalworking fluid, paint and coating, and leather fatliquor, etc. It is widely used in textiles, food packaging, electronic equipment, firefighting foam and other fields.

Warm Tips

The addition of three banned substances to the POPs Convention means that the control of the POPs Convention continues to strengthen. ZRLK recommends that relevant companies always pay attention to the latest developments of the POPs Convention and relevant international regulations, formulate corporate control measures, and reduce the economic losses caused by product violations of POPs regulations. Our company has a wide range of testing fields and a professional and efficient service team, which can help companies evaluate the special chemical substances regulated in their products so that your products meet the standards of the corresponding national and international organizations. If you need it, please feel free to contact us, and our engineers will serve you as soon as possible!