Proposal to List PXDDs and PXDFs as Persistent Organic Pollutants

During the same event, Secretariat introduced another proposal to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, this time to list polyhalogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PXDDs) and polyhalogenated dibenzofurans (PXDFs) in Annex C. This proposal aims to address the unintentional production of these substances, particularly during the production of brominated flame retardants or in fires where such flame retardants are present.
The scope of the proposal includes polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polybrominated dibenzofurans, and their mixed brominated/chlorinated counterparts. These substances can form unintentionally in thermal processes, especially when materials containing brominated flame retardants are heated or burned.
PXDDs and PXDFs have been detected in various environmental and biological media, including air, soil, sediments, and even in consumer products like children's plastic toys made from recycled materials containing brominated flame retardants. The proposal concludes that these substances meet the screening criteria for persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range environmental transport, and adverse effects as outlined in Annex D of the Stockholm Convention.
The POPs Review Committee (POPRC) will evaluate this proposal at its next meeting in October 2025. If agreed upon, it will move to the next stage of drafting a Risk Management Evaluation. This process underscores the ongoing efforts to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants on a global scale.
To read more about the POPRC-20 meeting and its outcomes, click here.