Document gbnemn899LbJRkpXzmdjd9rZe

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Convention de Stockholm sur les polluants organiques persistants Convenio de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes Orgnicos Persistentes a Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention International Environment House 1 11-13, chemin des Anmones CH-1219 Chtelaine - Geneva Switzerland Telephone: +41 22 917 87 29 Facsimile: +41 22 917 80 98 E-mail: ssc@pops.int Website: www.pops.int 30 September 2016 File: POPRC-12 Subject: Invitation to submit information specified in Annex F to the Stockholm Convention for dicofol and pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds Dear Sir/Madam, I am pleased to inform you that at its twelfth meeting held in Rome from 19 to 23 September 2016, the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee adopted seven decisions contained in annex I to the report of the meeting set out in document UNEP/POPS/POPRC.12/11. The report will be available on the Stockholm Convention's website: http://chm.pops.int/tabid/3309/Default.aspx. The Committee had before it draft risk profiles prepared in accordance with Article 8 and Annex E to the Convention for dicofol and pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (CAS No: 335-67-1, PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid), its salts and PFOA-related compounds. Those chemicals were previously proposed by the European Union for listing in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Convention, and the Committee had decided at its tenth and eleventh meeting, respectively, that the screening criteria specified in Annex D to the Convention had been fulfilled. At its twelfth meeting, the Committee adopted decisions POPRC-12/1 and POPRC-12/2, by which it adopted the risk profiles for dicofol (UNEP/POPS/POPRC.12/11/Add.1) and for PFOA, its salts and PFOArelated compounds (UNEP/POPS/POPRC.12/11/Add.2), respectively, and decided, in accordance with paragraph 7 (a) of Article 8 of the Convention, that those chemicals are likely as a result of their long-range environmental transport to lead to significant adverse human health and environmental effects such that global action is warranted. The Committee established intersessional working groups to prepare draft risk management evaluation documents that include an analysis of the possible control measures for those chemicals in accordance with Annex F to the Convention. In preparing the risk management evaluation, the Committee invited Parties and observers to submit to the Secretariat the information on socio-economic considerations specified in Annex F to the Convention for dicofol as well as for PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, before 9 December 2016. For this purpose, please refer to the enclosed note on the scope of PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds. Please submit the information using the enclosed form to the Secretariat, preferably by e-mail: Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention Att: POPs Review Committee United Nations Environment Programme 11-13 chemin des Anmones CH-1219, Chtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland Fax: +41 22 917 8098 E-mail: kei.ohno-woodall@brsmeas.org To: Stockholm Convention official contact points, national focal points Cc: Representatives of permanent missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants page 2 In accordance with paragraph 9 of Article 8 of the Convention, the Committee shall, based on the risk profile and the risk management evaluation, recommend whether the chemicals should be considered by the Conference of the Parties for listing in Annex A (elimination), Annex B (restriction), and/or Annex C (unintentional production). The possible control measures may include prohibition or severe restriction of production and use. In its deliberation on the control measures, the Committee will also consider the possible needs for exemptions for use and production. Therefore, your submission of accurate and high quality information is very important for the Committee's evaluation. Among other decisions, the Committee recommended the Conference of the Parties to consider listing: decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) of c-decaBDE in Annex A to the Convention with specific exemptions; and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in Annex A to the Convention, including controls to limit the presence of SCCPs in other chlorinated paraffin mixtures, with or without specific exemptions. Furthermore, the Committee evaluated the new information in relation to the listing of hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) in Annex C to the Convention and concluded that there are unintentional releases of HCBD from the production of certain chemical processes and incineration processes. Nonetheless it noted that there are some concerns regarding the cost-benefit implications of measures to address those releases. The Committee's recommendations on listing of chemicals to be considered at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, which is scheduled to take place in Geneva from 24 April to 5 May 2017, will be communicated to the Parties and signatories at least six months before the meeting. Should you have any queries, please contact Ms. Kei Ohno Woodall, Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention (E-mail: kei.ohno-woodall@brsmeas.org; tel. +41 22 917 8201). We look forward to receiving your submissions. Yours sincerely, Rolph Payet Executive Secretary Office location/Bureaux: International Environment House 1, 11-13 chemin des Anmones, Chtelaine - Geneva. Switzerland NOTE Chemical identity of pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (CAS No: 33567-1, PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid), its salts and PFOA-related compounds The chemical identity of pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (CAS No: 335-67-1PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid), its salts and PFOA-related compounds is described in section 1.1 of the risk profile (UNEP/POPS/POPRC.12/11/Add.2) adopted by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee at its twelfth meeting as follows: "Taking into account the background document to the restriction proposals for PFOA, PFOA salts and PFOA-related compounds,1,2 the risk profile covers: (a) PFOA (including its isomers); (b) Its salts; and (c) PFOA-related compounds which, for the purposes of this risk profile, are any substances that degrade to PFOA, including any substances (including salts and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluoroheptyl group with the moiety (C7F15)C as one of the structural elements, for example: (i) Polymers with C8 to C16 based fluorinated side chains;3 (ii) 8:2 fluorotelomer compounds; (iii) 10:2 fluorotelomer compounds. PFOA-related compounds do not include: (i) C8F17-X, where X= F, Cl, Br; (ii) Fluoropolymers4 that are covered by CF3[CF2]n-R', where R'=any group, n>16; or (iii) PFOS, its salts and PFOSF as listed in Annex B to the Stockholm Convention." It should be noted that PFOA-related compounds covers numerous long chain perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) except long chain (C>=9) carboxylic and sulfonic acids and their esters and long chain (C>=8) phosphonic acids and their esters, as these acids and esters do not degraded to PFOA. _______________________ 1 ECHA 2015a. Background document to the Opinion on the Annex XV dossier proposing restrictions on Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), PFOA salts and PFOA-related substances. 4 December 2015. Available from: http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/fa20d0e0-83fc-489a-9ee9-01a68383e3c0. 2 ECHA 2015c. Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) - Opinion on an Annex XV dossier proposing restrictions on Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), PFOA salts and PFOA-related substances. Compiled version prepared by the ECHA Secretariat of RAC's opinion (adopted 8 September 2015) and SEAC's opinion (adopted 4 December 2015). Available from: http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/2f0dfce0-3dcf-4398-8d6b-2e59c86446be. 3 DuPont, 1998. Technical information: Zonyl fluorochemical intermediates. 4 Fluoropolymers are carbon-only polymer backbone with F directly attached to backbone C atoms.