Decisions taken at the 2015 Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, May 4-15, 2015, Geneva-Switzerland

Stockholm Convention (COP 7):

DDT:

  1. India was granted an extension to produce DDT, to manufacture dicofol, until 15 May 2024.
  2. Use of DDT for disease vector control will be evaluated at the next COP (2017).

Listing of Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and its salts and esters: The proposal to add PCP, and its salts and esters, to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention was strongly opposed by India, so there was no consensus. For the first time in the convention’s history, parties at COP 7 used Article 21(3) to vote. By majority vote, COP 7 agreed to add PCP to Annex A, with specific exemptions production and use of PCP for utility poles and crossarms.

PFOS:
COP 7 decided to continue the acceptable purpose to produce PFOS for the production of sulfluramid, used in the manufacturing of ant baits.

Rotterdam Convention (COP 7):

Methamidophos: COP 7 decided to amend Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention to include methamidophos.

Paraquat dichloride: India, Guatemala, Indonesia and Paraguay opposed listing of paraquat dichloride 276 g/L (20% and above) as a Severely Hazardous Pesticide Formulation (SHPF). Consideration was moved to COP 8.

In 2010 Burkina Faso proposed listing the liquid formulation of paraquat dichloride 276 g/L (paraquat ion at or above 200 g/L) as a SHPF in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention. The proposal to list paraquat dichloride was deliberated at COP 6 in 2013, however India and Guatemala opposed it and it was deferred to COP 7.

Fenthion: Fenthion ultra-low volume (ULV) formulations at or above 640 g active ingredient /L was proposed by Chad for listing as a SHPF to the Rotterdam Convention. Sudan opposed listing fenthion as a SHPF in Annex III. COP 7 decided to defer further consideration until COP 8.

Trichlorfon: India opposed listing trichlorfon in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention. COP 7 decided that considerations for listing trichlorfon be deferred to COP 8.

Intersessional Working Group: COP 7 decided to establish an intersessional working group of interested parties and observers to review cases in which a chemical was not listed, and to develop proposals to improve the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention. Proposals from the intersessional working group will be reviewed during COP 8.

Next COPs: The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm COPs agreed to convene the next COPs, with a high-level segment, back-to-back in 2017.