European Union Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants presents the fourth revised and updated European Union (Union) implementation plan required by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The implementation plan sets out the Union's regulatory framework for POPs and persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances to help achieve the overall aims of protecting human health and the environment from exposure to POPs. The European Union prohibits the manufacture and use of POP pesticides, plus decabromodiphenyl ether, HBB, HBCDD, HCBD, PeCB, PCNs, and SCCPs. The Commission will continue to gather available information on validated methods for identification of HBCDD in products/articles/wastes and facilitate exchange of information among the Member States. The options will be explored for the best method to facilitate the compilation of information on stockpiles of obsolete pesticides. The Commission and the Member States will work to identify products, substances and materials containing PCB in open applications and raise awareness about environmental release from open applications of PCBs within the European Union. Available data will be collected on the presence of POP-PBDEs in end of life goods including vehicles, waste electrical and electronic equipment, and waste plastics and facilitate exchange of information among the Member States. The use of the UNEP guidance documents on POP-PBDE emission inventories, and sampling, analysis and separation of POP-PBDEs in waste as part of national level planning for implementation plans will be encouraged. Validated measurement methods will be applied to control the export of waste plastic containing PBDE in particular electronic waste in the Member States, and depending on the outcome and the quality of information take further actions. Screening and management techniques for POP-PBDEs and HBCDD will be promoted within textiles and foam waste streams. The European Union prohibits the import of the chemicals listed in Annex A of the Convention except for the following exemptions: a substance used for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard; a substance occurring as an unintentional trace contaminant in substances, mixtures or articles; a substance as such or as part of articles for the purpose of environmentally sound disposal; and a substance as such or as part of articles for a use or purpose which is permitted by the POPs Regulation, e.g. PFOS for the exempted use. The export of these chemicals is also prohibited, except for chemicals in quantities not likely to affect health or the environment, and in any event not more than 10 kg, provided that they are exported for the purpose of research or analysis. The Commission will investigate the possibility to initiate international work on development of individual tariff codes for POP substances. The POP assessment will be properly incorporated in the assessment of chemicals subject to different legislative provisions within the Union. The reduction of emissions of unintentionally produced POPs, including their potential transfer to other media and their presence in waste, will be considered in the best available techniques conclusions under the Industrial Emissions Directive and related implementation measures. The levels of PCDD/PCDFs in critical solid residues and articles will be assessed and action will be taken to possibly develop best available techniques and maximum concentrations in this respect. Minimum eco-design requirements will be set for solid fuel small combustion installations. The Commission will finalise the study on contaminants in fertilising products and to propose/finalise measures that aim at further controlling unintentional emissions from such sources, as appropriate. The study will be conducted to examine how the characterisation of PeCB releases can be improved, and to identify whether best available techniques and best environmental practices could be appropriately updated to further decrease PeCB releases. Annexes IV and V will be reviewed and amendments will be proposed, as appropriate, to ensure environmentally sound management of waste consisting of or contaminated by POPs. As part of the regular review process of BREFs, the Commission will evaluate how PBDE containing materials are dealt with within IED activities and identify whether best available techniques and best environmental practices could be included/updated to prevent, and where that is not possible to minimise emissions of brominated and brominated-chlorinated dioxins. An action plan for PFAS will be developed as part of the wider framework for a chemicals strategy. Actions will be undertaken for identifying sites contaminated by POPs and for their environmentally sound remediation. This Plan addresses the identification and monitoring of potential contamination sources which forms an important part of European food surveillance. The information related to pesticides and food contamination will be disseminated to prevent the risks to human health related to the presence of POPs in food. Additionally, the Union makes use of rapid alert systems to share information on POPs in food and feed and consumer products between Member State authorities as means of early warning and intervention. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has a key role to play in the monitoring of different pesticide residues in food for the European Union. This Plan provides for long-term solutions to the monitoring of POPs, perfluorinated compounds, pesticides, veterinary pharmaceuticals, heavy metals and biotoxins in high-risk products such as fish and fish feed. The exchange of information and experiences on elimination of PCBs will be facilitated. All sectors, particularly the industry, will be fully informed about the obligations under the Stockholm Convention. The identification of both chemical and non-chemical options which can act as alternatives to POPs will be facilitated and their risk assessment reports will be disseminated more widely. The Commission will ensure that the current EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 will encourage research and innovation activities for alternatives (both chemical and non-chemical), characterisation of sources, review of industrial processes to avoid unintentional formation, data management, testing, and health impacts. Better co-ordination and communication between scientific research communities and relevant national, Union and international bodies will be ensured to, amongst others, communicate priority data needs for management of POPs issues. The mechanisms will be developed for better coordination between the bilateral aid programmes of the Commission and those of the Member States with regards to POPs. Infringement procedures will be launched against the Member States in case of non-compliance with reporting obligations. The need for the use of any specific exemption for Annex A and Annex B substances will be regularly verified. Union wide and international cooperation and information exchange will be increased and strengthened concerning the identification of potential POP substances and on concentrations of POP-candidate substances especially in remote regions and on the extent of transboundary dispersion.
2021-07-22