On June 2, 2025, the United Kingdom (UK) Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) requested comment on a draft indicative list for long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCA), their salts, and related compounds. According to Defra, at the 20th meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention on POPs, the Committee recommended listing LC-PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds in Annex A of the Convention, allowing for specific exemptions. Defra notes that the listing extends to compounds classified as substances capable of degrading or transforming into LC-PFCAs. Because of the complexity of identifying and effectively communicating the wide variety of substances that can break down or convert into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or LC-PFCAs, the Committee established an intersessional working group to develop a draft indicative list of long-chain PFCAs, their salts, and related compounds. Defra states that the draft indicative list for LC-PFCAs will complement existing registers, covering the listings of PFOA, its salts, and PFOA-related compounds, as well as perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and PFHxS-related compounds. The Committee seeks additional information and feedback on the indicative lists. Comments are due June 30, 2025.
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