Working Group Industrial Chemicals and Contaminants

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 further 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?

1. ON SOURCES AND RELEASES OF POPs WITHIN COUNTRIES OF THE SUB-REGION:

1. Identification of sources (Inventories):

Transformers and capacitors were identified as one of the main PCB sources.

• Venezuela has a preliminary inventory of sources.
• Many countries are planning to set-up inventories, but have not done so as yet.
• Many countries have made arrangements with European countries (France, Finland, England and Denmark) for the final disposal of existing PCBs. Mexico is setting-up a mobile unit for the management and treatment of PCBs.

Regarding dioxins and furans, it is known that incinerators and combustion processes are their main sources, but a quantification and assessment of these sources has not been made as yet in most countries.

1. Most countries indicated their lack of infrastructure as well as technical and analytical capability to monitor and assess releases of POPs.

2. INFORMATION ON CONCENTRATION LEVELS

There are no systematic monitoring processes of these substances as yet. At the international level some sporadic and specific research has been made. Significant levels of POPs were found in Rio de la Plata, as well as in electric transformer storage places in the Panama Canal region.

Answering the questions that were proposed in the guidelines was difficult due to the lack of capacity of countries for the identification, quantification and monitoring of POPs in industrial processes and chemicals in countries of the region.

COMMON NEEDS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AND THAT NEED TO BE REFLECTED IN THE REPORT OF THE SEMINAR:

• The need to strengthen analytical capabilities within countries.
• The need to harmonize analytic methodologies, in order to make data comparable.
• Need to educate and public and private sector on the sources of POPs and on alternative technologies and substitutes.

Session 2:

Possible National Actions and Strategies to Address Relevant POPs Issues

Guidance Questions:

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. What steps do countries need to undertake in order to prepare national positions for the upcoming POPs convention negotiations? E.g.,

- Inter-ministerial consensus-building efforts; and

- Meetings with stakeholders

The Group considered the questions of UNEP and IFCS as follows:

ACTIONS:

Raise awareness about the problems:

1. Implement capacity-building programmes in all sectors
2. Determinate the sources of emissions of the POPs
3. Investigate the national reality of the problem
4. Create necessary regulatory actions for control, management and final disposal of POPs
5. Develop national capacity for control and monitoring.
6. Implement analytical investigation systems of the levels and emissions of POPs
7. Create coordination mechanisms between the government, the industry and the population, as well as with International Organizations on the subject.

MEANS:

1. Learn from experiences in different countries on the implementation of programmes and financed projects by the International Organizations.
2. Implement programmes to strengthen institutions, which involve capacity-building, research and public awareness with the participation of involved sectors.
3. Learn from experiences in some countries on the use of tools which involve capacity-building, social participation and control of emissions coming from industries through registers.
4. Create available information networks for the region.
5. Look for financial mechanisms and transfer of technology and/or alternatives with International Organizations in order for actions to be successful.
6. Implement register on illnesses caused by POPs.
7. Follow up and support existing programmes concerning POPs.
8. Implement and/or strengthen registers on potentially toxic chemicals.
9. Create a network or another experimental mechanism to perform necessary analysis on the generation, emissions and effects of POPs.
10. Involve the participation of industry, NGOs and other sectors in the negotiations for the creation of regulatory action.

STEPS:

1. Coordinate with corresponding authorities to preliminary evaluate the issue.
2. Creation of an executive commission to perform the necessary actions.
3. Organization of meetings with interested parties in the issue.
4. Undertake actions.

Possible Regional Cooperation to Manage POPs

Guidance Questions:

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

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

3. What are some of the POPs-related problems that are common to a number of countries to the region?

4. Of the problems identified, which could be addressed more efficiently through regional co-operation?

5. How might countries in the region work together more effectively to address POPs-related problems? (This response should not be limited to those problems addressed in questions 3 and 4.)

6. Which regional international fora are, could or should be involved in POPs issues? Are the fora currently engaged in POPs issues sufficient to deal with the most significant problems? Are their efforts co-ordinated effectively? Should other fora be encouraged to become engaged?

7. Are there opportunities to build partnerships among the countries in the region, regional intergovernmental organizations, technical international organizations with regional presence, international financial institutions and non-governmental groups (including environmental and industry) to address regional POPs problems in a more strategic manner? Please describe those identified.

