On the 4 October plenaries, the Parliament adopted a notion setting stricter limits on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The ENVI committee adopted the draft resolution back in April, following the Council’s call for restricting POPs.

The rules will be adopted by the European Council formally in the near future, after which they will be published in the EU Official Journal. They will apply in six months following the publication.

The new rules recently backed by the parliament state that products which contain POPs above a certain threshold are deemed to be harmful for human life and environment, therefore they will have to be destroyed instead of being recycled. The limit for PBDE brominated flame retardants is being reduced in accordance to the new rules, to 200 mg/kg, (albeit it may change depending on years after entry into force), while for dioxins and furans, the threshold will be limited to 5 μg/kg.

The new regulation will be in line with international obligations, such as the Stockholm Convention. Its supporters say that it will assist in achieving a truly circular economy, while protecting our health and environment.