Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos and Large Chemical Group Set for Global Bans

Geneva-Today, the Stockholm Convention Conference of Parties (COP) agreed that the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos and the group of long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs) meet the Convention criteria as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and added them to the list of globally banned substances. IPEN welcomed the movement as an important step for global health and praised the increasing drive to list groups of chemicals that have similar harmful properties – rather than listing chemicals one at a time, a time-consuming process that can leave people and the environment at risk.

While IPEN welcomed the Convention’s decision, the global network also warned that the extensive exemptions granted for continued use of chlorpyrifos will create ongoing and avoidable risks, as alternatives for these toxic substances are available and should be adopted.  In particular, broad exemptions for the chlorpyrifos listing will result in ongoing threats to children’s health, as the pesticide is known to harm children’s developing brains. 

“The COP took an important step today toward protecting human health and the environment from chemicals linked to serious health conditions and threats to biodiversity,” said Dr. Sara Brosché, a Science Advisor with IPEN. “But we are disappointed that financial interests caused unnecessary and dangerous exemptions that will lead to ongoing toxic exposures.”

Pamela Miller, Co-chair of IPEN and Executive Director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics added, “We should not allow continued uses of the most dangerous chemicals known. The work of the Convention and its expert committee has been undermined this week with the extensive number of exemptions introduced. Science must be the foundation of the Convention’s decisions, which must meet the Convention’s intent to protect the health of women, children, workers, Indigenous peoples, and future generations.” 

The COP is still discussing the listing of the toxic plastic chemical group medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), as recommended by the expert review committee. That decision is expected over the next few days.