POPs Newsletter

No 14, December 2007
Prepared on behalf of IHPA

In this issue:

Aim

The aim of this newsletter is to disseminate information in a cost-effective way on the developments taking place in the area of POPs as implicated in the Stockholm Convention and other PTS of concern. It will cover, among others, the news on science and technology for disposal of obsolete stocks and remediation of POPs contamination which might be of interest for commercial exploitation both in developed and developing countries. Special emphasis will be given to bio-remediation, non-combustion related technologies which will benefit developing countries. The newsletter will not go into technical details of selected scientific publications but only highlight salient features for the benefit of the readers. One can subscribe and read IHPA Newsletter (2 times/yr free of charge).

Note from the Editors

We are bringing this Newsletter forward in order to cover the 9th IHPA Forum at Chisinau, Republic of Moldova held from September 20-22, 2007. The Newsletter is divided into three parts.

Part 1 covers exclusively the 9th HPA Forum including interviews the editor had  with John Vijgen, Director of IHPA, HE  C.Mihailescu, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Republic of Moldova and HE. Wieslaw Stefan Kuc, Member of the European Parliament.

Part 2 covers a review article on clean-up operations in Romania by TAUW and other important events related to POPs. We are also pleased to report of an important east-south east Asia  Regional Forum  on BAT/BEP Ministerial Meeting organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Bangkok on October 5, 2007.

Part 3 covers  The other side of the 9th IHPA Forum that is “the lighter side” with selected photographs only. 

The proceedings of the IHPA 9th Forum is available at http://www.hchforum.com/presentations.php, or in CD format from IHPA Secretariat<www.ihpa.info>, or from the organizers of the Forum in Moldova and also on the website <www.moldovapops.md> .

Part 1

1. The 9th IHPA Forum, Chisinau, Moldova, September 20-22, 2007

 

The 9th IHPA Forum, spear  headed by HE Wieslaw Stefan Kuc. Member of the European Parliament , focussed on obsolete stocks of pesticides lying around causing damage to health and environment, especially in the Central and Eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian Region  (CEECCA). This Forum especially stands out in that a small economically less well off nation such as The Republic of Moldova took on its shoulders the responsibility of hosting this major event of a NGO-IHPA.

The Forum was hosted and sponsored by:

• International HCH & Pesticides Association (IHPA), The Netherlands
• Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, The Republic of Moldova
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Republic of Moldova
• Regional Environmental Centre for Moldova
• Federal Ministry for Environment, nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety  Germany 
• Regional Environmental Centre for Moldova (REC Moldova)
• Milieukontakt Oost-Europa, The Netherlands
• Tredi  international, France
• European crop Protection Association (ECPA)
• Green Cross international

The Forum was held in the beautiful city of Chisinau studded with many parks and tree lined avenues, rightly called a green city. The 9th Forum kicked off, on the dot at 9.am on September 20 at the Raut Hall of the Leo Grand Hotel, Chisinau. With more than 200 participants from more than 50 countries in attendance.

The delegates were welcomed by HE Constantine Mihailescu, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, the main Hosting Agency of the Forum. In his opening statement he expressed Moldova’s experience in dealing with POPs obsolete stockpiles and management. He said that the POPs work in Moldova was undertaken in the framework of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). He said that the Forum will activate and support activities of the countries for implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) practices to solve the problems with obsolete pesticides.  Above all he said that the Forum will establish contacts between the interested parties, attract the attention of investors, industry, public, authorities and mass media to this issue. He specially mentioned about the extensive work in Moldova in dealing with obsolete stocks of pesticides and how obsolete pesticides were collected from more than 350 demolished  warehouses and brought to a single warehouse under  the „POPs Stockpiles Management and Destruction” project financed by the GEF and the “Remediation of POPs pesticides polluted areas and clean-up of PCB contaminated oil in power equipment” project,  financed by Canada Persistent Organic Pollutant Fund, both implemented by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources through the World Bank  and ; the NATO/OSCE Project for Destruction of Pesticides and Dangerous Chemicals, implemented by the Ministry of Defense; the Regional Project , Elimination of Acute Risks of Obsolete Pesticides in Moldova, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan”, financed by the Dutch Government and implemented by Milieukontakt International, The Netherlands  As a result of these activities, over 3000 tones of obsolete pesticides were repacked and safely stored in Moldova . This part of the work has practically been completed, and this year we initiated the process of removal and destruction of these pollutants. The process is complex and needs time and substantial financial means to be carried on, but it has already started and the first 412 tones of pollutants were removed. He thanked the donors for helping Moldova in the process of diminishing and eliminating the risks caused by obsolete stocks of pesticides. 

