Chemicals for Priority Action

The List of Chemicals for Priority Action identifies those substances which are considered to be a threat to the marine environment and the actions that OSPAR should take to minimise those threats. OSPAR focuses on the substances on Part A of the List and has prepared a background document on each.

The Background Documents assess the situation for the substance and conclude on what actions OSPAR should take to eliminate discharges, emissions, and losses of the substance within a set timeframe (the cessation target). Each of these chemicals also has a monitoring strategy detailing monitoring and progression towards the cessation target.

OSPAR keeps the List of Chemicals for Priority Action, under review in light of the registration, evaluation and authorisation of the chemicals (REACH) Regulation and on the prioritisation of substances under the Water Framework Directive.

Download here the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action

In 2023 PFAS was added to the LCPA as a group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. For environmental assessment 24 substances were identified as mentioned in the Background Document on PFAS. In addition, it was agreed to add the OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern (LSPC) as an annex to the LCPA.