Upcoming meetings of Stockholm and Rotterdam Convention’s Review Committees

Expert committees for the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions will hold meetings in the upcoming weeks. At the meetings, aspects relative to trade requirements for hazardous pesticides and chemicals, and regulatory action on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) will be discussed. 

The 18th session of the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee will be held in Rome from 19 to 23 September. The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade focuses on information exchange on the restrictive measures taken by parties to the convention. Its Committee discusses whether substances in which parties are taking action should be added to the Convention’s Annex III, which requires that other parties express whether they would like to ban, permit or attach conditions to the import of such substance. 

At its 18th meeting, the Chemical Review Committee  will discuss guidance documents (the basis for  for the following two chemicals: 

• iprodione
• terbufos 

Additionally, it will review the regulatory action notified by several parties on the following chemicals: 

• amitrole
• carbaryl
• carbon tetrachloride
• chlorfenvinphos
• methidathion
• methyl bromide
• methyl parathion
• mirex
• paraquat 
• thiodicarb

The Stockholm Convention POPs Review Committee will also hold its meeting between 26 and 30 September in Rome. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) seeks to mitigate the impacts of said chemicals on human health and the environment. It does so by listing specific POPs in its different Annexes for Prohibition, Restrictions, or measures to reduce their impact. 

The POPs review Committee evaluates proposals by parties to classify substances as POPs and take regulatory action on them. It develops risks profiles for the substances to determine whether global action is needed, evaluates risk management measures, and proposes specific action to be taken under the Convention. 

In its 18th meeting, the POPs Review Committee will consider risk management for the chemicals Dechlorane Plus and UV-328. It will also consider risk profiles for chlorpyrifos, chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14-17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs), their salts and related compounds. 

The Committee will also consider proposals for exemptions for decabromodiphenyl ether and short-chain chlorinated paraffins, and alternatives to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts, and perfluorooctane sulfonyl.

While not directly applicable, the decisions taken under the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are incorporated into national law (in the EU, through Regulations (EU) 649/2012, concerning the export and import of hazardous chemicals, and (EU) 2019/1021, on persistent organic pollutants).