Summary
The Chemical Review Committee (CRC) concluded on Thursday, completing all its technical work. Among the Committee’s decisions was a recommendation that decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), a flame retardant, be listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, making international trade in the chemical subject to the prior informed consent (PIC) procedure.
The Committee agreed that the notifications for amitrole and nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NP and NPEs) meet the criteria. Yet, because notifications for these chemicals were received from one PIC region, and the Convention requires notifications from countries in two different PIC regions for a chemical to be listed, no further action will be taken on these chemicals at this time.
Members adopted the draft decision guidance document (DGD) on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related chemicals. The DGD will be forwarded to the COP and, if adopted, it will provide information to parties engaged in the international trade of PFOA.
Closing the meeting, Chair Noluzuko “Zukie” Gwayi thanked all participants, particularly outgoing members, and urged all participants to help promote the purpose of the Rotterdam Convention and its role in the sound management of chemicals.
Outgoing member Norma Sbarbati Nudelman (Argentina) underscored the importance of the work of the Committee, and encouraged everyone to welcome and support the incoming members.
Please return to this site on Sunday, 13 October 2019 for the summary report.
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, has provided daily web updates and a summary and analysis report from CRC-15. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF.
