GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AGILITYPR.NEWS / March 28, 2023 / SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is advising stakeholders that the United Kingdom is currently holding a consultation over proposed revisions to its Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation.

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a consultation on proposals to update retained Regulation (EU) 2019/2012, as amended by:

• POPs (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020/1358 
• POPs (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022/1293 

The consultation will run from March 2, 2023, to April 27, 2023.

These proposals relate to:

• Changes to the Stockholm Convention
• Review of the POPs Regulation held in 2022
• Scientific or technical progress

Proposed changes to Annex I of the POPs Regulation include:

• Removing existing specific exemptions for four POPs:

1. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds
2. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS)
3. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, alkanes C₁₀-C₁₃ chloro)
4. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE, bis(pentabromophenyl) ether)

• Adding unintentional trace contaminant (UTC) exemptions for at least two POPs (hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachlorophenol (PCP))
• Deleting and/or amending existing UTC exemptions for PFOA

Addition amendments include:

• Adding perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds to Annex I of the POPs Regulation
• Including Dechlorane Plus (DP), Methoxychlor and UV-328 through forthcoming or future legislative updates without further public consultation if they are adopted at a future Conference of the Parties of the Stockholm Convention

Following Brexit, these proposed revisions will, if adopted, apply to England, Wales and Scotland.

SGS Chemical Testing

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For further information contact:

Dr. HingWo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: cp.media@sgs.com

Website: www.sgs.com/cp 

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