Overview
The POP regulation targets the worst chemicals there are. These are substances that do not break down, that build up in bodies and ecosystems, and that spread worldwide, and the regulation largely bans them.
What a POP is
A persistent organic pollutant has four defining traits:
- Persistent, meaning it resists environmental breakdown.
- Bioaccumulative, meaning it builds up in living organisms and the food chain.
- Mobile, meaning it travels long distances through air and water.
- Toxic, meaning it is harmful to humans and wildlife.
What the regulation does
- It implements the Stockholm Convention, and the UNECE POP Protocol, in EU law.
- It bans or severely restricts listed substances in products, articles and waste, usually with very low limits for unintentional trace contaminants.
- Examples of POP-listed substances include PFOS and PFOA, certain brominated flame retardants such as PBDEs and HBCDD, and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs).
How it relates to other topics
- It runs alongside REACH but is generally stricter. For a listed POP, the phase-out regime takes precedence over REACH's authorisation route.
- Some POPs overlap with PFAS and with substances that are also relevant to RoHS in electronics.
The international basis
Global
The Stockholm Convention is the worldwide POPs treaty under the UN.
Regional
The Aarhus Protocol is the UNECE-region POPs instrument.
The EU POP Regulation implements both in directly applicable EU law.
Note: this is a general educational summary from the Pareo team, not legal advice. The list of POPs and their limit values are updated over time, so verify against the current regulation.