Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) properties of Long Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (LCCPs): summary
Published 20 July 2022
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2022
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1. Chief Scientist’s Group report summary
This report updates a previous Environment Agency Persistence, Bioaccumulation and Toxicity (PBT) evaluation on long chain chlorinated paraffins (LCCPs), published in 2009. This work is important for determining the potential hazard of this substance to the environment, which is the focus of growing international regulatory concern.
1.1 Background
This report identified currently available data and updated regulatory guidance to evaluate LCCPs PBT properties. Chemicals with PBT properties are of significant concern because they can remain in the environment for a long time and accumulate in food chains with unpredictable consequences.
1.2 Approach
LCCPs is a very complex substance. Due to the number of constituents involved, a wide range of values are encountered for all end-points concerning environmental fate and behaviour. Chemical analysis is complicated and semi-quantitative. Comparison between studies is challenging. To address this, we examined trends observed for other types of chlorinated paraffin.
1.3 Results
The Environment Agency has concluded that LCCPs meets the persistent (P) and very persistent (vP) criteria in REACH Annex 13 of the UK REACH Regulation, based on likely sediment half-life. This is supported indirectly by the detection of LCCPs in sediment cores.
Whilst there is no unequivocal evidence that LCCPs meet the definitive criteria of Annex 13 for being bioaccumulative (B) or very bioaccumulative (vB), there is sufficient information to be concerned. Especially for LCCPs with shorter chain lengths that meet the screening criteria for both B and vB substances and for a high bioaccumulation potential in air-breathing organisms.
Using data from non-standard dietary fish studies, estimated depuration rate constants and half-lives are consistent with information from other substances concluded as vB. Lastly, LCCP congeners have been widely detected in aquatic and terrestrial wildlife of all trophic levels. In terms of ecotoxicity, aquatic invertebrates appear to be the most sensitive trophic group. There is insufficient evidence to indicate that LCCPs meet the toxicity (T) criterion of Annex 13 based on effects in mammals and birds. However, the available studies do not cover all LCCP product types.
The Environment Agency considers that LCCPs are P/vP, but further work is needed to establish whether some constituents are B or vB and T.
1.4 Next steps
This report has been used to justify a formal UK REACH Substance Evaluation that will be initiated in 2022.
1.5 Project details
This summary relates to information from the following output:
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Title: Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) Properties of Long Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (LCCPs)
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Project manager: Steve Dungey, Chemicals Assessment Unit, Chief Scientist’s Group
This project was delivered by the Environment Agency’s Chief Scientist’s Group, which provides scientific knowledge, tools and techniques to enable us to protect and manage the environment as effectively as possible.
Enquiries: research@environment-agency.gov.uk
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