On March 18, 2025, the Macao Special Administrative Region of China submitted notification G/TBT/N/MAC/31 to the WTO 1, announcing Chief Executive's Decision No. 168/2024 on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 2. The Decision prohibits the import, export, and transshipment of chemicals listed in Annex I and goods listed in Annex II of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants within Macao.
Key Provisions of the Decision
The import, export, and transit of chemical substances listed in Table 1 of the Decision, which are covered under the Stockholm Convention, are prohibited. Exceptions apply only to substances intended for laboratory research or use as reference standards;
The import, export, and transit of goods listed in Table 2 of the Decision are also prohibited.
The decision took effect on October 29, 2024.
Cosmetic companies should take note of the following prohibited mixtures and products listed in Table 2 of the Decision.
Mixtures and products containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs), or polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) |
Mixtures and products containing aldrin, toxaphene, chlordane, chlordecone, DDT, dieldrin, endosulfan, endrin, heptachlor, or mirex |
Mixtures and products containing 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane, including lindane |
Mixtures and products containing pentachlorobenzene or hexachlorobenzene |
Mixtures and products containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts, perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA), or perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (POSF) |
Mixtures and products containing tetrabromodiphenyl ether, pentabromodiphenyl ether, hexabromodiphenyl ether, heptabromodiphenyl ether, or octabromodiphenyl ether, not elsewhere specified or included |
