At the first joint meeting of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions on May 10, 2013 delegates failed to phase out chrysotile asbestos (CAS 12001-29-5). India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe did not support the phase out. Chrysotile asbestos continues to be listed as an authorized food contact material under the U.S. Food and Drug Authority’s Indirect Additives list. Chrysotile is considered a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It causes asbestosis and lung cancer when inhaled.
The two week U.N. summit took place in Geneva, Switzerland from the April 28 to May 10, 2013 and convened delegates from 169 nations. The delegates agreed to gradually phase out hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD, a flame retardant used in buildings, vehicles and electronics, but with no known use in food contact applications. HBCD will be added to the Stockholm Convention list of persistent organic pollutants. For perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and two flame retardants, it was agreed that more disclosure of information about exports will be required.
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