Working Group Industrial Chemicals and Contaminants

Session 1:

Status of Releases and Levels in Countries and
Needs for Further Information and Research

Guidance Questions

1. What is known with regard to sources and releases of POPs in countries?

• Which POPs are still in use, for which purpose and to what extent?

• What is known about sources and quantities released of POPs?

• What type(s) of monitoring/estimation is currently used to determine releases?

2. What is known with regard to levels of various POPs in different media?

• Have concentrations been measured on any systematic basis for any of the POPs?

• Do data show any significant levels or give rise to concern for any of the POPs?

• Are there any trends visible in the concentration levels?

3. Based on the existing data, which of the twelve POPs can be considered of significance for countries in the region?

• Has any of the POPs been identified as significant in a number of countries?

• Do data give rise to particular concerns for any specific POPs or medium?

• Do data trends provide indications of potential future increases or decreases in risks?

4. What further information is needed to assess releases and exposures to POPs in countries?

• Is there a need to carry out flirter release estimates/monitoring for any of the POPs or for a particular media?

• Is it possible to identify trends with the estimation and monitoring systems/programmes, which could assist in evaluating successes of actions to reduce/eliminate releases?

• Which tools, such as inventories and networks, would be needed to make information more easily accessible and useable?

5. What are the barriers faced in trying to better understand releases and levels of POPs in countries?

Report Session 1

This report summary the views expressed by the country participants on POPs releases from activities other than pesticides use. The participants are from different departments, excepting a few who belonged to POPs focal points, therefore their views are individualistic and cannot be construed as their country views.

In the foregoing paragraphs the list of probable sources of POPs in different countries, barriers in trying to understand releases and levels of POPs and recommendations for managing this issue are highlighted.

Sources of POPs in different countries

1. BAHRAIN

• Aluminum and Cement Plants
• Leaded Gasoline
• Electrical Equipment’s
• Steel Factory
• Illegal Copper Wire Reclamation Units
• Refinery
• Medical Waste Incinerators
• No inventory is available for PCB’s but PCB’s are included in the list of banned chemicals

2. KUWAIT

• Municipal and Medical Waste Incinerators
• Electrical equipment’s ?
• A case study on PCB’s has been undertaken by the authorities and a report is available in Arabic for circulation.

3. LEBANON

• Cement Plants
• Leaded Gasoline
• Electrical Equipment’s
• Open Burning of Solid Waste
• Refinery

4. OMAN

No information is available with the representative. However, a new department for chemicals has been established recently to deal with this issue.

5. PALESTINE

• Medical Waste Incinerators
• Open Burning of Solid Waste.
• Illegal Import and Dumping of Toxic Waste.
• Lack of Control on Israeli Industries within Palestinian Territories.

6. QATAR

• Electrical Equipment’s
• POPs from other sources are not known to the representative

7. SYRIA

• Cement Plants
• Leaded Gasoline
• Electrical Equipment’s
• Refinery
• Composting Plants.

8. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• Waste Incinerators (Medical/ Municipal)
• Municipal Waste Burning
• Aluminum and Cement Plants
• Leaded Gasoline
• Electrical Equipment’s
• Steel Factory.
• Chlorine Industry.
• Compost Plant
• Refinery
• PVC Plant

Awareness among general public on POPs

Communications within each state at all levels.

Availability of infrastructure and expertise to measure POPs.

Non-availability of PCB destruction capability

• UNEP format for collection of relevant information on POPs must be made available to national focal points of all states in the region. It will be provided by UNEP-chemical, Directorate to all focal points on request for necessary action.
• PCB destruction capability information is requested by UNEP from national focal points must be forwarded to them as early as possible.
• Focal points should create awareness and co-ordinate with relevant departments such as electricity, agriculture and industrial departments, etc., on POPs
• Devise regional co-ordination and planning strategies on eliminating POPs.
• Encourage periodic regional and national POP awareness programs.
• Focal points to undertake necessary measures to minimize potential sources of POPs releases, one such suggestion is to encourage breast feeding.
• National Institutional Capacity Building on the following issues

Identifying POPs of concern to each state
Training on monitoring POPs in all media and biota.
Regional co-operation in PCB destruction capability.
Improving communication at all levels.