Following the welcoming addresses by various dignitaries, the Forum had a Plenary section mainly on Moldova’s experience in their NIP and in POPs management and destruction in Moldova. Following this  a  number of parallel sessions covering NIPs of many ECECCA countries, pesticides waste management : practical experience and destruction technologies , remediation of pesticides contaminated sites, monitoring risk assessment of pesticides in environment and human bodies. An interesting session covered public participation in Moldova and ECECCA countries related to pesticides stockpiles issue.  There was an interesting exhibition on obsolete stocks of pesticides in the ECECCA countries opened by HE Wieslaw Stephan Kuc , Member of  the European Parliament where he released his book  on “ Danger: Obsolete Pesticides”. In the concluding sessions the Forum came up with a declaration which is reproduced hereunder:

2. FORUM DECLARATION

The participants of the 9th International HCH and Pesticides Forum representing governments, donors, IGOs, NGOs, the private sector, civil society and academia, meeting in Chisinau on 20-22 September 2007, expressed their gratitude to the Government of Moldova for its hospitality and generous contribution in organizing this Forum.

The participants…..

COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS
Stress the continuing negative impact of POPs, obsolete pesticides and other hazardous chemicals on human health, the environment, wildlife and natural resources such as soil and groundwater, and are aware of the adverse economic consequences thereof,

Recognise the need for ensuring the dissemination of information and public participation in the decision making process regarding POPs, obsolete pesticides and hazardous chemicals,

Stress that if the population is well informed they will support Government actions on cleaning obsolete pesticides and help in solving the problem

Stress People have the right to be informed by the government

Stress the sustainability of solutions to obsolete pesticide problems require public involvement in the entire process

Welcome and support the initiative of FAO, IHPA, Green Cross, Milieukontakt and USAID with the help of other UN Agencies to submit the Capacity Building Project for 10 EECCA countries to the GEF and urges the GEF to proceed rapidly in order to facilitate urgent implementation of the project,

Recognise the powerful impact on policy-makers and donors of visual presentations about the threats to health and the environment from POPs, obsolete pesticides and hazardous chemicals. In this connection, the efforts of the European Parliament led by Mr. Wieslaw Kuc are acknowledged in raising awareness of EU Members of the Parliament by means of a large Public Session in the EU Parliament in May 2007 and the organization of the exhibition “Danger Obsolete Pesticides”.

Further recommend to continue these efforts by hosting similar exhibitions in the European capitals and at other International Institutions such as GEF/World Bank to further raise awareness among the public and decision makers in order to secure more financial support.

Recommend that such exhibitions be replicated in countries of other regions including Africa, Asia and Latin America to stimulate public and political awareness,

STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
Recognise the important benefits to be gained by the countries in the region from the adoption and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements addressing chemicals,

Recognise the value of high quality NIPs and other studies as foundations for taking action towards the elimination of risks from POPs, obsolete pesticides and hazardous chemicals,

Recognise the importance of sound national policies, legislation and strategies for pesticide, chemicals and hazardous waste management in preventing future accumulation of obsolete pesticides and other hazardous chemicals,
Acknowledge the role of the EU and the UN system as well as bilateral initiatives (twinning) in the implementation of actions to eliminate POPs, obsolete pesticides and hazardous chemical wastes in the countries of the region,

