Highlights and images for 9 May 2025

** Update: The Basel Convention gaveled to a close at 11:55 pm.
    The Rotterdam Convention COP gaveled to a close at 11:59 pm.
    The Stockholm Convention COP gaveled to a close at 12:02 am.

** Update, 11:00 pm: The Stockholm Convention does not have a quorum to decide on the election of officers.

** Update, 10:30 pm: The Rotterdam Convention does not have a quorum to decide on the election of officers.

** Update, 10:22 pm: The Basel Convention does not have a quorum to decide on the election of officers.

Chemicals and waste management are huge global industries that impact peoples’ everyday lives, in the products we use and how we dispose of them. Safe management protects our environment and health.

Countries have adopted a series of decisions to try to strike a balance between safeguarding people and the planet and providing security in volatile global markets. Accessing the funds from companies and other “non-state actors”could help finance sound management. A proposal to develop a resource mobilization strategy from non-state actors was blocked by just a few countries. The African Region brought it back in plenary, and countries all agreed to start the process for this work for the African region and the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Production and use of one new persistent organic pollutant (POP) will be eliminated. Medium-chained chlorinated paraffins are used in plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC), widely found in buildings, packaging, and more. It’s the most challenging chemical group that the Stockholm Convention on POPs has adopted to date because of its varied uses and complex chemical identity.

The COP agreed to reopen the ban on UV-328, which is also used in water sealant tapes and adhesives in aircraft, They allowed a tiny amount, maybe as little as 8 or 9 g per aircraft, for a limited time. Countries also spoke at length to stress this should be the first and last time a ban is reopened.

The Basel Convention provides information on the international waste trade. It’s a wide-ranging Convention–just think of all the wastes households and industries generate. For countries to track all the imports and exports is a significant task, and some struggle to submit their national reports. Countries agreed to a compliance decision that will support and limit the penalties for these countries.

The Rotterdam Convention adopted a decision that many hope will improve the Convention’s effectiveness. One step will be providing translation of key documents for the Chemical Review Committee to help its experts participate effectively.

The evening dragged into the night about the election of officers. The Central and Eastern Europeans could not agree to their nominations for bureau members and expert groups. Secret ballots came next. Several rounds are expected in what could take hours.