At the end of September 2022, the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Review Committee (POPRC) to the Stockholm Convention held its 18th annual meeting during which it agreed to recommend listing the substance UV-328 (CAS 25973-55-1) under Annex A for global elimination of all production and use. A set of time limited exemptions were also recommended to allow some sectors including aerospace and legacy vehicle parts to phase out the chemical. The over 180 countries that are signatories to the Stockholm Convention will now meet in May 2023 to review the POPRC’s recommendation and finalize the listing.
In January 2021, the POPRC determined UV-328 fulfilled the screening requirements as a POP (FPF reported). UV-328 is used to absorb UV light in a variety of plastics and coatings including in food contact applications. Experiments have demonstrated that the chemical causes damage to the liver and kidneys in mammals, and has endocrine-disrupting effects (FPF reported). The EU legally recognized UV-328 as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) in 2014, and it has been on the REACH Authorization list since 2019. UV-328 is unique in that it is the first substance to be proposed for listing under the convention that does not contain any halogens (fluorine, chlorine, or bromine).
In its latest meeting, the POPRC also adopted the draft risk profiles for medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). This moves these two substance groups closer towards an eventual listing and potential restriction under the Stockholm Convention.
References
UN Stockholm Convention (September 2022). “Eighteenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.18).”
Eline Schaart (October 6, 2022). “UN committee agrees on global ban of UV-328 and DP with time-limited exemptions.” Chemical Watch
