Task Force on POPs (Working group on Strategies and Review)

This year at the invitation of the Executive Body for the Convention [ECE/EB.AIR/96] additional information for the review on the potential of long-range transboundary atmospheric transport (LRTP) and overall persistence of the five newly proposed substances (dicofol, endosulfan, HBCD, trifluralin, PCP) has been prepared by MSC-E. The results of model evaluation of LRTP (parameterized by residence time T1/2air in the atmosphere and transport distance (TD)) and overall persistence (parameterized by half-life in the environment T1/2env.) of the considered substances were submitted to the Task Force on POPs (Plovdiv, Bulgaria, June 2009) as supporting information for preparation of technical elements for the track A review.

Task Force welcomed and took note of the results of the EMEP modelling assessment, and recognized that overall persistence and TD taking into account various processes in the main environmental compartments (air, soil, water) and intermedia exchange provided relevant characterization of substances LRTP and persistence. The obtained information was taken into consideration in the subsequent discussions particularly on pentachlorophenol having the higher persistence in the environment than in soil or in water according to model estimates. Some experts pointed out the necessity of the investigation of transformation products of PCP including PCAs (polychlorinated anisole) and dioxins and furans. Research work on the possibility of simultaneous modelling of the transport of this substance together with its transformation products is planned to be performed by MSC-E next year.