Share meeting
Files
1.Expressesits appreciation to the lead country, Colombia, and the small intersessional working group on polychlorinated biphenyls established in decision SC-8/3 for their work pertaining to the review of progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls and takes note of the report on progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls1 and the recommendations of the small intersessional working group;2
2.Urges Parties to step up their efforts, inter alia, by urgently implementing actions to eliminate the use of polychlorinated biphenyls in equipment by 2025 and to achieve the environmentally sound management as waste of liquids containing polychlorinated biphenyls and equipment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls having a content above 0.005 per cent by 2028;
3.Takes note of the consolidated guidance on polychlorinated biphenyls in open applications,3 and encourages Parties to endeavour to identify, as soon as possible, open applications such as cable sheaths, cured caulk and painted objects containing more than 0.005 per cent polychlorinated biphenyls and to manage them in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants;
4.Decides to undertake, at its eleventh meeting, a review of progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls in accordance with paragraph (h) of part II of Annex A to the Stockholm Convention;
5.Urges Parties to provide information on progress in eliminating polychlorinated biphenyls in their fifth national reports, to be submitted pursuant to Article 15 of the Stockholm Convention by 31 August 2022, in accordance with paragraph (g) of part II of Annex A to the Convention, as decided in decision SC-9/16;
6.Decides to re-establish a small intersessional working group, working by electronic means and, subject to the availability of resources, through a face-to-face meeting, to assist the Secretariat in preparing, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eleventh meeting:
(b)Guidance on a standardized approach to developing inventories of polychlorinated biphenyls and to analysis for the identification and quantification of polychlorinated biphenyls, as recommended by the small intersessional working group;
7.Invites Parties to consider serving as lead country in the preparation of the report referred to in paragraph 6 of the present decision and to inform the Secretariat accordingly by 30 April 2020;
8.Invites Parties and observers to nominate experts, taking due consideration of regional and gender balance and of relevant expertise, to participate in the small intersessional working group established by paragraph 6 of the present decision and to inform the Secretariat of their nominations by 30 April 2020;
9.Requests the Secretariat, in consultation with the small intersessional working group, to prepare for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eleventh meeting:
(a)A report on progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls on the basis of the fifth national reports to be submitted by Parties pursuant to Article 15 of the Stockholm Convention and any other pertinent information;
(b)Guidance on a standardized approach to developing inventories of polychlorinated biphenyls and to analysis for the identification and quantification of polychlorinated biphenyls, as recommended by the small intersessional working group;
10.Takes note of the report on the activities of the Polychlorinated Biphenyls Elimination Network4 prepared by the Chemicals and Health Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme, and invites the Chemicals and Health Branch to provide information on the activities of the network to the Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting;
11.Requests the Secretariat, subject to the availability of resources, to continue to participate in the activities of the Polychlorinated Biphenyls Elimination Network and to assist Parties in their efforts in respect of the actions referred to in paragraph 2 of the present decision, including by developing guidance and a road map for the implementation of such actions;