Thailand Consults on Future Action Plan for Management of POPs

To ensure comprehensive compliance with the Stockholm Convention on POPs, Thailand released a management plan with an action plan. The management plan reviewed the current implementation of the Stockholm Convention and proposed future actions on POPs. The action plan listed each activity’s purpose, indicators, competent authorities, schedule, and budget.

On January 16^th, Thailand Pollution Control Department (PCD) released the draft National Management Plan for Implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs No.2 (2021-2025) ^[1] and solicited comments from the public till February 20^th. The management plan contains a detailed action plan ^[2], which lists each action’s purpose, indicators, competent authorities, schedule, and budget.

The Management Plan No.2 is divided into three parts:

Chapter 1 describes the goals, objectives, and obligations of Thailand in implementing the Stockholm Convention, as well as the process of reviewing and revising the national management plan.
Chapter 2 introduces the basic information of Thailand, especially the current regulatory framework and status on POPs management. The achievement of Management Plan No.1 (2008-2012) is also summarized in this part.
Chapter 3 consists of general national strategies, management plans, and action plans. The proposed future measures include reducing and stopping production, use, emissions of POPs, and elimination of long-term domestic residues of such substances.

According to Chapter 3, Thailand will update laws and regulations, improve law enforcement efficiency, and adopt different measures for different types of POPs. Specifically, measures will be taken for the management of these substances, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Brominated Diphenyl Ethers (BDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF), etc.

The proposed actions include investigating the use of these substances, studying ways to deal with product waste containing POPs, and developing standardized guidance manuals on the use of the POPs or the products containing POPs, etc. For BDEs or other POPs which are used as flame retardants in products, the government plans to initiate a full survey for the groups that lack information, such as textiles, automotive, rubber, silicone, construction materials, and electrical products, etc. and build a full inventory.

While taking more control measures on POPs, Thailand is also consulting on the situation of special exemption registration. So for the stakeholders wishing to apply for special exemption registration, it is a good chance to communicate with the government. To submit comments, please download the form from the PCD website, and send it to the designated email address after completing it.