On 30 April 2026, the Official Journal of the European Union published Decision (EU) 2026/878. The decision clearly states that the European Union, on behalf of its Member States, will submit a proposal to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention") to recommend the listing of bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (abbreviated as TBPH) in Annex A (Elimination) of the Convention.
In the future, the EU will revise its POPs Regulation ((EU) 2019/1021) in accordance with its obligations under the Convention. As a result, the production, use, and placing on the market of the relevant substance will face substantial prohibitions or strict restrictions.
About TBPH: TBPH is a brominated flame retardant mainly used in plastic and rubber products, wires and cables, electronic and electrical enclosures, polyurethane foams, automotive components, etc.
The EU already classified TBPH as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) in January 2023 due to its very persistent and very bioaccumulative properties. Existing scientific data indicate that TBPH is also toxic and can undergo long-range environmental transport. Therefore, TBPH meets the criteria set out in Annex D of the Convention and should be considered a persistent organic pollutant.
The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants. Nearly 200 countries and regions worldwide, including China, are signatories to the Convention. According to the Convention’s requirements, signatory states must improve their regulations, upgrade industrial environmental technologies, and regulate waste management accordingly. For example, the EU’s mandatory POPs Regulation is based on the Convention and is dynamically adjusted according to the list of substances under the Convention.
Therefore, in accordance with the procedure, once the proposal to amend the Convention is adopted, EU Member States and other parties to the Convention will amend their legislation and control measures for the newly listed substances.
CIRS Testing recommends that enterprises conduct risk material screening and testing verification, and plan their product compliance routes in advance to avoid unnecessary non-compliance risks in the future.
CIRS Testing can provide enterprises with one-stop solutions for the Stockholm Convention and multi-country Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) regulations, including consulting, training, testing, etc., assisting you in ensuring that your products meet the latest regulatory requirements and mitigating trade risks.
- EU Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (EU POPs);
- China’s pollutant control requirements (China POPs);
- Japan Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) Class I Specific Chemical Substances (Japan POPs);
- Australia Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) Register (Australia POPs);
- Canada Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 (SOR/2012-285) and its 2022 draft (Canada POPs);
- Singapore Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 – Hazardous Substances (Singapore POPs);
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via test@cirs-group.com.