List of six departments: focus on controlling 14 new pollutants from March 1

Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, the State Administration for Market Regulation and other six departments announced the "List of New Pollutants for Key Control and Control (2023 Edition)", which will come into force on March 1, 2023.

The List of New Pollutants under Key Control (2023 Edition) is determined based on the environmental risks of toxic and harmful chemical substances, combined with regulatory reality, and after technical feasibility and economic and social impact assessment. For new pollutants included in this list, environmental risk management and control measures such as prohibition, restriction and emission restriction shall be adopted in accordance with relevant national provisions.

The list includes 14 new classes of pollutants, namely perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid and its salts and related compounds (PFOA), decabromodiphenyl ether/SCCPs, hexachlorobutadiene, pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters, dicofol, perfluorohexylsulfonic acid and its salts and related compounds (PFHxS), clonals and their cis- and trans-isomers, dichloromethane, chloroform, nonylphenol, antibiotics and phased out.

Phased out categories include HBCD, chlordane, mirex, HCB, DDT, α-HCH, β-HCH, Lindane, endosulfan stocks and their associated isomers, PCBs.

The production and use of toxic and harmful chemicals is a major source of new pollutants. At present, new pollutants of wide concern at home and abroad mainly include persistent organic pollutants, endocrine disruptors, antibiotics, etc. controlled by international conventions. The Action Plan for the Control of New Pollutants proposes that by 2025, complete the environmental risk screening of chemical substances of high concern and high yield (use), and complete the environmental risk assessment of a batch of chemical substances; Dynamically publish a list of new pollutants under key control; Implement environmental risk management and control measures such as bans, restrictions, and emission restrictions for new pollutants under key control and control.