UK Consults on Amendments to POPs Regulation, Including Five New Substances

On 18 March 2026, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched an 8-week consultation on the draft Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) Regulations 2026. This would amend Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants, as it applies in Great Britain. The consultation is part of  the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, which aims to reduce environmental pollution and exposure to hazardous chemicals. The consultation runs until 13 May 2026.

Five New POPs Proposed for Annex I

The consultation proposes the addition of five new POP substances to Annex I (the list of substances subject to prohibition), reflecting decisions adopted under the Stockholm Convention:

• Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)
• Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs), their salts and related compounds
• Chlorpyrifos (CAS No. 2921-88-2)
• UV-328 (CAS No. 25973-55-1)
• Dechlorane Plus (CAS No. 13560-89-9; 135821-03-3)

Their inclusion would introduce prohibitions on manufacture, placing on the market and use, subject to specific exemptions and conditions set out in the Regulation.

The consultation document also outlines the proposed scope definitions and regulatory approaches for these substances, including how groups such as LC-PFCAs are defined and how related compounds are addressed.

PFOS Update and Technical Amendments

Defra is also proposing the following amendments to the existing entry for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS):

• revisions to unintentional trace contaminant limits
• the removal of a derogation for use in hard chromium plating.

These changes aim to align the UK framework more closely with international developments and ensure continued control of legacy POPs.

Broader Considerations and Implementation

The consultation also seeks views on:

• The potential impacts of EU amendments, including those relating to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
• The functioning of the POPs regime across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Evidence to support future regulatory action on additional substances under the POPs framework.

A draft statutory instrument setting out the proposed legal amendments has been published alongside the consultation. The instrument indicates that the changes would enter into force on 16 December 2026.