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What's Happening from Environmental Building News

June 1, 2009

Dirty-Dozen List of POPs Expanded

Delegates from among 160 nations were represented at the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention.

The so-called “dirty dozen” persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which have been restricted since 2001 through the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, has been expanded by nine chemicals. Recommendations from the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention were adopted at the fourth meeting of the Conference of Parties, which was held in Geneva in May 2009.

While most of the additions are pesticides or related to pesticide manufacture, several of the additions have specific relevance to the building industry. Both the penta and octa forms of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant are included. These were previously in widespread use for flexible polyurethane foams and plastic housings for electronic equipment, respectively, but have not been made since about 2004, when Great Lakes Chemical Company ceased production (see EBN June 2004 for more on PBDEs).

Also added to the list is perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, also known as perfluorooctane sulfonate or PFOS, which is a fluoropolymer used in making various stain-resistant compounds. Unlike most other persistent organic pollutants, PFOS doesn’t bioaccumulate in fatty tissues of organisms; it binds to proteins. It is found worldwide in humans and wildlife. PFOS and the closely related compound perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are the focus of considerable attention today by health and environmental experts.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is part of the United Nations Environment Programme.

– Alex Wilson

For more information:

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Chatelaine, Geneva, Switzerland
41-22-9178729
http://chm.pops.int/

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