Recommend, that countries prioritize within their NIPs, National Development Plans and other relevant action plants action for POPs and obsolete pesticides removal and destruction, and capacity building to prevent recurrence of similar problems;

Recommend that countries identify and formulate projects for the prevention and elimination of POPs and obsolete pesticides;

Recommend the adoption of the FAO International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides in the NIS countries and Welcome the actions of Ukraine in promotion of the FAO code,

DONORS

Acknowledge the crucial contribution that GEF makes to addressing POPs and obsolete pesticide prevention and elimination and building on the positive experiences in Moldova, Urgently request the GEF, after changes in their organization to expeditiously support POPs and pesticides clean-up projects.

Call upon EU to include into the new European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (OJ L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 1), the obsolete pesticides and POPs issue to facilitate country applications for financial support through this mechanism;
Further Call on the EU and other donors to recognize the growing momentum and desire among governments and civil society to eliminate and prevent POPs, obsolete pesticides and hazardous chemical stockpiles and to support national and regional initiatives in this area;

Call on the chemical industry to support activities aimed at eliminating legacy stockpiles of chemicals and preventing their recurrence;

Request the Parties of the Stockholm Convention recognise the urgent problems related to the so called polygons and uncontrolled dump sites of POPs and other dangerous chemicals which are particularly prominent in the EECCA region;

IMPLEMENTATION
Recommend the creation of a ‘technical committee’, acknowledged by the EU and donors, consisting of a small group of experts for specific advice on complex problems related to dangerous chemicals and land pollution.

Recommend the implementation of common monitoring programmes and comparable risk assessment systems for POPs in the environment;

 

Furthermore the participants expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the Director of the IHPA and for his continuing energetic support and contributions in keeping the issue of obsolete pesticides on the international agenda.

The presentations of the Forum are available on the internet and full proceedings will become available on the website within the next 6 months... Contact address <www.hchforum.com>

3. Press interviews with POPs Newsletter

3.1. Press interview with H.E Constantine Mihailescu, Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources, The Republic of Moldova.

He said that the country’s objective is to achieve as soon as possible the ecological standards that would allow Moldova to gain a place in the united European family. POPs Newsletter is pleased to report the interview for the benefit of its readers.

  

POPs Newsletter: Sir! Your Country though small in Europe has come forward to organize the 9th HPA Forum here in this beautiful city of Chisinau, Why? Are POPs a major concern in Moldova?

Minister: POPs as well as other toxic chemicals are a matter of serious environmental and health concern in Moldova. Perhaps the visibility of the problems is higher and the perception is more acute in Moldova due to the higher density of, especially rural, population and agricultural orientation of the national economy. 

POPs Newsletter; Moldova by definition is a country whose economy is in transition. So it cannot afford to divert funds to meet EU environmental standard. How do you plan to meet economic development and environmental management of international standards?

Minister: Indeed, Moldova’s economy is undergoing major changes while internal financial resources are scarce. However, the Government is taking affordable measures. In 2002, the Government initiated the activities of repacking of obsolete pesticides from dilapidated old warehouses spread all over the country and storing them in a number of safer facilities. The work was implemented by specialized units of the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Emergency Situations while financial resources were provided from the state budget and the National Environmental Fund. NATO member countries and GEF fare also providing support.  On the other side the only chance for Moldovan economy to increase its competitiveness and become more sustainable is to comply with international environmental standards. Given the fact that agriculture still is, and will remain, a major sector of the traditional economy, the Moldovan food products could impose themselves on the international markets due to their good biological qualities and safety.

POPs Newsletter: You are surrounded by Ukraine/Romania which also have many problems associated with POPs. So Moldova alone cannot solve the problem in isolation. Do you have any subregional approach to deal with POPs problems?

Minister: Of course, the problem of obsolete pesticides is a regional one and must be addressed in tight collaboration between neighbouring countries. Up until now, this collaboration between Moldova, Ukraine and Romania is developing in the general context of environment protection at regional level. Of course, a more direct approach of this problem is necessary, at ministry level, in the framework of some treaties or common projects etc. We believe that this 9th IHPA Forum, held in Chisinau will give this collaboration a more concrete orientation /direction.

