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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) bioaccumulate and harm human health. Targeted EU legislation, in line with commitments under the UNECE Air Convention, led to marked POP reductions from 1990. In recent years (2005-2022), emissions have continued to fall, with declines reported in most Member States: hexachlorobenzene by 56%, polychlorinated biphenyls by 61%, dioxins and furans by 66%, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 22%. The most significant POP sources are the commercial, institutional and households and industrial processes and product use sectors.

Figure 1. Emissions of persistent organic air pollutants in the 27 EU Member States, 2005-2022

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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated dibenzo para dioxins (PCDDs; dioxins) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs; furans), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are directly toxic to human health, animals and plants. These bioaccumulative compounds are of particular concern because of their possible carcinogenic, immunological and reproductive effects, and their potential impact on human development. Eliminating POPs is therefore a key goal of environmental action at EU and international levels.

The EU is a party to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Air Convention. The Air Convention’s 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants obliges parties to reduce emissions of certain POPs and has banned or restricted the use of some compounds. In 2001, the Stockholm Convention was adopted, building on the Aarhus Protocol to take action on POPs at the international level.

Improvements in abatement technologies and targeted EU legislation have contributed to marked reductions in POP emissions in the EU since 1990. These include the Community strategy for dioxins and furans (PCDDs and PCDFs) and PCBs , the Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation and the Industrial Emissions Directive.

In 2009, the Aarhus Protocol and the Stockholm Convention were amended to cover additional compounds and introduce emission limit values for waste incineration. Moreover, in 2016, the EU’s National Emissions reduction Commitments Directive (NECD) was amended to include new reporting requirements for Member States, including the requirement to provide annual inventories of POP emissions.

Between 2005 and 2022, emissions of dioxins and furans, HCB, PCBs and PAHs decreased by 66%, 56%, 61% and 22%, respectively, with notable declines in the industrial processes and product use, energy production and distribution, and waste sectors. Yet, the industrial processes and product use sector remains a significant source of POPs, accounting for 77% of PCBs, and almost 9% of dioxins and furans as well as 26% of HCB emissions in 2022. The commercial, institutional and household sector is also a significant source of POPs, accounting for 81% of PAH, 20% of dioxins and furans, and 17% of HCB emissions in 2022. In addition, the agricultural sector accounted for 20% of HCB emissions in 2022.

Figure 2. Persistent organic pollutant emissions in the EU-27 Member States, by country, 2005-2022

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POP emissions fell in most Member States between 2005 and 2022, contributing to improving the situation across the EU. This is in part the result of the implementation of national POP legislation, with Spain, for instance, reporting that declines in HCB emissions were due to the adoption of a national regulation in line with the Stockholm Convention.

Increases in POP emissions were reported by some countries, however, most notably the exceptionally large increases in HCB and PCBs emissions in Malta. Furthermore, relatively large increases in emissions of PCBs in Greece and HCB in Bulgaria and Luxembourg. In some cases, this may reflect reporting anomalies (Malta) rather than increases in emissions, or relatively small increases in absolute emissions from very low baseline levels.

In 2022, Spain accounted for the largest proportion of the EU’s dioxins and furans (25% and 36% respectively) and Poland accounted for the largest proportion of the EU’s PAH (31%) emissions, with Finland and Italy accounting for most HCB (27% and 12% respectively) emissions.