Specific Exemptions

To enable Parties to the Convention to take measures to reduce or eliminate releases of POPs from intentional production and use, for which alternatives do not exist yet or are not readily available, the Convention allows Parties to register specific exemptions for a specific period of time. Annexes A and B to the Convention describe specific exemptions, as well as acceptable purposes, that are available with respect to the relevant POPs. 

Parties may register for specific exemptions listed in Annex A or B pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article 4. These specific exemptions have a limited timeframe and shall expire five (5) years after the date of entry into force of the Convention with respect to that particular chemical (paragraph 4 of Article 4), unless an earlier date is indicated in the Register by the Party or an extension is granted by the Conference of the Parties under paragraph 7 of Article 4.

Register of Specific Exemptions

The Register of specific exemptions was established in conformity with Article 4 of the Stockholm Convention, for the purpose of identifying the Parties that have specific exemptions listed in Annex A or Annex B;

The Register is regularly updated after decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties so as to include specific exemptions available following adoption of amendments to annexes to the Convention, as well as to take into account expired specific exemptions. Following decisions of the Conference of the Parties, no new registrations may be made with respect to certain specific exemptions. For further information, please see the Expired Specific Exemptions.

Dates of entry into force of the amendments to Annexes to the Convention

An indicative table on the status and entry into force of the amendments to the Annexes is available in the Amendments to Annexes to the Stockholm Convention page.

Please also note the amendments to Annexes A and B adopted at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention:

Document Symbol
 Title
 Download
SC-9/4 Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (advance)
SC-9/12  Listing of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds (advance)

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annexes A and B

Various specific exemptions and acceptable purposes have been made available to Parties within the Convention text and subsequently by decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to amend the Annexes to the Convention.

The lists below do not include those specific exemptions that have expired. Further information on these is available here.

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annex A

Chemical
Activity
Specific exemptions
Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) present in commercial decabromodiphenyl ether
(CAS No: 1163-19-5)

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions
Use  In accordance with the provisions of Part IX of Annex A
Hexabromocyclododecane [1]

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions in accordance with the provisions of Part VII of Annex A of the Convention
Use  Expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene in buildings in accordance with the provisions of Part VII of Annex A
Hexabromodiphenyl ether and
heptabromodiphenyl ether [1] 		Use Articles in accordance with provisions of Part IV of Annex A
Lindane
CAS No: 58-89-9		 Use Human health pharmaceutical for control of head lice and scabies as second line treatment
Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions in accordance with the provisions of Part VIII of Annex A
Use  Pentachlorophenol for utility poles and cross-arms in accordance with the provisions of Part VIII of Annex A
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)  Use  Articles in use in accordance with the provisions of Part II of Annex A.
Polychlorinated naphthalenes, including dichlorinated naphthalenes, trichlorinated naphthalenes, tetrachlorinated naphthalenes, pentachlorinated naphthalenes, hexachlorinated naphthalenes, heptachlorinated naphthalenes, octachlorinated naphthalene

Production

Intermediates in production of polyfluorinated naphthalenes, including octafluoronaphthalene
Use  Production of polyfluorinated naphthalenes, including octafluoronaphthalene
Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (Alkanes, C10-13, chloro)+ : straight-chain chlorinated hydrocarbons with chain lengths ranging from C10to C13and a content of chlorine greater than 48 per cent by weight.
For example, the substances with the following CAS numbers may contain short-chain chlorinated paraffins:
CAS No. 85535-84-8;
CAS No. 68920-70-7;
CAS No. 71011-12-6;
CAS No. 85536-22-7;
CAS No. 85681-73-8;
CAS No. 108171-26-2.

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register
Use 
  • Additives in the production of transmission belts in the natural and synthetic rubber industry 
  • Spare parts of rubber conveyor belts in the mining and forestry industries 
  • Leather industry, in particular fatliquoring in leather 
  • Lubricant additives, in particular for engines of automobiles, electric generators and wind power facilities, and for drilling in oil and gas exploration, petroleum refinery to produce diesel oil 
  • Tubes for outdoor decoration bulbs 
  • Waterproofing and fire-retardant paints 
  • Adhesives 
  • Metal processing 
  • Secondary plasticizers in flexible polyvinyl chloride, except in toys and children’s products
Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and
pentabromodiphenyl ether [1]		 Use Articles in accordance with the provisions of Part V of Annex A
Technical endosulfan and its related isomers

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register of Specific Exemptions
Use  Crop-pest complexes as listed in accordance with the provisions of Part VI of Annex A

[1] Please refer to the definitions as provided in Part III of Annex A of the Convention, for more information

Specific exemptions for chemicals listed in Annex B

Chemical
Activity
Specific exemptions
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (CAS No: 1763-23-1), its saltsa and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride
(CAS No: 307-35-7)

  a For example:

potassium perfluorooctane sulfonate
(CAS no. 2795-39-3);

lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate
(CAS no. 29457-72-5);

ammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate
(CAS no. 29081-56-9);

diethanolammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 70225-14-8);

tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 56773-42-3);

didecyldimethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (CAS no. 251099-16-8).

 Production

As allowed for Parties listed in the Register

 

Use

For the following specific uses, or as an intermediate in the production of chemicals with the following specific uses:

  • Photo masks in the semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) industries

  • Metal plating (hard metal plating)

  • Metal plating (decorative plating)

  • Electric and electronic parts for some colour printers and colour copy machines

  • Insecticides for control of red imported fire ants and termites

  • Chemically driven oil production