POPs Newsletter: Do you think Moldova is getting enough assistance from Aid Agencies in its environmental management to achieve the proper economic development?

Minister: The financial support Moldova is receiving from the international organizations and western countries has increased considerably during the last few years. This is well observed in all domains of activity, including environmental protection and agriculture. We are deeply thankful to all these organizations for their help. Our job/objective now is to extend this collaboration and to orientate the external means to a more efficient use, in order to achieve as soon as possible the ecological standards that would allow our country to gain a place in the united European Family.

3.2 POPs newsletter interview with H.E.  Wieslaw Stefan Kuc, Member of the European Parliament (MEP)

POPs newsletter Sir! You are very personally involved in spreading the message of the environmental/social/economic impact of obsolete stocks of pesticides. Why do you think this is a major problem in Europe and beyond?

HE Kuc, EU. MEP: In my fifty years of life in Europe I never heard of the problem of pesticides until a few years ago when I felt the problem of obsolete pesticides. When I heard how many tons of obsolete pesticide in Poland contaminating the water/soil, I realized this as one of the main problems affecting environment, agriculture, trade and of course food safety. It is a big problem in Eastern Europe and also in Africa and the rest of the world. These obsolete pesticides will create barriers for trade in food products. So in all it is a big problem for all the people not only for my people but also to people of all countries in the region. So I decided to put all possible effect in increasing awareness of this problem among my colleagues in the European Parliament. So in September 2005 I initiated the first meeting in the EU parliament and established a Working Group of MEPs to define clear and achievable goals. 

POPs Newsletter: How do you think an exhibition on obsolete stocks of pesticide will send the message to common man and the Aid Agencies?

Mr. Kuc, MEP:  Most of these obsolete stocks of pesticides are buried underground and people cannot see and are not aware of these pesticides and what harm they are doing to health and environment. For example, how the children are affected by exposure to obsolete pesticide is similar to children exposed after the Chernobyl incident in 2006, more and more MEPs from new member countries showed serious interest in the problem and wanted eradication. Then it was agreed to organize an exhibition “Danger: obsolete Pesticides” in Brussels and a Public hearing was held. Both events were a great success. Following this I published the book the book “Danger: obsolete Pesticides”! with articles and photos.  The exhibition will travel around Europe so that all people including politicians have greater awareness to the problem and act together. 

 POP Newsletter As a Member of the European Parliament do you think enough support is given by the EU to countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asian region to address the requirements of Stockholm Convention/Rotterdam Convention and the Basel Convention?

Mr. Kuc, MEP: The aid from the EU at this moment is not enough. With the cost of about Euro.5000 per ton of obsolete pesticides and with thousands of tons for disposal  and also training of people and improving institutions to deal with pollution  will need bigger money. We think that if we have big money we can quickly solve the problem. But it is not true, it is only imagination. For example Arab countries have big funds due to oil resources, but their problems do not go quickly. We need lot of experience digging and clean up and organization is important to solve the problems.  I have made it clear in my presentation in this Forum. .

POPs Newsletter A small country like Moldova along with the IHPA has taken the responsibility of organizing this Forum. Do you have any message to the Government and the people of Moldova

Mr. Kuc, MEP: It is complicated and I have already mentioned that in my speech. The mandate of the Moldova Forum should be taken to other countries. The size of the country is not important but its action and correspondence with other counties on solving the problems is important.

3.3. Interview with Mr. John Vijgen, Director of IHPA.

POPs Newsletter: You have single handedly started the NGO- IHPA Today it has grown into a unique Association concentrating on technical matters related to POPs and obsolete stocks of pesticides. Tell me what made you to start this Association and what do you expect to achieve in a broad sense?

