Selecting chemical substances for the UN-ECE POP Protocol

In 1998 the UN-ECE POP Protocol was signed. Sixteen substances are included in the protocol. They can be characterised as persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic organic substances prone to long-range atmospheric transport. The Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and the Environment started a project to select possible candidates for the protocol. In the first phase of the project possible candidates were selected using the so-called ‘PTB-databaseʹ applying the criteria from the protocol. From the 12 substances that met the criteria four substances were selected for which preliminary risk profiles were drafted: polychlorinated naphthalenes, dicofol, hexachlorobutadiene and pentachlorobenzene. These profiles are presented. Revised profiles have to be prepared for the UN-ECE LRTAP Ad hoc Expert Group on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Ultimately, the process should lead to a proposal to include additional POPs to the UN-ECE POP Protocol.