U N I T E D N A T I O N S E N V I R O N M E N T P R O G R A M M E 

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

الثابتة العضوية الملوثات بشأن استكهولم اتفاقية ▪ 关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约 ▪ Convention de Stockholm sur les polluants organiques persistants 

 Convenio de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes ▪ Стокгольмскaя конвенция о стойких органических загрязнителях

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention

International Environment House 1 

11-13, chemin des Anémones 

CH-1219 Châtelaine – Geneva 

Switzerland 

Telephone: +41 22 917 87 29 

Facsimile: +41 22 917 80 98 

E-mail: ssc@pops.int 

www.pops.int

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 

25 October 2010 

Subject: Invitation to submit information specified in Annex F of the Stockholm Convention on 

hexabromocyclododecane to the POPs Review Committee 

The sixth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm 

Convention took place on 11-15 October 2010, in Geneva. The report of the meeting will be available at the 

Committee’s website: http://www.pops.int/poprc/.

The Committee had before it a risk profile prepared in accordance with Annex E to the Convention 

for hexabromocyclododecane. Hexabromocyclododecane was previously proposed by Norway for addition 

to Annexes A, B and/or C of the Convention, and the Committee had decided at its fifth meeting that the 

screening criteria in Annex D to the Convention had been fulfilled. 

In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of the Convention, the Committee examined 

the risk profile and decided that hexabromocyclododecane is likely, as a result of its long-range 

environmental transport, to lead to significant adverse human health and/or environmental effects such that 

global action is warranted. 

The next step in the process is to prepare a risk management evaluation for 

hexabromocyclododecane. An outline of the risk management evaluation has been developed by the 

Committee (available at http://www.pops.int/poprc). The Convention provides that the risk management 

evaluation will include an analysis of the possible control measures, as well as the socio-economic 

considerations, and will take into account information to be submitted by the Parties and observers relating to 

the considerations specified in Annex F. 

The Committee shall recommend whether the chemical should be considered by the Conference of 

the Parties for listing in Annex A (elimination), Annex B (restriction), and/or Annex C (unintentional 

production) of the Convention, based on the risk profile and the risk management evaluation. The possible 

control measures may include prohibition or severe restriction of production and use. In its deliberation on 

the control measures, the Committee will also consider the possible needs for exemptions for use and 

production. Therefore, your submission of accurate and high quality information is very important for the 

Committee’s evaluation. 

What information is required?

You are invited to submit information specified in Annex F according to the guidance provided in 

this letter. 

The POPs Review Committee needs information that is supplementary to the information provided 

during previous stages in the review process (i.e., information relevant to Annex D and E). The proposals, 

evaluations and risk profiles are available at the Convention’s web site. 

To: Stockholm Convention official contact points 

 Stockholm Convention national focal points 

Cc: Representatives of permanent missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva 

./.. 
Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants page 2 

How to submit information?

A form with a general guidance and explanatory notes developed by the Committee is contained in 

the annex to this letter to facilitate the submission of information. The form is also available on the 

Convention’s website in the six official languages of the United Nations. You may also provide a free text 

submission. 

Where feasible, please complete the form and give precise references for the data sources. Without 

the exact source of the information, the Committee might not be able to use it. If the information is not 

readily available in the public literature, you may consider attaching the original source of the information to 

the submission. 

Concerning the submission of confidential information, please note that the code of practice for the 

treatment of confidential information in the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee adopted in 

decision SC-3/9 by the Conference of the Parties is available on the Convention’s website. 

We would be grateful to receive your submission in English no later than 8 January 2011. 

Information in other United Nations official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and Russian) 

should be submitted by 17 December 2010.

The information should be submitted to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention, preferably by 

e-mail: 

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention 

Att: POPs Review Committee 

United Nations Environment Programme 

11-13 chemin des Anémones 

CH-1219, Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland 

Fax: (+41 22) 917 8098 

E-mail: ssc@pops.int; kohno@pops.int

If you have any questions regarding this request or you would like to receive hard copies of the 

documents from the Committee, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Kei Ohno (e-mail: kohno@pops.int; 

telephone +41 22 917 8201). 

Yours sincerely, 

Donald Cooper 

Executive Secretary 

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on 

Persistent Organic Pollutants 
Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants page 3 

Annex 

General guidance on submission of information specified in Annex F 

A. Procedure 

1. In accordance with paragraph 7 (a) of Article 8 of the Convention, if the Persistent Organic 

Pollutants Review Committee decides on the basis of a chemical’s risk profile that the chemical is likely 

as a result of its long-range environmental transport to lead to significant adverse human health and/or 

environmental effects such that global action is warranted, consideration of the proposal for listing the 

chemical in Annexes A, B and/or C proceeds to the next step. 

2. The Committee at that point invites Parties and observers to submit information relating to the 

social and economic considerations specified in Annex F of the Convention. Based on the submitted 

information, the Committee prepares a draft risk management evaluation that includes an analysis of 

possible control measures for the chemical. 