Possible National Actions and Strategies to Address Relevant POPs Issues

1. What kinds of immediate actions could be taken at the national and sub-national levels to assess and address POPs problems? E.g.,

• Develop an inventory of POPs releases;
• Develop an inventory of PCB -containing equipment;
• Develop an inventory of potential sources of dioxins and furans;
• Develop an inventory of unwanted POP pesticide and other POPs stockpiles;
• Establish a network of experts dealing with POPs;
• Establish an information exchange network on POPs hazards and risks;
• Develop case studies on most urgent POPs problems, including identification of risks and possible alternatives;
• Introduce alternatives, both chemical and non-chemical, and including cleaner technologies; and
• Introduce more efficient and effective waste disposal technologies and techniques.

2. What are the possible ways and means to implement actions identified above? E.g.,

• Develop guidelines and other tools on POPs management;
• Develop national action plans;
• Establish national co-ordinating mechanisms involving relevant government authorities, other national partners/stakeholders and the concerned public;
• Develop/strengthen national chemicals legislation;
• Use assistance and advice provided by international, regional organizations and national agencies of other countries;
• Encourage voluntary programmes by industry; and
• Conduct public information campaigns.

3. How could countries work together to raise awareness throughout the region of POPs problems?

4. What regional networks could be employed to exchange information and expertise about POPs among countries in the region?

5. What are some of the POPs-related problems that are common to a number of countries to the region and which could be addressed more efficiently through regional co-operation ?

6. In which other ways might countries in the region work together more effectively to address POPs related problems?

7.    Which regional/international fora are, could or should be involved in POPs issues?

Report Session 2

The participants in the session agreed on the following points:

1.    Concerning the actions that could be immediately taken at national and regional levels, the following was considered the main important issues:

• Developing an inventory on PCB containing equipments
• Developing an inventory on potential sources of dioxins, furans, and industrial contaminants
• Introducing chemical and non-chemical alternatives to POPs as well as cleaning technologies. More attentions should be directed to non-chemical solutions since it may be more sustainable.
• Introduction of effective waste disposal techniques and technologies.

2.    Regarding the means and ways to implement the actions identified above, the following took a major priority:

• Developing guidelines and other tools on POPs management.
• Establishing national coordination mechanisms involving government authorities and other national partners and stakeholders. As well as NGOs
• Developing national action plans that contain a component regarding industrial chemicals and contaminants.
• Encourage voluntary programs by industries related to the subject.
• Conduct public information campaigns.

3.    Regarding how countries can work together, each country should establish a focal point who will be responsible for the action plan in his country. He will collaborate with focal points in the region.
Non governmental voluntary organizations in each country must act to encourage the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.

4.    There are sub regional, regional organizations, in addition there are international agencies such as UN agencies eg. UNEP for West Asia, ROPME for the Gulf, WHO,…

5.    All industrial POPs are relevant to the region

PCB is a priority regarding inventory preparation and disposal , Dioxins are also a priority regarding open burning of waste, medical waste incineration, and copper cable burning.

6.    Exploring the capabilities of cooperation among the countries of the region regarding the disposal of hazardous waste including PCBs , research projects and center of excellence for monitoring and analysis.
Financial contribution for capacity building is appreciated.

7.    International organizations are: UNEP, WHO, IFCS

Regional organizations are: ROPME (Regional Organization for the Protection of Marine Environment), PERSGA (Protection of the Environment in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Adan)

Working Group Pesticides

Status of Releases and Levels in Countries and

Needs for Further Information and Research

1. What is known with regard to sources and releases of POPs in countries?

• Which POPs are still in use, for which purpose and to what extent?
• What is known about sources and quantities released of POPs?
• What type(s) of monitoring/estimation is currently used to determine releases?

2. What is known with regard to levels of various POPs in different media?

• Have concentrations been measured on any systematic basis for any of the POPs?
• Do data show any significant levels or give rise to concern for any of the POPs?
• Are there any trends visible in the concentration levels?

3. Based on the existing data, which of the twelve POPs can be considered of significance for countries in the region?

• Has any of the POPs been identified as significant in a number of countries?
• Do data give rise to particular concerns for any specific POPs or medium?
• Do data trends provide indications of potential future increases or decreases in risks?

