Chrysotile and endosulfan escape Rotterdam list

Parties to the UN Rotterdam convention on trade in dangerous chemicals have again failed to include chrysotile asbestos onto a list of 39 harmful substances that cannot be exported without the receiving country's consent.

Governments meeting in Rome last week also failed to add pesticide endosulfan to the list of chemicals subject to prior informed consent (PIC).  But they did agree to include biocide tributyltin (TBT) onto the PIC list.  The restrictions on TBT will enter force in February.