Deadline: 19 May 2025

The UK is a party to the United Nations’ Stockholm Convention on POPs, which are substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms and pose a risk to our health and the environment.

They can be transported by air, water or migratory species across international borders, reaching regions where they have never been manufactured or used. 

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) invites stakeholders to provide comments on the draft Risk Profile (RP) for the following substance group:

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs), including mixed polybrominated/chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBCDD/Fs), a group of chemical substances proposed as POPs to the UN’s POPs Review Committee (POPRC)

PBDD/Fs and PBCDD/Fs are being considered for inclusion in Annex C of the Stockholm Convention. While there is no evidence of intentional manufacture, these substances are unintentionally generated through thermal processes involving brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including the uncontrolled burning of waste containing BFRs such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).

The RP provides further analysis of the data submitted in the original proposal and evaluates the recommendation to list these substances as POPs. It also outlines evidence that demonstrates how these substances meet the criteria for POP classification.

The drafting of the RP marks the second stage in the POPs review process. The draft RP will be discussed at the next POPRC meeting in Autumn 2025, with the aim of agreeing a final RP and progression to the final stage, Risk Management Evaluation.

Defra would welcome any additional information stakeholders can provide to support, challenge or expand upon the evidence presented in the draft RP.

How to comment

Submit your comments to the Defra POPs team by email.

Visit GOV.UK for further details and information on submission.