IP/04/1039
Brussels, 11 August 2004
Chemical pollution: Commission wants to rid the
world of more nasty substances
Under a new Commission proposal, the EU will push for an additional nine
nasty chemicals to be banned under two international agreements. The
chemicals in question belong to the group of persistent organic pollutants
(POPs). POPs are toxic, persist for generations, can travel long distances,
and accumulate in human and animal bodies. The Commission believes they
should be added to the “dirty dozen” chemicals already listed in the 2001
Stockholm Convention on POPs and to the 16 substances listed in the 1998
UNECE Protocol on POPs. The Commission’s proposal must now be adopted
by the Council, before negotiations with the other Convention Parties can
start.
Most POPs were widely used as industrial chemicals and pesticides; a few are
unintentional by-products of combustion processes and production of other
chemicals. Although most of the industrial chemicals and pesticides with POPs
properties have already been phased out in the EU, they still may be produced and
used in other countries. While the risk levels vary from POP to POP, all of them
share four properties: they are all highly toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative
substances that evaporate and travel long distances through air and water. Traces of
them can be found in humans, animals and the environment all over the world.
There are two international conventions to rid the world of these substances: the
2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants negotiated under the
auspices of the UN Environment Programme and the 1998 Protocol on Persistent
Organic Pollutants to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution, which was negotiated under the auspices of the UN's Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The nine substances that the Commission wants to add to the two conventions are
already well controlled in the European Union, as their production, placing on the
market and use have already ceased or been severely restricted. However, this may
not be the case in other countries. Due to their potential for long-range environmental
pollution, measures at national and EU levels alone are not sufficient to provide for a
high level of protection for human health and the environment. Action therefore
needs to be taken at global level.
The Stockholm Convention, which entered into force on 17 May 2004, is open to all
states and regional economic integration organisations and has so far been ratified
by 75 Parties. It is a global instrument that aims to make sure that the substances it
lists are no longer produced, used, imported and exported. It also seeks to stop or
reduce the releases of POPs that are unintentionally produced. As a first step, the
Convention is aimed at ending release and use of twelve of the nastiest POPs, the
so-called “dirty dozen”.
Ten of those have commercial uses as pesticides and/or industrial chemicals, while
two of them, dioxins and furans, are by-products of combustion and production of
other chemicals. The Commission proposes to add nine substances to the
Convention. The EU is not yet a Party of the Convention, but there is political
agreement in the Council so that ratification is expected in autumn.
The UNECE Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which entered into force on
23 October 2003, is open to the 55 UNECE members and has so far been ratified by
20, including the EU on 29 April 2004. The Protocol is more ambitious than the
Stockholm Convention. The ultimate objective is to eliminate any discharges,
emissions and losses of POPs. Currently it focuses on 16 substances that have
been singled out according to agreed risk criteria. These substances comprise
eleven pesticides, two industrial chemicals and three by-products/contaminants. The
Commission proposes to add five substances to the list.
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Annex
Dictionary of nasty substances and how they are dealt with
Substances covered by both conventions:
 Aldrin, insecticide used e.g. against termites and grasshoppers. Should be
eliminated according to both conventions; the Stockholm Convention exempts
some specific uses.
 Chlordane, insecticide used e.g. against termites and as a broad-spectrum
insecticide. Should be eliminated according to both conventions; the Stockholm
Convention exempts some specific production and uses.
 DDT, insecticide, widely used during World War II to kill insects carrying malaria,
typhus and other diseases. It continues to be applied in some countries to combat
malaria. Should be restricted according to both conventions; the UNECE Protocol
foresees elimination as soon as suitable alternatives are found.
 Dieldrin, insecticide used principally against termites and textile pests, has also
been used to control insect-borne diseases and insects living in agricultural soil.
Should be eliminated according to both conventions; the Stockholm Convention
exempts some specific uses.
 Dioxins, unintentionally produced due to incomplete combustion and as a byproduct in the manufacture of certain pesticides and other chemicals, can also be
released in certain kinds of metal recycling and pulp and paper bleaching. Highly
carcinogenic. Releases should be prevented or minimised according to both
conventions.
 Endrin, insecticide sprayed on the leaves of crops such as cotton and grains. It is
also used to control mice, voles and other rodents. Should be eliminated
according to both conventions.
 Furans, unintentionally produced from the same processes that release dioxins,
also found in commercial mixtures of PCBs. Highly carcinogenic. Releases should
be prevented or minimised according to both conventions.
 Heptachlor, insecticide primarily used to kill soil insects and termites, also used
against other crop pests and malaria mosquitoes. Should be eliminated according
to both conventions (some specific uses are exempted).
 Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), fungicide used against fungi that affect food crops.
Also released as a by-product during the manufacture of certain chemicals and as
a result of the processes that give rise to dioxins and furans. Should be eliminated
according to both conventions (some specific production and uses are exempted).
When unintentionally produced, releases should be prevented or minimised
according to the UNECE Protocol.
 Mirex, insecticide, mainly used against ants and termites, has also been used as
a fire retardant in plastics, rubber and electrical goods. Should be eliminated
according to both conventions; the Stockholm Convention exempts some specific
production and uses.
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 Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), used in electrical equipment to prevent
overheating, also used as additives in paper, carbonless copy paper, sealants
and plastics. Restricted under the UNECE protocol. Should be eliminated
according to both conventions; the UNECE Protocol exempts some production;
both conventions exempt some specific uses. When unintentionally produced,
releases should be prevented or minimised according to the Stockholm
Convention.
 Toxaphene (also called camphechlor), insecticide applied to cotton, cereal
grains, fruits, nuts and vegetable. It has also been used against ticks and mites in
livestock. Should be eliminated according to both conventions.
Substances currently covered only by the UNECE Protocol:
(Those marked with * are those that the Commission proposes to be included in the
Stockholm Convention, too)
 Chlordecone*, insecticide, should be eliminated according to the UNECE
Protocol; the Commission wants the substance to be listed for elimination under
the Stockholm Convention, too.
 Hexabromobiphenyl*, flame retardant, should be eliminated according to the
UNECE Protocol; the Commission wants the substance to be listed for elimination
under the Stockholm Convention, too.
 Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, including lindane)*, insecticide and industrial
chemical, restricted uses under the UNECE Protocol; the Commission wants the
substance to be listed for elimination under the Stockholm Convention.
 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), usually occur naturally, can also be
unintentionally produced due to incomplete combustion. Can be manufactured for
use in medicines and to make dyes, plastics, and pesticides. Releases from
unintentional production should be prevented or minimised according to the
UNECE Protocol.
Substances currently not covered:
(Those marked with * are those that the Commission proposes to be included in the
Stockholm Convention, the UNECE Protocol or both)
 Hexachlorobutadiene*, industrial chemical. The Commission wants the
substance to be listed for elimination under both conventions.
 Octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE)*, flame retardant. The Commission wants
the substance to be listed for elimination under both conventions.
 Pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE)*, flame retardant. The Commission
wants the substance to be listed for elimination under the Stockholm Convention.
 Pentachlorobenzene*, industrial chemical, fungicide. The Commission wants the
substance to be listed for elimination under both conventions.
 Polychlorinated naphtalenes*, used mainly for cable insulation, wood
preservation but also as engine oil additives and feed stocks for dye production
etc. The Commission wants the substance to be listed in both conventions for
elimination as well as for the prevention or minimisation of releases from
unintentional production.
 Short-chained chlorinated paraffins*, mainly used in metal working fluids but
also in leather finishing products. The Commission wants the substance to be
included in the UNECE Protocol to restrict its uses.
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