Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
POPs are toxic chemicals that don't break down and build up over time, so waste that contains them can't go to normal recycling or landfill. Here's what counts as a POP, which everyday items contain them, and what it means for disposal.
Upholstered domestic seating — sofas, armchairs, futons, dining chairs with padding, beanbags — must be treated as POPs waste in the UK. It has to be kept separate from other bulky waste and sent for incineration, not landfill or reuse.
Common POPs in the waste stream
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethersPBDESPBDEs (brominated flame retardants) · Brominated flame retardants
The main reason upholstered domestic seating is now treated as POPs waste in the UK.
Often found in- Upholstered furniture foam
- Mattresses
- Textiles and carpets
- Plastic casings of old electricals (WEEE)
- HexabromocyclododecaneHBCDHBCDD (hexabromocyclododecane)
A flame retardant found mainly in construction insulation foam.
Often found in- Expanded/extruded polystyrene insulation boards (EPS/XPS)
- Some textiles
- Polychlorinated biphenylsPCBPCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
Common in pre-1986 electrical equipment and building materials.
Often found in- Old transformers and capacitors
- Insulating and hydraulic oils
- Sealants, paints and old flooring
- Perfluorooctane sulfonic acidPFOSPFOS
A 'forever chemical' from the PFAS family, persistent and mobile in water.
Often found in- Legacy firefighting foams
- Stain- and water-repellent textiles
- Metal-plating residues
- Perfluorooctanoic acidPFOAPFOA
Another PFAS 'forever chemical' now restricted under the POPs rules.
Often found in- Non-stick coatings
- Firefighting foams
- Water-repellent textiles and paper
- Short-chain chlorinated paraffinsSCCPSShort-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) · SCCPs
Used as a plasticiser and flame retardant, mainly in older plastics.
Often found in- PVC and rubber products
- Sealants and adhesives
- Metalworking fluids
- Dioxins and furansPCDD_PCDFDioxins & furans (PCDD/PCDF) · PCDD / PCDF
Formed unintentionally by burning — never manufactured deliberately.
Often found in- Combustion and incineration residues
- Contaminated ash and soil
- DichlorodiphenyltrichloroethaneDDTDDT
A banned organochlorine insecticide that persists in the environment.
Often found in- Legacy pesticide stocks
- Contaminated soils
The full POP code list (31 codes)
The chemical codes used to declare POPs on a Digital Waste Tracking movement. Record the code, its concentration, and the source.
- ALDAldrin
- CHLChlordane
- CLDChlordecone
- DECABDEDecabromodiphenyl ether
- DDTDichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
- DCFDicofol
- DLDDieldrin
- ENDEndosulfan
- ENDNEndrin
- HEPTABDEHeptabromodiphenyl ether
- HPTHeptachlor
- HBBHexabromobiphenyl
- HBCDHexabromocyclododecane
- HEXABDEHexabromodiphenyl ether
- HCBHexachlorobenzene
- HCBDHexachlorobutadiene
- HCHHexachlorocyclohexanes (including lindane)
- MRXMirex
- PENTABDEPentabromodiphenyl ether
- PECBZPentachlorobenzene
- PCPPentachlorophenol
- PFHXSPerfluorohexane sulfonic acid
- PFOSPerfluorooctane sulfonic acid (and derivatives)
- PFOAPerfluorooctanoic acid
- PCBPolychlorinated biphenyls
- PCDD_PCDFPolychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans
- PCNSPolychlorinated naphthalenes
- SCCPSShort-chain chlorinated paraffins
- PBDESTetra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta-, and deca- BDEs
- TETRABDETetrabromodiphenyl ether
- TOXToxaphene
How to spot likely POPs items
- Upholstered domestic seating (sofas, armchairs, futons, beanbags) commonly contains POPs flame retardants — treat as POPs unless proven otherwise. Usually: PBDEs (brominated flame retardants).
- Insulating foam boards (EPS/XPS) may contain HBCDD. Usually: HBCDD (hexabromocyclododecane).
- Waste electrical equipment and cabling can contain brominated flame retardants and PCBs. Usually: PBDEs (brominated flame retardants), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
When in doubt, treat the item as POPs waste. For the full rules see the official gov.uk POPs guidance.
POPs and Digital Waste Tracking
Waste containing POPs above the legal limits cannot simply be landfilled — under the UK POPs Regulation it must be destroyed or irreversibly transformed so the POPs content is eliminated (typically high-temperature incineration).
Under DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking — which waste carriers must use from October 2027 — a movement that contains POPs has to be flagged, with the specific POP components and their concentrations recorded. Waste over the POPs limits is also treated as hazardous in its own right.
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Start on the free plan
CarrierNote is on the GOV.UK software provider list, connected to DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking service. Receiving sites are in scope from October 2026 and carriers from October 2027, and you can be recording to DEFRA's standard from your first load, whenever you start.