Mr. JV: I started the Association because we as scientists have been gathering for several years and in talking about problems, methodologies, exchange ideas but could not solve the problem.
You have to find ways of reaching other people, the society and the decision makers not just the technical people.  Only through an association we can make a voice and move forward. Bring the issue on the agenda and bring the awareness and make the people and the politicians to eliminate the problem from   the poor people and the poor countries that cannot help themselves yet.  . 

POPs Newsletter. Since the IHPA Poznan Forum in 2001, you have now reached the 9th Forum in this beautiful capital of Moldova. It is a long journey. Are you satisfied with the achievements of IHPA?

Mr. JV: Yes and no! One side I am happy we started with a small group of 40 people in 1992 and now we have 140 people and now we have more inputs and commitment from scientists, politicians and the people. We did create the awareness and activate the people to do something, but when it comes to action not much happens. They should go to the politicians and ask them to change something, changing means cleaning and eliminating the problem of poor people.

POPs Newsletter: Having obtained support from many organizations, do you think aid agencies appreciate environmental NGOs' work and give necessary support to achieve their objectives?

Mr. JV: Lot of agencies do support NGOs related to environment but always related to their own programmes if you work within their framework you can get support. Now with various conventions such as Global warming/chemical Conventions there is a way forward. But nice conventions such as Basel and Rotterdam Conventions do not have financial mechanism and luckily   the Stockholm Convention, like Montreal Protocol has some money to do something.

POPs Newsletter: What is your ultimate goal in the area of mitigating the impact of POPs?

Mr. JV: Our aim is to make the society that owns the problems aware about that, but also discuss solutions for the problem and generate confidence that they can and how they can contribute to that solution and then let them really do it and work along with the authorities to help solving the problem. That is the core of the issue. For that process we need funding. This approach to tackle the obsolete pesticides problems in the region was developed by Milieukontakt International, which whom we are closely cooperating. And this is a major revelation as the communication plus the it is simply a real success. With support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foundation DOEN, we have now executed this approach in Moldova. Further we have been able to build up the first capacity to start cleaning contaminated soils, after the waste has been eliminated and works are done by a team of Moldavian scientists by remediation with plants. We are working with a similar approach in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. This approach has stolen my heart and forms the key to “help yourself”, so at the end we can make a difference, but we cannot make that difference just by sitting behind the table by talking but only by doing it together with the people!!

POPs Newsletter: Moldova has done a very good job in organizing this Forum; do you have any message to the countries in the region regarding POPs?

Mr. JV: I think Moldova is a good example, you know it is a poorest country in Europe but what they have done actually and if one looks at the changes since they started in 2001, they have been doing capacity building, they have educated the people, there is a lot of awareness on pesticides and POPs, and they are now going to organic and sustainable agriculture and as such creating a new market in Europe for their products. They have done a lot in cleaning up the first 1100 tons of obsolete pesticides, another 1000 tonnes of PCBs and now getting funds from NATO/OSCE to start a coalition to get together in the next phase clean up. They have done extremely well and we can reproduce in other countries Moldova’s example.

POPs Newsletter: What is your message to EECCA Region?

Mr. JV: They need more political commitment, more awareness to the people, push ministers and politicians to take the responsibility and action to bring their needs to international organizations which means signing and ratification of the Convention, if they have not done that, look for funds such as the EU Neighbourhood partnership and include plans on elimination of obsolete and POPs pesticides in their National Action Plan.

 

 

 

PART 2

1. Review Article.

TAUW assists in the Obsolete Pesticides Clean-up program in Romania

Author: Berto Collet, TAUW, the Netherlands
Pen profile of Mr. Berto Collet
Berto is employed as a Senior Environmental Engineer at TAUW for 17 years. Now he is involved in obsolete pesticides projects in the field of inventories and repackaging in various countries.
Furthermore he has 14 years of experience in carrying out environmental investigations in the Netherlands and abroad. The projects he is involved in are commissioned both by governmental bodies and by private industry. His experience focuses on coordinating and directing the fieldwork carried out by other companies and training of trainer in the field of POPs management. His current responsibilities include setting up and evaluating of programmes and reporting all aspects of environmental investigations. Mr. Collet has carried out over 150 environmental field investigations in relation to environmental auditing and due diligence audits in various countries in Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, Asia, South America, Africa and the Caribbean. In Eastern European Countries experience was gathered in Poland, Hungary, former East Germany, Russia, Romania, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.