B. How to submit information 

3. Annex F information may be submitted to the Secretariat using a form provided by the 

Committee. The form may be obtained from the Convention focal points and from the Convention 

website. It is preferable that Annex F information be submitted in electronic format in English; 

information may be submitted, however, in the other official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, 

Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) and in hard copy. Please note that if you are completing the form 

electronically, the size of the boxes will adjust to the amount of text inserted and, thus, a complete form 

may be longer than the current number of pages. If you are completing a paper hard copy of the form, 

please include additional pages as required. The deadline for submitting information is indicated in the 

letter from the Secretariat inviting Parties and observers to provide information. 

C. Reminders to those submitting information 

4. Parties and observers providing annex F information should provide it in a concise manner 

with clear and precise references. If information on a specific item is not available, please so indicate. 

The information does not have to be national in nature; information from international sources maybe 

cited. 

5. If possible and relevant provide additional information to support the Committee’s scientific 

considerations in preparing the risk management evaluation such as study methods, tissue 

concentrations for comparative purposes and citations including original copies of papers that are not 

readily available in the public domain. Information which is not peer-reviewed may still be useful for 

the Committee. 

6. The explanatory notes under each item have been developed by the Persistent Organic 

Pollutants Review Committee to guide and assist submissions; they have no legal status. 

D. Possible control measures under the Stockholm Convention 

7. The possible control measures under the Stockholm Convention for a given chemical are as 

follows: 

(a) Listing of the chemical in Annex A: This would mean elimination of the production, 

use, export and import of the chemical. The Conference of the Parties might decide to provide for 

specific exemptions or to restrict the general exemptions laid down in paragraph 5 of Article 3 and notes 

(i)–(iii) of Annex I. It might also add provisions that would apply specifically to the chemical (as is 

currently done for PCBs in Part II of Annex A). These additional provisions can cover a wide range of 

control measures such as restriction of certain uses, labelling requirements, waste management 

requirements or provision of information to users along with a requirement to report on progress toward 

elimination at certain intervals; 

(b) Listing of the chemical in Annex B: This would mean restriction of the production, 

use, export and import of the chemical. If it decides to list the chemical in Annex B the Conference of 

the Parties will also specify acceptable purposes for the chemical in Annex B. It might also decide to 

provide for specific exemptions or to restrict the general exemptions laid down in paragraph 5 of Article 

3 and notes (i)–(iii) of Annex II. It might also add provisions that would apply specifically to the 

chemical (as is currently done for DDT in Part II of Annex B). These additional provisions can include 

the establishment of a register, a requirement to notify the Secretariat or other intergovernmental 

organizations regarding intent to use the substance, and a requirement for reporting on quantities used 
Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants page 4 

and conditions of use. Such provisions may also require the development and implementation of an 

action plan that includes the implementation of suitable alternatives and covers a wide range of control 

measures such as labelling or the provision of information to users; 

(c) Listing of the chemical in Annex C: This Annex is applicable only to 

unintentionally produced chemicals. Listing in Annex C would mean that the chemical would become 

subject to measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate the unintentional formation and release of the 

chemical. The Conference of the Parties might also include any further amendments of Annex C that 

would be necessary to address the chemical (e.g., additional source categories, additional process 

control methods or additional pollution prevention options); 

(d) Listing of the chemical in Annexes A, B and/or C also make the chemical subject to 

the control provisions of Article 6 on stockpiles and waste. These provisions include obligations to 

develop strategies for identifying products and articles in use that contain the chemical; to identify, to 

the extent practicable, stockpiles and waste; to manage such stockpiles safely; and to ensure that wastes 

are disposed of in such a way that the persistent organic pollutant content is destroyed or irreversibly 

transformed. 

8. It should be noted that the same chemical can be listed in Annexes A, B and C. 

E. Guidance for information collection 

9. A guidance document entitled “Handbook for effective participation in the work of the POPs 

Review Committee” contains the methodology for the identification and compilation of information 

required by the Committee. The handbook is available on the Convention’s website and hard copies may 

be obtained upon request to the Secretariat. 

10. It is suggested that each Party establish an ad hoc working group, perhaps building on the 

committee established to develop its national implementation plan, to assist the national focal point to 

collect and submit relevant information effectively. 

11. Most of the information on use patterns, alternatives, production volumes, regulations and 

other measures taken to reduce releases could be provided by the Governments and by nongovernmental organizations, including manufacturers and users from the industrial sector. Some 

information can be found in official Government documents or provided by non-governmental 

organizations such as industrial sectors while other information may be found in the so-called grey 

literature. Grey literature refers to literature that is not available through publishers or conventional 

bibliographic sources such as databases or indexes. Examples of grey literature include technical 

reports, fact sheets, patents, government documents, technical documents and unpublished works. 

12. To collect relevant information from various sectors a national survey could be carried out 

using questionnaires. A literature review on possible control measures may also be useful. 

13. Other potential sources of information are listed below: 

(a) International literature; 

(b) Databases; 

(c) Government sources, legislation; 

(d) National expertise (e.g., universities, institutes/research centres, non-governmental 

organizations, trade unions); 

(e) Industries (e.g., producers, importers, suppliers, users). 

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