4. What further information is needed to assess releases and exposures to POPs in countries?

• Is there a need to carry out flirter release estimates/monitoring for any of the POPs or for a particular media?
• Is it possible to identify trends with the estimation and monitoring systems/programmes, which could assist in evaluating successes of actions to reduce/eliminate releases?
• Which tools, such as inventories and networks, would be needed to make information more easily accessible and useable?

5. What are the barriers faced in trying to better understand releases and levels of POPs in countries?

Q.1)    All POPs are:

1. Completely Banned in Agriculture and Public Health use: - In UAE, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait
2. Banned in Agriculture: only in Bahrain
3. In Palestine officially Banned by Israel, but some POPs are available in the markets.

Q.2)    There is no systematic monitoring in any of these Arab Countries for all POPs pesticides.

    Environmental levels or Levels in imported foods (vegetables, fruits, canned food, dairy products etc.) are not known.

    There may be some data from research studies, but not readily available -published.

Q.3)    With the exception of Palestine POPs pesticides are not believed to be a priority problem with these Arab Countries.

    For Palestine POPs is an important issue.

Q.4)    a. There is need to develop environmental monitoring programmes to examine different media.

    e. Inter-ministerial Committees and activities would be beneficial in Arab Countries.
        UAE and Lebanon has such committees,
        Bahrain is forming such committee.

Q.5)    No Monitoring System:

• Environmental media

• Food imports

• There is bad need for Regional Law issued by Arab League, which should be very strong and implemented strictly.
• There is a need for Technical Committee to review all pesticides in use and recommend banning any which are discovered to be highly toxic to humans.

Possible National Actions and Strategies to Address Relevant POPs Issues

1. What kinds of immediate actions could be taken at the national and sub-national levels to assess and address POPs problems? E.g.,

• Develop an inventory of POPs releases;
• Develop an inventory of PCB -containing equipment;
• Develop an inventory of potential sources of dioxins and furans;
• Develop an inventory of unwanted POP pesticide and other POPs stockpiles;
• Establish a network of experts dealing with POPs;
• Establish an information exchange network on POPs hazards and risks;
• Develop case studies on most urgent POPs problems, including identification of risks and possible alternatives;
• Introduce alternatives, both chemical and non-chemical, and including cleaner technologies; and
• Introduce more efficient and effective waste disposal technologies and techniques.

2. What are the possible ways and means to implement actions identified above? E.g.,

• Develop guidelines and other tools on POPs management;
• Develop national action plans;
• Establish national co-ordinating mechanisms involving relevant government authorities, other national partners/stakeholders and the concerned public;
• Develop/strengthen national chemicals legislation;
• Use assistance and advice provided by international, regional organizations and national agencies of other countries;
• Encourage voluntary programmes by industry; and
• Conduct public information campaigns.

3. How could countries work together to raise awareness throughout the region of POPs problems?

4. What regional networks could be employed to exchange information and expertise about POPs among countries in the region?

5. What are some of the POPs-related problems that are common to a number of countries to the region and which could be addressed more efficiently through regional co-operation ?

6. In which other ways might countries in the region work together more effectively to address POPs related problems?

7. Which regional/international fora are, could or should be involved in POPs issues?

Q.1) Agree with all items listed except last concerning "more efficient and effective waste disposal technologies and techniques". With regard to the later it was felt that it was too costly for individual countries to build their own and either use should be made of "safe" effective/efficient facilities already existing in other countries or the possibility of building regional facilities should be explored.

Q.2) Agree that all are necessary steps.

Q.3) Build on national co-ordinating mechanisms once established

Work with communication media - press, TV, radio, etc.

Target specific groups to raise their awareness, for example: factory workers, agriculture workers and agriculture extension groups, etc.

Q.4) Lebanon-Syria Interministerial Committee (Ministers of Environment and others) - an effective mechanism for dealing with problems as they arise or with special topics – extend to other countries.

GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) – overall mechanism – mandate includes environmental issues – participants inform Committee through their national government, departments/ministries.

Q.5) Only Palestine has remaining regarding use of DDT

Q.6) Work through GCC and ROPME (Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment).

Q.7) See above