Specific Exemptions

To enable Parties to the Convention to take measures to reduce or eliminate releases of POPs from intentional production and use, for which alternatives do not exist yet or are not readily available, the Convention allows Parties to register specific exemptions for a specific period of time. Annexes A and B to the Convention describe specific exemptions, as well as acceptable purposes, that are available with respect to the relevant POPs. 

Parties may register for specific exemptions listed in Annex A or B pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article 4. These specific exemptions have a limited timeframe and shall expire five (5) years after the date of entry into force of the Convention with respect to that particular chemical (paragraph 4 of Article 4), unless an earlier date is indicated in the Register by the Party or an extension is granted by the Conference of the Parties under paragraph 7 of Article 4.

Some specific exemptions may have a distinct timeframe, as specified in certain parts of Annex A or B. For example, the specific exemptions for the production and use of UV-328 in replacement parts for articles with limited applications, as specified in paragraphs 2 (a), (b) and (c), may be available until the end of the service life of the article or 2044, whichever comes earlier. For further such cases, please refer to the following decisions:

Decisions
 Title
 Download
 SC-4/14 Listing of hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether
 SC-4/18 Listing of tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether
 SC-8/10 Listing of decabromodiphenyl ether (commercial mix-ture, c-decaBDE)
 SC-9/12 Listing of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds 
 SC-11/10 Listing of Dechlorane Plus
 SC-11/11 Listing of UV-328

Register of Specific Exemptions

The Register of specific exemptions was established in conformity with Article 4 of the Stockholm Convention, for the purpose of identifying the Parties that have specific exemptions listed in Annex A or Annex B;

The Register is regularly updated after decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties so as to include specific exemptions available following adoption of amendments to annexes to the Convention, as well as to take into account expired specific exemptions. Following decisions of the Conference of the Parties, no new registrations may be made with respect to certain specific exemptions. For further information, please see the Expired Specific Exemptions.

Dates of entry into force of the amendments to Annexes to the Convention

An indicative table on the status and entry into force of the amendments to the Annexes is available in the Amendments to Annexes to the Stockholm Convention page.

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annexes A and B

Various specific exemptions and acceptable purposes have been made available to Parties within the Convention text and subsequently by decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to amend the Annexes to the Convention.

The lists below do not include those specific exemptions that have expired. Further information on these is available here.

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annex A

For several chemicals, the Conference of the Parties has noted that since there were no longer any Parties registered for specific exemptions for some or all applications, no new registrations may be made with respect to these chemicals. This information is indicated in the Register.

The table below incorporates paragraph 1 of the amendment to the listing of UV-328 (decision SC-12/11), adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting in May 2025. It does not incorporate the amendments listing chlorpyrifos (decision SC-12/9) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (decision SC-12/10), adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting, which have yet to enter into force.

Sticky Table Header
Chemical
Activity
Specific exemptions
Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) present in commercial decabromodiphenyl ether
CAS No: 1163-19-5 		Production As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions
Use In accordance with the provisions of Part IX of Annex A
Dechlorane Plus
CAS No: 13560-89-9

"Dechlorane Plus" includes its syn-isomer (CAS No. 135821-03-3) and its anti-isomer (CAS No. 135821-74-8) 		Production None
Use In accordance with the provisions of Part XI of Annex A
  • Aerospace
  • Space and defence applications
  • Medical imaging and radiotherapy devices and installations
  • Replacement parts for, and repair of, articles in applications in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of part XI of this Annex
Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether [1] Use Articles in accordance with provisions of Part IV of Annex A
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds Production Fire-fighting foam: None.
For other production, as allowed for the Parties listed in the Register in accordance with the provisions of Part X of Annex A
Use In accordance with the provisions of Part X of Annex A
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) Use Articles in use in accordance with the provisions of Part II of Annex A
Polychlorinated naphthalenes, including dichlorinated naphthalenes, trichlorinated naphthalenes, tetrachlorinated naphthalenes, pentachlorinated naphthalenes, hexachlorinated naphthalenes, heptachlorinated naphthalenes, octachlorinated naphthalene Production Intermediates in production of polyfluorinated naphthalenes, including octafluoronaphthalene
Use Production of polyfluorinated naphthalenes, including octafluoronaphthalene
Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether [1] Use Articles in accordance with the provisions of Part V of Annex A
UV-328
CAS No 25973-55-1 		Production As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions in accordance with the provisions of Part XII of Annex A
Use In accordance with the provisions of Part XII of Annex A
  • Parts of motor vehicles (covering all land-based vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, agricultural and construction vehicles and industrial trucks), such as bumper systems, radiator grills, spoilers, car garnish, roof modules, soft/hard tops, trunk lids and rear window wipers
  • Industrial coating applications for motor vehicles, engineering machines, rail transportation vehicles, and heavy-duty coatings for large steel structures
  • Mechanical separators in blood collection tubes
  • Triacetyl cellulose (TAC) film in polarizers
  • Photographic paper
  • Replacement parts for articles in applications in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of part XII of Annex A
  • Water-seal tape for insulation blankets and decking on aircraft; and polyurethane and polyamide adhesives, and polyurethane coatings, for structural, mechanical, interior and electrical assemblies, and emergency, propulsion, environmental control, and flight control systems, on aircraft

[1] Please refer to the definitions as provided in Part III of Annex A of the Convention, for more information

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annex B

Annex B lists DDT, for which specific exemptions are no longer available although acceptable purposes remain available, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride. The listing of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride has been amended by the Conference of the Parties several times (decisions SC-7/1, SC-9/1 and SC-9/4 in relation to the specific exemptions and acceptable purposes available.

The table below incorporates the amendments adopted by decision SC-9/12 in relation to PFOS, its salts and PFOSF in relation to specific exemptions - for information in relation to the acceptable purposes for chemicals listed in Annex B, please see here.  

Chemical Activity Specific exemptions
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (CAS No: 1763-23-1), its saltsa and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (CAS No: 307-35-7)

a For example:
potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 2795-39-3);
lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 29457-72-5);
ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 29081-56-9);
diethanolammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 70225-14-8);
tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 56773-42-3);
didecyldimethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS No. 251099-16-8). 		Production None
Use
  • Metal plating (hard-metal plating) only in closed-loop systems
  • Fire-fighting foam for liquid fuel vapour suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) in installed systems, including both mobile and fixed systems, in accordance with paragraph 10 of part III of Annex B