Turkey: Aligned with the EU POPs Regulation

November 2018- Relevant for: hardlines, softlines, toys and children's products

On 14 November 2018, Turkey published Gazette No. 30595¹ on the Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). It intended to align with the European Union POPs Regulation (EC) No. 850/2004² to protect human health and the environment. The Turkish POPs Regulation enters into force on the date of publication.

POPs are nasty chemicals that can be persistent in the environment, resistant to biodegradation and widely distributed globally. Majority of these chemicals are pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and various synthetic organic halogenated hydrocarbons. Exposures to POPs can lead to serious health problems such as cancers, birth defects, etc.

Turkish POPs Regulation applies to substances, mixtures and articles. Annex 1³ prohibits the manufacture, place on the market and use of the POPs. Annex 2 restricts POPs according to the conditions specified. The Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation (MoEU) is responsible for the execution.

On 22 March 2018, The European Commission adopted a proposal to recast the POPs Regulation. The final text should be available soon. The Turkey POPs Regulation already adopted certain provisions stated in the draft text of EU POPs including the ban of pentachlorophenol⁴and decabromodiphenyl ether⁵.

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