ECHA plans identification & regulation of POPs by 2020

ECHA headed a new work on scientific, technical and administrative tasks to identify and regulate persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This POPs Regulation bans or severely restricts the production and use of persistent organic pollutants in the European Union.

POPs are regulated worldwide by the Stockholm Convention and the Aarhus Protocol.  ECHA reveals that the Agency will support the identification of new POPs substances. It will also act as an interface for reporting duties on implementing the regulation, which includes compiling and publishing information from the Member States on uses, volumes, releases, monitoring data, stockpiles and waste related to POPs, as well as supporting the Commission to review and update the future activities to further progress in combating the risks caused by POPs. 

ECHA plans in promoting an exchange of information on POPs between various EU actors and third countries, helping the Commission’s work in the Stockholm Convention’s POPs Review Committee and supporting EU enforcement activities through ECHA’s Enforcement Forum.

By 2020 ECHA will integrate data on POPs to its chemicals database. This enables easier access to regulatory and hazard-related information on the substances that are being proposed as POPs and the substances that are already listed under the POPs Regulation.

Reference: https://echa.europa.eu/-/echa-starts-work-on-persistent-organic-pollutants