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Vietnamese POPs

Draft Introduction to Vietnam Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) National Technical Regulation (NTR)

 

What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (Persistent Organic Pollutants, POPs)

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and pose risks to human health and the environment. POPs can accumulate in human tissues and transfer to the fetus via the placenta or breastfeeding, causing adverse effects on development. POPs are toxic, resistant to degradation, and bioaccumulative. They can travel long distances from the emission source through repeated evaporation and deposition, and via air, water, and species migration, reaching areas where POPs were never produced or used. Therefore, POPs are regulated globally under the Stockholm Convention and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe protocols.

Regulatory Background

According to the Stockholm Convention, member countries are required to manage POPs safely at all stages, including import, production, use, transport, disposal, and treatment. Vietnam is a party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and is obligated to implement its requirements. Therefore, the Vietnamese government has integrated POPs management into the National Environmental Technical Regulations (NETR) framework and developed several technical regulations. For example, substances such as Aldrin, DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), and Chlordane, commonly used in pesticides, are listed in the banned plant protection chemicals list, further regulated under the Plant Protection and Quarantine Law (41/2013/QH13). Additionally, multiple NETRs regulate the use of POPs like PCBs, Chlordane, and Dieldrin in different contexts. Key regulations include:

  1. QCVN 07:2009/BTNMT: Regulates POPs in waste.
  2. QCVN 40:2011/BTNMT: Regulates POPs in industrial wastewater.
  3. QCVN 41:2011/BTNMT: Regulates POPs in fuel waste.
  4. Other National Environmental Technical Regulations (NETR).

On November 12, 2021, the Vietnamese government issued a draft National Technical Regulation (NTR) specifying concentration limits for POPs in chemicals, raw materials, and certain products. It also provides methods for sampling and analyzing these substances. Any organization or individual in Vietnam involved in the import, production, trade, or use of raw materials, products, goods, or equipment containing these POPs must comply with this regulation, expected to take effect on January 1, 2023.

Vietnam Persistent Organic Pollutants National Technical Regulation (NTR) Draft Control Details:

Substance Name CAS No. Restricted Product Categories Maximum Allowable Concentration Test Method
Tetrabromodiphenyl ether
(C12H6Br4O)
40088-47-9

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  1. Plastic materials in electrical and electronic equipment;
  2. Automotive leather, plastic coatings, and electronic components;
  3. Automotive parts, seats, dashboard molds, and foam panels;
  4. Interior decoration, furniture coatings, plastic foaming components;
  5. Padding, cushion, protective clothing, carpet, curtain, interior decoration, and tent materials;
  6. Construction materials: foam filters, insulation sheets, defoaming sheets, plastic backing, plastics, pipe insulation foam, rigid foam;
  7. Polyurethane foam in packaging materials.
– For each substance: 10 mg/kg

– Total concentration in raw materials, materials, and products: 500 mg/kg

– Total concentration in plastics of electrical and electronic products: 1000 mg/kg
US EPA Method 1614A;

ISO 22032:2006
Pentabromodiphenyl ether
(C12H5Br5O)
32534-81-9
Hexabromodiphenyl ether
(C12H4Br6O)
36483-60-0; 446255-03-4

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  1. Flame retardants;
  2. Plastic materials in electrical and electronic equipment;
  3. Transportation vehicles (plastic components, plastics in vehicles);
  4. Polymeric materials, especially ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).
Heptabromodiphenyl ether
(C12H3Br7O)
68928-80-3; 446255-20-5
Decabromodiphenyl ether
(C12Br10O)
1163-19-5

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  1. Flame retardants: plastics, polymers, synthetic materials, textiles, adhesives, coatings;
  2. Computer cases, televisions, electrical wires and cables, flexible materials in pipes;
  3. Additives in household plastics and appliances (computers, TVs, cables, pipes, carpets, etc.) and household devices (heaters, irons, fans, water heaters);
  4. Polyurethane foam insulation construction;
  5. Vehicle components (insulation, wiring, interior).
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts, Perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF) 1763-23-1; 2795-39-3; 29457-72-5; 081-56-9; 70225-14-8; 56773-42-3; 251099-16-8; 151-50-2; 31506-32-8; 1691-99-2; 24448-09-7; 307-35-7, etc.

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in industrial, agricultural, and healthcare sectors:

  1. Insecticides for termite and red fire ant control;
  2. Insect baits for leaf-cutting ants;
  3. Additives containing PFOS;
  4. Firefighting foam;
  5. Aviation hydraulic fluids;
  6. Electroplating;
  7. Copperplate paper manufacturing;
  8. Textiles;
  9. Leather and carpet manufacturing;
  10. Rubber and plastics;
  11. Paint production;
  12. Printing ink production;
  13. Household appliance manufacturing;
  14. Food packaging/paper packaging.
– PFOS: 10 mg/kg;

– PFOS in semi-finished products, raw materials, materials, and components: 0.1 w%;

– Textile products or coating materials: < 1 μg/m²
US EPA Method 533;

US EPA Method 537.1;

DIN 38407-42:2010;

CEN/TS 15968:2010;

ISO 25101:2009
Hexabromocyclododecane
(HBCDD)
25637-99-4;
3194-55-6;
134237-50-6;
134237-51-7;
134237-52-8

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  • Foam/insulation materials (Polystyrene EPS and XPS) / construction / building insulation panels;
  • Plastic materials in electronic and electrical equipment.
100 mg/kg US EPA Method 3540C;

US EPA Method 3630C;

US EPA Method 8270D
Short-chain chlorinated paraffins
(SCCP)
85535-84-8;
68920-70-7;
71011-12-6;
85536-22-7;
85681-73-8;
108171-26-2, etc.

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  • Additives in the production of rubber, inks, paints, adhesives, and surface coatings;
  • Active ingredients for skin beautification (used in tanning);
  • Additives in lubricant production or metalworking cutting emulsions;
  • Components in fireproof and waterproof coatings;
  • Outdoor decorative lamp tube production;
  • Secondary plasticizers in PVC, except for toys and children's products.
– SCCP: ≤1 w%;

– SCCP in raw materials: 0.15 w%
ISO 18219-1:2021
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds 335-67-1, etc.

Raw materials, materials, products, goods, and equipment in the industrial sector:

  • Firefighting foam;
  • Textiles, photography, high-voltage cable production with flame-retardant, oil/water/fat/stain/waterproof properties;
  • Food packaging/paper packaging;
  • Textiles, photography, high-voltage cable production;
  • Production of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) and PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride);
  • FEP (Fluorinated ethylene propylene) production for high-voltage transmission cables;
  • Fluorinated elastomer production for automotive interior O-rings, belts, and components;
  • Pharmaceutical production.
– Substances, raw materials, materials, products: PFOA and its salts <0.025 mg/kg;

– Substances, raw materials, materials, products: PFOA-related compounds ≤ 1 mg/kg;

– PFOA-related compounds (as intermediates/additives): substances ≤ 20 mg/kg;

– PFOA and its salts in PTFE micro-powder ≤ 1 mg/kg; materials containing PTFE micro-powder
CEN/TS 15968:2010

* The above information is for reference only. Please refer to the original regulatory documents for details. In case of discrepancies, the official version on the regulatory website prevails.

SGS Expert Team Provides Comprehensive Solutions

SGS’s Connectivity and Product Business Unit / Restricted Substances Services for Electronics and Electrical Products provides testing services in compliance with Vietnamese regulations. Our PhD-level experts guide you through Vietnam POPs regulations, helping you meet new requirements and prepare in advance. SGS works with you to plan for the future. For any questions, please contact us.

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