14/06/2019 (Agence Europe) – The new regulation on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), chemical substances that are extremely harmful to human health and the environment, was formally adopted by the Council of the EU on Thursday 13 June. An interinstitutional agreement was reached in February on this recast of the 2004 Regulation to align the text with the Stockholm Convention (see EUROPE 12198/6). Under the Regulation, bis(pentabromophenyl) ether or "decaBDE" - a flame retardant - is added to the list of substances for which a maximum concentration limit value is set in other substances, mixtures and articles and subject to strict waste management provisions. However, NGOs deplored that children continue to be exposed to brominated flame retardants via toys or other products made from recycled plastics (see EUROPE 12200/20). (AN)