Considerations on COM(2016)154 - Submission, on behalf of the EU, of a proposal for the listing of additional chemicals in Annex A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

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dossier COM(2016)154 - Submission, on behalf of the EU, of a proposal for the listing of additional chemicals in Annex A, B and/or C to the ...
document COM(2016)154 EN
date March 17, 2016
 
(1) The Union ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (the Convention) on 16 November 2004 by Council Decision 2006/507/EC of 14 October 2004 concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 3 .

(2) As a Party to the Convention, the Union may make proposals for amendment of the Annexes to the Convention. Annex A to the Convention lists persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to be eliminated, whereas Annex B lists POPs to be restricted, and Annex C lists POPs of which the unintentional production needs to be addressed.

(3) With regard to available scientific information and review reports as well as taking due account of the screening criteria laid down in Annex D to the Convention, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (CAS No 556-67-2) exhibits characteristics of POPs.

(4) Based on the available information, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane meets the criteria of Annex XIII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council 4 for both a ‘persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic’ (PBT) and a ‘very persistent and very bioaccumulative’ (vPvB) substance in the environment.

(5) Under Article 69(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, the United Kingdom prepared an Annex XV restriction dossier 5 on octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane to address the risk to environment from the placing on the market or use of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in concentration equal to or greater than 0,1% by weight in personal care products that are washed off in normal use conditions.

(6) Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane is a substance with worldwide dispersive uses and is detected in the environment. Due to the potential for long-range environmental transport of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, the measures taken nationally or at Union level are not sufficient to safeguard the high level of protection of the environment and human health and wider international action is necessary.

(7) The Union should therefore submit a proposal to the Secretariat of the Convention for the listing of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in Annex A, B and/or C to the Convention.