What is TAUW?
TAUW is an independent European company in the field of environmental consultancy, spatial development, civil engineering and the monitoring of environmental quality.
TAUW has offices in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Through our participation in the CAT Alliance Tauw can be deployed worldwide. In multidisciplinary teams we are working on projects for a broad range of clients: public authorities, private companies and nongovernmental organisations.

Their services

• Contaminated land management, including soil remediation
• Water management and engineering, including rural development
• Environmental management and engineering, including waste management
• Civil engineering and infrastructure
• Spatial planning and site development, including brownfield regeneration
• Strategic consultancy and studies, including process and project management

Romania project

Romania ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) on 28 October 2004. The overall objective of the Convention is to prevent POPs chemicals from entering into the global ecosystem. The Romanian Government is aware of the health concerns resulting from local exposure to POPs, in particular for the most vulnerable group in the society (e.g. women and through them, future generations). There are 12 substances listed as POP, they are: Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Dioxins, Endrin, Furans, Hexachlorobenzene, Heptachlor, Mirex, PCBs and Toxaphene. These substances possess toxic properties, resist degradation, bio accumulate in fatty tissues and they are transported, through air, water and migratory species, across international boundaries and deposited far from their place of release, where they accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

The Romanian Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Rural Development (MAFRD) issued two Service Contracts and two Work Contracts.

Service Contacts

• Project management and Re-assessment of Obsolete Pesticides including all POPs storages across Romania
• Project management and Supervision of the repackaging of Obsolete Pesticides stocks.

Work Contracts for repackaging, shipment and incineration of Obsolete Pesticides
The contract deals with 230 Storage warehouses across Romania. The re-assessment and the clean-up programme was financed by EU-Phare programme and co-financed by the MAFRD.

MAFRD and the EU invited the consortium of Ramboll Denmark, and Tauw, the Netherlands, to re-assess the Obsolete Pesticides storages and supervise the clean-up programme of the Obsolete Pesticides (including POPs) storage houses across Romania in 2005 and 2006. Tauw has been working for several years in the field of the POPs Convention now, proof of its social responsible entrepreneurship. For the Work Contracts SAVA Sonderabfall-verbrennungsanlagen Gmbh Germany was selected.

The Contracts
A list of Obsolete Pesticides storage houses was provided by the MAFRD and early 2005 the consortium started the re-assessment. A re-assessment team with a local expert and an international expert from TAUW was set up. The team carried out the re-assessment by visiting storage houses in the country, inspecting and registering the condition of the storage building, the conditions and amounts of the stockpiled Obsolete Pesticides (see photograph 1) and the location of the storage houses within Romania. For the data collection TAUW used its own software programme, called WIM (Waste Information and Management).

All the data are stored and can be used in the future for:

• A qualitative risk assessment in relation to a possible:
• Exposure of POPs to humans
• Soil and groundwater contamination with POPs
• Possible soil and groundwater remediation surveys

The re-packaging of the Obsolete Pesticides stockpile started shortly after they were re-assessed. The first repacked storage was located in the city of Giurgiu in the south of Romania. After cleaning, this large storage is going to be used as Regional Central Storage for the repacked POPs in the southern Region of Romania. Three Regional Central Storage Houses are equipped for the project.

SAVA trained Romanian labours for the re-packaging and Tauw and Ramboll trained Romanian staff re-assessing storages and supervising the re-packaging. The Obsolete Pesticides and POPs were repacked in UN approved re-packaging materials. The solids (powders and grains) were re-packed in big bags and or plastic drum. Liquids were pumped from old drums in UN approved steel drums (see photograph 2) or Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC). Oversized drums were used to re-pack the complete substandard and obsolete drums with liquids.

