Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Source Description
List Description
The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to reduce the release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment. The chemicals listed here are identified in the Stockholm Convention as being POPs. POPs are substances that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the bodies of humans and wildlife, and have adverse effects to human health or to the environment. The Stockholm Convention contains three Annexes, which separately list chemicals targeted for elimination (Annex A), restriction (Annex B), or reduction of unintentional production (Annex C).
List Methodology
The list of chemicals was obtained from the Stockholm Convention website and the text of the Stockholm Convention. Specific information (including CAS Registry Numbers) was obtained from the documentation of the decisions to list each chemical, which are available on the same website and are linked in Plum records.
Modifications to the original list
The listings "Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether," and "Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether" were subdivided into specific isomers of those compounds named in the corresponding decision documents.
The CAS Registry numbers provided by UNEP for 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (listed: 40088-47-9) and 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (listed: 32534-81-9) are actually the CASRN for tetra- and pentabromodiphenyl ethers of undefined isomerism. The correct (more precise) CASRN were used instead for specifying:
- 2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 47) [5436-43-1]
- 2,2',4,4',5-Pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 99) [60348-60-9]
We understood the intent of the Convention to include other isomers of polybrominated diphenyl ethers besides those for which specific CASRN were given (such as mixtures of isomers in commercial material). Therefore, we included the following isomerically undefined compounds:
- Heptabromodiphenyl ether [68928-80-3]
- Hexabromodiphenyl ether [36483-60-0]
- Pentabromodiphenyl ether [32534-81-9]
- Tetrabromodiphenyl ether [40088-47-9]