Polybromodiphenyl ethers inhibit or suppress combustion in organic materials and therefore have been mainly used as flame retardants in broad industrial areas. Currently, Hexabromodiphenyl ether, heptabromodiphenyl ether, tetrabromodiphenyl ether, pentabromodiphenyl ether and decabromodiphenyl ether are listed in Annex A of the Convention.
At its fourth meeting held in 2009, the Conference of the Parties, by decisions SC-4/14 and SC-4/18, adopted amendments to Annex A to list “hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether” and “tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether” with specific exemptions for recycling of articles that contain or may contain those BDEs, and the use and final disposal of articles manufactured from recycled materials that contain or may contain those BDEs.
At its eighth meeting held in 2017, the Conference of the Parties, (by decisions SC-8/10, adopted amendments to Annex A to list “decabromodiphenyl ether” (herein after collectively refer them as “ BDEs”) with various specific exemptions.
According to paragraph 2 of parts VI and V of Annex A, the Conference of the Parties shall evaluate the progress that Parties have made towards achieving their ultimate objective of elimination of those BDEs contained in articles and review the continued need for this specific exemption. This specific exemption shall in any case expire at the latest in 2030.
The Conference of the Parties adopted decisions on work programme related to newly listed POPs including BDEs (SC-4/19, SC-5/5, SC-6/7) to provide guidance to Parties on how best to restrict and eliminate these newly listed persistent organic pollutants and invited Parties to support work on the evaluation of alternatives and other work related to the restriction and elimination of these new POPs.