Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)
Disclaimer: This document provides guidance and is not a legally binding interpretation and shall therefore not be relied upon as legal advice.
Recent and upcoming changes for POPs
Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been amended several times in the past months.
Changes were implemented by Regulations (EU) 2024/2570 (methoxychlor), (EU) 2025/718 (PFOS), (EU) 2025/843 (UV-328), and (EU) 2025/1399 (PFOA).
An overview
The table below provides an overview of the related substances, the products possibly impacted by the changes and the deadlines.
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Substance
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Product impact
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Deadline
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PFOA
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- Non-stick cookware
- Stain-resistant carpets and fabrics
- Some food packaging, (like microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes)
- Firefighting foams
- Ski wax
|
From Dec 3, 2025.
Firefighting foams new limits per Aug 3, 2028.
|
|
PFOS
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- Electric and electronic parts
- Firefighting foams
- Photo imaging
- Hydraulic fluids
- Textiles
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Per July 17 2025;
new limits by Dec 3, 2025.
|
|
UV‑328
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UV-328 is used as a UV absorber to protect surfaces against discoloration and degradation under UV/sunlight. This substance has a wide range of applications, including but not limited to:
- Additive in plastics, printing inks and rubber for outdoor furniture, construction materials, wood products and the non-food contact layer of food packaging
- Applications in leather and textiles
- Automotive coatings, paints, plastics, rubber and sealants
- Automotive fluids, including cooling and hydraulic liquids and lubricants in motor oil
- Ultra-violet (UV) absorber to protect materials against discoloration and degradation under UV light (sunlight)
- Printing inks and adhesives in food packaging
- Resin for interior and exterior parts of vehicles
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From August 4, 2025.
|
|
Methoxychlor
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Organochlorine pesticide, which has historically been used as an insecticide in agricultural and veterinary settings, as well as in the domestic environment
- Used as an insecticide combating a wide range of pests including biting flies, houseflies, mosquito larvae, cockroaches, and chiggers.
- It has commonly been used in both agricultural and veterinary practices, for example for treating field crops, vegetables, fruits, stored grains, livestock, pets, homes, gardens, lakes, and marshes.
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October 17, 2024.
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|
Dechlorane Plus
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Flame retardant used as a modifier for thermoplastic plastics such as Nylon
- Cables and wires in motor vehicles
- Consumer electronics
- Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
- Flame retardant in adhesives, polymers and sealants
- Marine, garden, forestry, agriculture and construction machinery
- Medical and radiotherapy applications
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Official publication expected soon.
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For more details on the POP Regulation refer to the article in ProductIPedia.