 

Depending on the quantity of obsolete stocks in the storage, the time needed for the re-packaging varied from 1 hour up to several weeks. After all Obsolete Pesticides were re-packed and removed (see Photograph 3) the inside and the floor of the storage were cleaned (mechanical and/or manual).

All the re-packed Obsolete Pesticides were transported to one of the three Central Regional Storage houses. From the Regional storage houses the repacked Obsolete Pesticides were transported by SAVA to the incineration plant in Germany. Before each transport all export documents had to be prepared and finalized by the project management. After re-packaging and cleaning, the storage houses were officially handed over to the site owner. The owner had to sign a hand-over document that confirms the removal of the Obsolete Pesticides and POPs and the interior cleaning of the storage. On the hand-over document the total amount of re-packed and removed Obsolete Pesticides and POPs was registered as well.

Results
A total of 230 storage houses were cleaned. A total amount of 2,516 tons Obsolete Pesticides and POPs was collected and transported to Germany for incineration. The total value of the Obsolete Pesticides clean-up programme was € 6,381,798.00.

Although 230 storage houses were cleaned in 2006 there are still storage houses with unknown quantities of Obsolete Pesticides and POPs that are not yet cleaned. The reason for the gap in the inventory and therefore in the re-packaging is the limited and incomplete information provided by the local authorities. This was already evident during the re-packaging campaign, because local people pointed out other stores that were not on the original list of the MAFRD.

The Government of Romania is now working on a third contract which will be needed to finalize the Obsolete Pesticides clean-up programme. The intention is to clean up all remaining storages containing Obsolete and POPs Pesticides.

 

2. Events and News

2.1. The United Nations industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) signs a land mark Ministerial Declaration on BAT/BEP for East-South East Asian Countries.

The Stockholm Convention has produced guidelines and guidance document to introduce the best available techniques (BAT) and best environmental practices (BEP) to the industrial sector as an obligation to comply with the requirements of the Convention.   Based on the experience gained through promotion and dissemination of environmentally sound industrial technologies, UNIDO has decided to expand its POPs program and offer technical cooperation to developing countries and countries whose economies are in transition to fully enable implementing the BAT/BEP related provisions of the Convention. UNIDO has taken a programmatic approach and decided to support establishing global, regional and subregional BAT/BEP forums.

The East and South East Asia (ESEA) forum of BAT and BEP is the first of such regional forums to be established. The official launching of the BAT/BEP regional Forum for ESEA took place in Bangkok on 4-5 October 2007. The ESEA countries that have attended the meeting are: Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The meeting agreed to establish the ESEA Forum, and to develop terms of references (TORs) for the forum structure a framework of regional action plan on BAT/BEP, and a Trust Fund to finance the implementation of the Forum activities
The Forum is a voluntary regional collaboration and cooperation platform on BAT and BEP and is open to all countries of the East and South East Asia (ESEA) sub-region, both developed and developing countries, as well as countries with economies in transition. The Forum main objective is to serve as a platform for information dissemination and exchange of experiences between countries on different aspects of implementation of BAT and BEP and provide regular reporting on the impact of these in the industrial sector of the Convention. The development objective of the Forum is to strengthen the capacities of the member countries to enable facilitation of transfer of environmentally sound technologies including or taking into account the increased use of local and traditional knowledge and techniques in the industrial sector in the region.

The Board members is comprised of ESEA countries, UNIDO, Stockholm Convention Secretariat and industry. Observers may also attend the meetings of the Board. The Board may report to COP-4 of the Stockholm Convention and could be expanded at a later stage to Asian-Pacific region following a dialogue and discussion with developed country partners and if availability of additional financial resources could be assured. A Forum Technical Steering Committee (FTCS) has also been established as an operational body of the Forum responsible for implementing the Board policies  The members of the steering committee are representatives of ESEA participating countries (their Ministries of Environment, in charge of coordinating national  POPs related activities), UNIDO  POPs Unit, Industrial Associations and Private sector, Ministries of Industry, Educational Institutions, Donor Representation, NGOs/ Foundations/ civil society, Regional Technology  Service Centre, and  from other BAT/BEP Forums.

