Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on chemical and health recently expressed deep regret and disapproval of the European Union’s (EU) conduct at the COP9 of the Stockholm Convention. While governments agreed to a global ban on Perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA), an extremely persistent, toxic chemical, a large number of unjustified five years exemptions were included.
The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-9) was held from April 29 to May 10 in Geneva.Several non-governmental organisations on chemical and health recently expressed deep regret and disapproval of the European Union's conduct at the COP9 of the Stockholm Convention. While governments agreed to a global ban on Perfluoro-octanoic acid, an extremely persistent, toxic chemical, a large number of unjustified five years exemptions were included.#
Against recommendations from the United Nations International Expert Group for the Stockholm Convention and despite the wide availability of safer alternatives, it was the EU that requested the unjustified five-year global exemption for PFOA use in manufacturing medical textiles, according to European media reports.
The report of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Review Committee identifies several potential alternatives for use in medical textiles, including those that meet regulatory requirements and are currently in use. In addition, no specific application related to medical textiles has been identified that absolutely requires the use of PFOA.
During discussions, even representatives of the fluorochemicals industry repeatedly opposed this exemption request due to the wide availability of existing alternatives to PFOA, which is known to contaminate groundwater and drinking water worldwide, and linked to cancer, endocrine disruption and harming foetal development.
Several parties to the convention and members of the POPs Review Committee criticised such conduct, the open violation of the expert committee’s decisions and undermining the integrity of the UN review process.
The statement by the NGOs group called on the EU to change its behaviour and to truly embrace its powerful mandate demonstrating strong and democratic leadership in protecting the environment and the health of its 508 million citizens.
The signatories include Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe, Arnika–Toxics and Waste Programme in the Czech Republic, Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Ecologistas en Acción in Spain, European Environmental Citizens’ Organisation for Standardisation (ECOS), Friends of the Earth (BUND) in Germany, Générations Futures in France and ZERO–Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System in Portugal. (DS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India
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-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
