MEA Bulletin - Issue #56 now available! - Friday, 24 October 2008
Throughout
the week, the Committee continued progress with its agenda, completing
deliberations on c-octaBDE, PeCB, alpha-HCH and beta-HCH.
POPRC
RECOMMENDS LISTING FOUR MORE CHEMICALS
The fourth meeting
of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC4) of the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which convened from 13-17
October 2008, in Geneva, Switzerland, considered several operational issues,
including conflict-of-interest procedures, toxic interactions between POPs, and
activities undertaken for effective participation of parties in its work. The
Committee approved the risk management evaluations for four chemicals, and
recommended that the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties consider
listing under Annexes A, B, or C: commercial octabromodiphenyl ether
(c-octaBDE), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and alpha- and
beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (alphaHCH and betaHCH). A draft risk profile for
short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) was discussed throughout the week
and the Committee agreed to forward it to POPRC5. POPRC4 also evaluated a
proposal to list endosulfan under the Convention and agreed, by vote, that it
met the Annex D criteria for listing and that a draft risk profile should be
prepared for consideration by POPRC5. POPRC4 also began an exchange of views on
a proposal to list hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) under the Convention. Despite
unusually contentious deliberations during the week, many participants
expressed satisfaction with the Committee’s accomplishments.