A historical Inaugural Ministerial Meeting took place in Bangkok on October 5, 2007 and came up with Bangkok Declaration on the creation of the East-South East Asia Regional Forum on BAT/BEP

The Forum Secretariat will be located in the office of the Chair and will be supported by UNIDO. The Forum has agreed to a BAT/BEP Action Plan work and the outcome of the Action Plan is given below. 

 

Outcomes of the Regional BAT/ BEP Action Plan

• Adopted guidelines and guidance on BAT/BEP addressing specific features of industry, common practices in the region and related socio-economic considerations
• Pollution prevention measures (cleaner production) applied prior to introducing BAT/BEP .
• Unintentional POPs baselines/inventories derived from representative industrial sources and projected at regional scale
• Adequate capacity in sampling and analysis of unintentional POPs

 
For more detailed information on the Board and the FTCS and the functioning of the Forum under a Chairperson, including the Bangkok Declaration and the organizational structure of the SESA BAT/BEP Forum, contact UNIDO/ POPs Unit Chief Mr. Mohamed Eisa <m.eisa@unido.org>

2.2. IHPA/UNIDO organize exhibition “Danger: Obsolete Pesticides”

During the UNIDO General Conference, Dec. 3-6 2007 at its Head Quarters in Vienna, the Exhibition initiated by HE. Wieslaw Stefan Kuc, Member of the European Parliament will be organized to promote awareness to the problem of obsolete pesticides stocks accumulated in the EECCA Region.

2.3. Organic Farming

Recent findings by many European institutions showed that produce from organic farming has high nutritional value. In India, Andhra Pradesh, an agricultural state, is providing Rs. 182 crores (US $45 million) to non.pesticidal management (NPM) – a mission to take up organic farming by bringing down the use of pesticides – has given a fillip to the entire activity. With the new thrust given by the Central Government 5,000 villages spread across 18 districts in the State will be brought under organic farming. The programme was actually initiated in 23,000 acres in 450 villages of nine districts in 2005-06. It was extended to 1,250 villages covering 80,000 farmers in 17 districts the next year.
(Source: The Hindu, Madras)

2.4. Toxic Gods:

During August –November India is awashed with many festivals of gods and goddesses in most cases highly elaborate idols are made and finally immersed in rivers or lakes. Most of these idols are made up of plaster of paris, metal, metallic paints clogging and polluting the rivers and lakes. These gods made up of toxic materials are causing great concern to the Government and they are coming up with strict guidelines regarding the materials used in making the idols.  Tamils in South India celebrate harvest festival called “Pongal”. During this time they burn old clothes and other wastes in the open like guy folks day in Britain.  Now the Rural Education  and Environment Development Society (REEDS) in a city called Salem (incidentally the birth place of the Editor)  has also come up with guidelines for avoiding the use of burning  wastes such as plastics/used tyres etc which generate toxic emissions.( Source CNN and The Hindu, Madras)

2.5. Conferences

Redox Tech and the Groundwater Professionals of North Carolina (GWPNC) are sponsoring the First Annual South Eastern In Situ Soil and Ground water Remediation Conference on February 26 and 27th 2008 in the Research Triangle Park near Raleigh, North Carolina. Abstracts are due by December 14th, 2007. For more information and the current agenda for the conference, please visit <www.redox-tech.com>

One day Conference on REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) for the Chemical ingredients industry will be held in London on Dec.5, 2007. For more information visit, <www.reachforchemicalingredients.com>

Erratum: In the last Newsletter we mentioned Prof. Terry Collins as Prof. Terrence Collins by mistake. We apologise for this error.

Part 3

The other side of the 9th IHPA Forum i.e. the lighter side of the Forum

Here we provide some interesting  photographs of the IHPA 9thForum:

 

Seasons Greetings:

The IHPA POPs Newsletter wishes its readers
Season’s Greetings and A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.