Question 1

Every country should accelerate actions to:

• Identify the sources that generate POPs
• Incorporate the issue of POPs in the environmental agenda
• Identify the institutional infrastructure to address the problems
• Establish the similarities of problems in the region
• Define priorities at regional level
• Implement necessary legal action
• Identify which is the most adequate technology and have a inventory of countries which have the same technology
• Benefit from the installed capacity
• Continue to elaborate national profiles
• Establish a directory to access the information through Internet
• Promote regional capacity-building through countries which have experience on the issue

Question 2

The following regional networks were identified:

• Internet
• CEPIS
• Universities (Venezuela and Mexico have centres for information in toxicology)

Question 3

Problems common to the region are:

• Lacking information and capacity-building
• Reduced laboratory capacity
• Insufficient legislation
• Need for common action with government and industry
• Public awareness

Question 4

The following problems could be more efficiently addressed through regional cooperation:

• Identify and train personnel for regional laboratories
• Identify countries which have technology to organize meetings
• Solve problems in the short and the long term

Question 5

Countries could work together to

• Exchange publications on technical and industrial matters
• Establish databases

Question 6

The following regional for a should be involved:

• Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) members in the region
• CARICOM
• EPA
• Latin American Group for Trade (GRULAC)
• Programme for Environment and Health in Central American Peninsula (MASICA)
• Promote political will to accelerate process

Question 7

Opportunities to build parthership were identified, e.g.

• Collaboration with Canadian International Agency (CIDA) and other International Organizations.
• Establish a foundation for technical and financial assistance similar to that established for the implementation of Montreal Protocol

Working Group Pesticides

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 further 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?

Possible National Actions and Strategies to Address Relevant POPs Issues

Guidance Questions:

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. What steps do countries need to undertake in order to prepare national positions for the upcoming POPs convention negotiations? E.g.,

- Inter-ministerial consensus-building efforts; and

- Meetings with stakeholders

Possible Regional Cooperation to Manage POPs

Guidance Questions:

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

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

3. What are some of the POPs-related problems that are common to a number of countries to the region?

4. Of the problems identified, which could be addressed more efficiently through regional co-operation?

5. How might countries in the region work together more effectively to address POPs-related problems? (This response should not be limited to those problems addressed in questions 3 and 4.)

6. Which regional international fora are, could or should be involved in POPs issues? Are the fora currently engaged in POPs issues sufficient to deal with the most significant problems? Are their efforts co-ordinated effectively? Should other fora be encouraged to become engaged?

7. Are there opportunities to build partnerships among the countries in the region, regional intergovernmental organizations, technical international organizations with regional presence, international financial institutions and non-governmental groups (including environmental and industry) to address regional POPs problems in a more strategic manner? Please describe those identified.

A guide was distributed containing questions, among others, on sources and releases of pesticides which are POPs in the countries of the sub-region, on the levels of concentration of POPs and on the capacity to evaluate the emissions and exposure to POPs.

It was agreed that the discussion would focus on pesticides included in the "dirty dozen" list of the 12 POPs which are internationally acknowledged: aldrin, clordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene.

It was also agreed to focus the discussion on the following subject matters: production, prohibition, legal exceptions allowing use, inventories, environmental impact assessment, accidents and spills. illegal use, residues, legal and illegal imports and exports, difficulties in the management and final disposal of these substances.

Fourteen countries had the opportunity of commenting on their current circumstances regarding the above subject matters: Brazil, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica, Trinidad y Tobago, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Barbados and Belize.

The comments made by each country are summarized in a table, which is attached. There were several coincidences in countries experiences regarding POPs pesticides, particularly regarding the following aspects:

1. These countries do not produce the pesticides included in the 12 "dirty dozen" POPs list.

2. The use and import of these pesticides is banned or restricted by law in these countries, except for public health reasons such as malaria eradication. However, illegal use and imports have been detected in some instances.

3. Many countries do not have inventories of these substances.

According to the above, there was agreement on the need to strengthen the capacity of countries at several levels (national, regional and internationally) regarding the following:

2. Identify the risks and promote awareness on them.

3. Identify and assess sources and producers (both current and historic).

9. Strengthen the capacity of national authorities to continually monitor the existence, import, use and final disposal of these substances.

10. Establish laboratories and qualify personnel to identify and to adequately manage these substances. Establish links with existing laboratories in the region, to assist countries that do not have laboratories of this kind.

12.Strengthen international cooperation (technical and financial assistance) regarding adequate packaging, spill management, environmental impact assessments and return-to-sender/producer practices.

- The timely response to the UNEP questionnaire on POPs.

17.Active participation by countries of the region in the technical working group in charge of selecting criteria for the inclusion of new POPs in the list.