Management and disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): consultation

Future commitments and timescales

Future Commitments

The UK is a signatory to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP); it lists 28 POP substances or groups of substances, one of which is PCBs. The Stockholm Convention requires the environmentally sound waste management of PCBs by 2028. This requirement is not addressed in either the existing or the proposed regulations, but will be dealt with at a later date. The deadline for removing all equipment containing more than 0.005%/ 0.05dm3 PCBs by 31 December 2025 is also contained in the Stockholm Convention and this requirement is now reflected in the POPs Regulation (EU) 2019/1021. The UK and the EU are Parties to the Stockholm Convention.

Timescale

We intend to lay the proposed regulations by 17th December 2020 with a target coming in to force date of 14th February 2021.