Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that do not break down in the environment. They can travel long distances and build up in the bodies of plants and animals. They are a danger to human health and the environment.
Equipment and machinery that may contain or emit PCBs, in metal production businesses and machinery businesses include:
The use of POPs is banned in the UK.
There are currently 16 substances classed as POPs but more may be added in the future.
POPs can be grouped into pesticides, industrial chemicals and POPs that are released accidentally from combustion and some industrial processes, such as burning material and fuels. Some POPs may belong to more than one group.
You must not produce, market or use POPs.
There are some exceptions to the ban on POPs:
You can use substances or materials containing POPs:
GOV.UK: Using persistent organic pollutants
If you have any stores of POPs or POP-containing substances you must dispose of them correctly. If a material, waste or piece of equipment has a POP concentration at or above the thresholds stated in Annex IV of the POPs Regulation, you must dispose of it in accordance with Annex V, for example, by physico-chemical treatment or incineration.
You will also need to assess if the POP or POP-containing substance or equipment is classed as hazardous/special waste. This will place additional requirements on how you store, transport and dispose of it.
To find out how to assess and dispose of POPs contact your environmental regulator.
Contact your environmental regulator
You must avoid the unplanned release of POPs, for example, dioxins, HCB, PCBs and PAHs, from industrial activities and/or from burning material and fuels. These are the most common POPs in the environment.
POPs are only likely to be released from industrial activities that require a PPC permit. You must comply with the conditions in your permit, which will include requirements for controlling POPs releases.
Pollution prevention and control permits
If your waste has a POP concentration at or above the thresholds stated in Annex IV of the POPs Regulation, you must dispose of it safely and in accordance with Annex V, for example, by physico-chemical treatment or incineration.
If a waste contains any concentration of POPs it may be hazardous/special waste. This will place additional requirements on how you store, transport and dispose of it. You will need to assess the level of contaminants in your waste and dispose of it safely.
To find out how to assess and dispose of POPs contact your environmental regulator.
Contact your environmental regulator
If you wish to dispose of or destroy waste that contains POPs other than by a method approved in Annex V of the POPs Regulation, you must obtain a derogation (permission to carry out an otherwise banned activity) from your environmental regulator. You will be charged a fee for any derogation application and you will have to meet certain strict conditions to get approval.
Contact your environmental regulator
You must not produce, market or use POPs unless your use is allowed under Annex I or II of the POPs Regulation.
You must notify your environmental regulator if you have more than 50kg of POPs, or substances containing POPs, and your use is allowed.
If you have any equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) you will need to meet a number of other requirements.
See our PCB guidance for further information.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
SEPA: Persistent Organic Pollutants
GOV.UK: Persistent organic pollutants
In Scotland you can search for specific information on POPs using the Scottish pollutant release inventory.
Groundwater in Northern Ireland, DAERA have produced a leaflet to raise awareness about this untapped resource
EU Exit, EU Exit useful information
View our latest videos & subscribe to our channel.
Free monthly email newsletter with environmental updates for Northern Ireland and Scotland