In March, 2026, South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) issued a proposed amendment (Notice No. 2026-278) to the Regulations on Types of Persistent Pollutants and Specific Exemptions. The amendment aims to align domestic law with decisions adopted at COP-11 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in May 2023.
The proposal adds three substances newly listed under Annex A (Elimination) of the Convention and defines applicable specific exemptions. It also updates existing exemptions for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related substances, and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE).
Key Additions under Annex A:
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Methoxychlor – added without exemptions
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Dechlorane Plus – added with time-limited exemptions for specific uses
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UV-328 – added with time-limited exemptions for specific uses
Specific Exemptions:
Under the proposal, only approved applications of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 listed in Appendix 2 would be exempt. Manufacture, import, export, and use outside these approved uses would generally be prohibited. The amendment also revises exemptions currently applicable to PFOA and decaBDE.
Additionally, for substance number 2009-21 — Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS), its salts, and Perfluorooctane Sulfonyl Fluoride (PFOSF) — the expiry date of the specific exemption for use has been extended from June 2, 2026, to June 2, 2030.
Labeling Requirements for Products Containing POPs
The proposed amendment mainly addresses the addition of new substances and specifies eligible exempted uses, but it does not introduce new labeling rules for products containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
However, under Article 13 of South Korea’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Control Act, any exceptionally permitted manufacture, export, import, or use of banned POPs must comply with safety control standards, including labeling requirements for containers or packaging.
Accordingly, products containing POPs that are exceptionally allowed under the amendment must carry labels in line with the standards prescribed in Appendix 4 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act.
