Chemical name: Benzene, pentachloro-

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Pesticide

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Banned

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

The production, circulation, use, import and export of pentachlorobenzene have all been banned in China except for the acceptable purpose or specific exemption.

Pesticide use or uses that remain allowed: None

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes

Summary of the final regulatory action:

Since March 26^th 2014, the production, circulation, use, import and export of Pentachlorobenzene have all been banned in China except for the acceptable purpose or specific exemption.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health: Case reports of adverse effects in individuals, or epidemiological studies of populations exposed to PeCB have not been identified. The only risk phrase for pentachlorobenzene in the European ESIS database is R 22, harmful if swallowed. Lowest LD50 observed for acute exposure was 250 mg/kg bw. Repeat-dose mammalian toxicity tests result in evidence of hepatic, nephric, hematological, and developmental toxicity for this chemical. According to the American Hazardous Substances Data Bank pentachlorobenzene is not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity because there are no human data and no animal data available. PeCB is moderately toxic to humans. Pentachlorobenzene is very toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment. Data on soil and sediment organisms are limited or lacking.

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to human health: To protect the environment and human health.

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

Pentachlorobenzene is a chlorinated organic compound. According to available data, pentachlorobenzene should be considered as persistent given the considerable number of estimated and experimental half-lives in atmosphere, soils,sediments, and water. Persistence in the environment depends on the rate of photo-oxidation, the presence of oxygen and organic matter. Pentachlorobenzene meets the criterion on bioaccumulation. BCF values for pentachlorobenzene range from 1085 - 23 000 L/kg for fish, 833 -4 300 L/kg for mollusca, and 577 - 2258 L/kg for crustacean. Biomagnification may be expected due to the high logKow and the fact that biotransformation is insignificant. However, data on the biomagnification of pentachlorobenzene are lacking.

The available data support the potential for long range transport of pentachlorobenzene. The

physical and chemical characteristics are within the range of the other POPs. Model estimations on the transport distance resulted in distances of 8 000 km, while estimates based on air measurements

suggested 13 338 km. Monitoring data also indicate that PeCB is subject to long range transport. PeCB was detected in air and precipitation at various locations in the world, many of those far from its sources.

The small spatial variability across the Northern Hemisphere observed in some studies also indicate that PeCB has a very long atmospheric residence time, which allows it to become widely distributed in the global.hemisphere.

Expected effect of the final regulatory action in relation to the environment:

To protect the environment and human health.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 26/03/2017