On January 28, the POPs Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention on POPs concluded its 17th meeting. During this meeting, the POPRC worked on several chemicals that currently are under review for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention for a global restriction or ban (meeting report by IISD).
One of the candidate POPs considered by the POPRC is UV-328, a UV absorber used in many types of plastic. Experiments have demonstrated that the chemical causes damage to the liver and kidneys in mammals, and has endocrine-disrupting effects (report by FPF). The EU classified UV-328 as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) in 2014. UV-328 is unique in that it is the first substance to be proposed for listing under the Stockholm Convention that does not contain any fluorine, chlorine, or bromine.
The discussion around UV-328 at POPRC-17 focused on whether plastic pollution in the ocean is a means of long-range environmental transport for plastic additives. Chemical industry representatives had argued that prohibiting the use of UV-328 would not be justified. A perspective article was published in support of these industry concerns and challenging the environmental long-range transport of UV-328 by plastic debris. However, this was met with strong criticism from academic scientists at ETH Zürich who defended the scientific evidence demonstrating UV-328’s long-range transport (report by FPF). In addition, field data demonstrating the long-range transport of UV-328 and its accumulation in sea birds from the Southern Pacific Ocean prepared by the research team of Hideshige Takada, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, were an essential element in the discussion about the long-range environmental transport of UV-328. Ultimately, the Committee decided to adopt the proposed draft risk profile of UV-328 and moved the chemical to the final step of the review process under the Stockholm Convention.
UV-328 will now undergo a risk management evaluation, which includes socio-economic considerations and a review of possible alternatives. Review of this evaluation will take place at the 18th meeting of the POPs Review Committee in September 2022, and a final decision on its listing within the convention is expected to be made at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2023.