Criteria for Additional POPs

Abstract

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a global treaty on POPs developed science-based screening criteria for identifying additional substances as candidates for future international action. The screening criteria relate to properties, e.g., persistence, bio-accumulation, potential for long-range environmental transport and adverse effects. Numerical cut-off values have been agreed for persistence in different media and for bio-accumulation but not for long-range environmental transport potential and adverse effects. The cut-off values may be modified by certain external factors, e.g., very high toxicity. Data for individual nominated substances or groups of substances will be compared to the screening criteria as a first step in the assessment. At later steps an in-depth assessment will be undertaken.