I. Opening of the meeting

1. The seventh meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee was held at the Varembé International Conference Centre from 10 to 14 October 2011. Mr. Reiner Arndt (Germany), Chair of the Committee, declared the meeting open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 10 October 2011.

Report of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee on the work of its seventh meeting

Addendum

Risk management evaluation on hexabromocyclododecane

At its seventh meeting, the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee adopted a risk management evaluation on hexabromocyclododecane on the basis of the draft contained in document UNEP/POPS/POPRC.7/5, as amended. The text of the risk management evaluation is set out in the annex to the present addendum. It has not been formally edited.

1. Adopts the risk management evaluation for hexabromocyclododecane;

2. Decides, in accordance with paragraph 9 of Article 8 of the Convention, to recommend to the Conference of the Parties that it consider listing hexabromocyclododecane in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Convention;

1. Decides, in accordance with paragraph 4 (a) of Article 8 of the Convention, that it is satisfied that the screening criteria have been fulfilled for dichlorinated naphthalenes, trichlorinated naphthalenes, tetrachlorinated naphthalenes, pentachlorinated naphthalenes, hexachlorinated naphthalenes, heptachlorinated naphthalenes and octachlorinated naphthalenes, as set out in the evaluation contained in the annex to the present decision;

2. Also decides, in accordance with paragraph 6 of Article 8 of the Convention and paragraph 29 of decision SC-1/7, to establish an ad hoc working group to review the proposal further and to prepare a draft risk profile in accordance with Annex E to the Convention;

1. Decides, in accordance with paragraph 4 (a) of Article 8 of the Convention, that it is satisfied that the screening criteria have been fulfilled for hexachlorobutadiene, as set out in the evaluation contained in the annex to the present decision;

2. Also decides, in accordance with paragraph 6 of Article 8 of the Convention and paragraph 29 of the annex to decision SC-1/7, to establish an ad hoc working group to review the proposal further and to prepare a draft risk profile in accordance with Annex E to the Convention;

1. Decides to establish an ad hoc working group to undertake the activities requested in paragraph 3 of the work programme set out in the annex to decision SC-5/4 and agrees to work in accordance with the workplan set out in annex I to the present decision and the terms of reference set out in annexes II and III to the present decision;

2. Requests the Secretariat to collect from parties and observers the information to facilitate intersessional work outlined in annexes II and III to the present decision;

1. Requests the Secretariat, subject to the availability of resources, to commission a technical paper on the identification and assessment of alternatives to the use of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid in open applications based on the terms of reference set out in annex I to the present decision and the outline revised during its seventh meeting;

2. Decides to establish an ad hoc working group to undertake the activities requested in paragraphs 5 and 7 of decision SC-5/5 and agrees to work in accordance with the workplan set out in annex II to the present decision;

1. Requests the Secretariat to disseminate the revised guidance document widely, including by posting it on the website of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants;

2. Invites parties and observers to submit the following information to the Secretariat by 31 July 2012 for consideration at the Committee’s eighth meeting:

1. Requests the Secretariat to use the format and explanatory note set out in the annex to the present decision to collect from parties information on brominated diphenyl ethers pursuant to paragraph 2 of parts IV and V of Annex A to the Convention and on their experience in implementing the Committee’s recommendations;

2. Also requests the Secretariat to compile the information obtained pursuant to the preceding paragraph for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its sixth meeting;

1. Decides to establish an ad hoc working group to undertake the activities requested in paragraph 9 of the annex to decision SC-5/6 to assess the chemical alternatives recommended by the World Health Organization for disease vector control and agrees to work in accordance with the workplan set out in annex I to the present decision;

2. Requests the Secretariat to facilitate access to information on alternatives to DDT;

1. Decides to establish an ad hoc working group to develop a draft approach to consideration of toxicological interactions when evaluating chemicals proposed for listing in the annexes to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and agrees to work in accordance with the workplan set out in the annex to the present decision;

2. Also decides to continue to provide technical input through the Secretariat to the framework to assess the risks of combined exposures to multiple chemicals prepared by the International Programme on Chemical Safety of the World Health Organization.

1. Decides that it should reconsider, if necessary, the implications of debromination of brominated flame retardants when additional relevant information becomes available;

2. Requests the Secretariat to make the above-mentioned information available to the Conference of the Parties at its sixth meeting to ensure that it reaches as broad an audience as possible.

1. Takes note of the paper on the implications of the study on climate change and persistent organic pollutants,

2. 2. Concludes that a better understanding of the interlinkages between persistent organic pollutants and climate change is relevant for its work;

1. Invites the Conference of the Parties:
(a) To take note of the lack of scientific and technical data on candidate persistent organic pollutants under the conditions experienced by developing-country parties and parties with economies in transition;

1. The following text was prepared by the drafting group on pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters during the Committee’s seventh meeting under agenda item 6 (c).

1. The following information was submitted by the group of friends of the Chair on pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters during the Committee’s seventh meeting. The information was extracted from the original publications used to develop section 3 of document UNEP/POPS/POPRC.7/INF/5/Add.1.

1. The concluding statement of the draft risk profile for short-chained chlorinated paraffins features two options for the final conclusion:
(a) Based on the available evidence, it is concluded that short-chained chlorinated paraffins are likely, as a result of their long-range environmental transport, to lead to significant adverse environmental and human health effects such that global action is warranted; or