Transcript Hot spots: Obsolete pesticides/POPs waste

ELENA MANVELYAN, AWHHE, ARMENIA
IPEN General Assembly &
Global Toxics-Free Future Forum
Almaty, Kazakhstan
18th – 22nd October, 2010
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Great number of unsafe and obsolete pesticides (OPs)
were accumulated across the world threatening human
health and the environment
The total estimated volume of OPs in the Central and
Eastern Europe ( new member states, the accession
countries, EECCA) – more than 200,000 tons
Obsolete pesticides although banned since many years, are
still presented in the environment and in agricultural
products
OPs seriously risk undermining agricultural trade between
the EU and non-EU countries from the former Soviet Union.
OPs could wash into floodwaters
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Designed in late 70-ties
Created in 1982; clay lock 2,5 m
Contains more then 500 tones of pesticides
Persistent organochlorines toxic chemicals (POPs)
compose more than 60% DDT, HCH etc.
Located on the top of the hill, 800 meters away from two
villages
Location in the active landslide area
The landslide has been dislocated about 12,5m since 1982
Currently belongs to Yerevan district
Landslide Area
Around the Burial
View of the Obsolete
Pesticides Burial
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Sharing Global day of action on POPs in Armenia, UNIDO through
IPEP, 2004
Toxic Chemical risk assessment and POPs awareness, information
sharing IPEN, Jenifer Altman and Mitchell Kapor Foundation; Tides
Foundation. 2001, 2004, 2005)
Environmental security for residents of Ararat Oblast; a burial site of
obsolete and banned pesticides in Armenia. IPEP, 2004-2005
Towards Toxic Free Future 4 steps, USAID, 2004-2007
Moving Towards Pesticide Reduction Usage. GGF, 2005
Empowering the Armenian public to take actions towards
Environmentally sound waste management IPEN, 2006
SAICM- Global Commitment to Protect Health and the Environment
IPEN. 12.08- 03.09
Scaling up Experience in Improvement of Chemical Safety to
Contribute to Poverty Reduction in Rural Armenia. EU, 2010-2011.
Joint project with ARNIKA
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Out of 150 samples of the soil, water, vegetations
35,3% contained DDT, DDE, HCCH in levels from 3 to
1000 times exceeding “permitted” levels
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Out of 42 samples of breast milk 100% contained
DDT, DDE, HCCH in levels from traces till 0,3 mg/l (for
cow milk permitted level 0.05mg/l)
(AWHHE, 2004)
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Monitoring
Research
Advocacy campaign
Mass media campaign
Lobbing policy makers
Networking with national NGOs and IOs
Collaboration with the Government, Academy institutions
and International missions in Armenia
Fundraising
Highlighting the crosscutting nature of the problem
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Media coverage
Public hearing in Brussels 2003 and 2010
Governmental decision on ensuring of pesticides
burial site safety April,2004
AWHHE membership in interagency commission and
working groups
Lobbying with OSCE to include burial site in their
agenda, providing expertise
Involvement of NGO network in the activities
Implementation of grant projects
Organization of the regional conference in 2007 with
participation of IPEN experts
Partnership for Achieving
Chemical Safety in
Armenia
Regional Conference
29-31, October, 2007
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Research activities of AWHHE (sampling, publications, etc)
Public education campaigns brochure, booklets, posters,
workshops
Experience and produced materials shared through IPEN
and WECF networks
AWHHE technical and informational assistance to an
international independent organization and experts (May,
2006; April, 2010) to carry out a preliminary assessment of
the pesticides storage sites in Armenia
Participation in international events, supported by IPEN
and WECF: new contacts, collaboration and followed up
activities
Mini Public Hearing
in Brussels, 2010
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Initiative to raise attention to OPs problem, get obsolete
pesticides on the European agenda and aim at a
permanent international cooperation instrument
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There are available alternatives www.ipen.org to waste incineration
for destruction of POPs pesticides:
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Gas Phase Chemical Reduction
Sodium reduction
Base Catalysed Dechlorination
Solvated electron
Electrochemical
Copper Mediated Destruction
Super-critical water oxidation
Ball milling
These alternative technologies were already used to clean up
contaminated sites in Central and Eastern Europe
Some of them are expensive, but there are also available emerging
cheaper technologies close to commercial scale operation
Use of these technologies to clean up more sites will make them
even more accessible to developing countries and countries with
economies in transition
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Final solution to the burial site problem should be the
responsibility of the Government through support by an
international organization/company with proven experience
in this field in countries with similar conditions as in
Armenia.
The company should have internationally recognized
permits for destruction of the pesticides waste.
The construction of a plant for treatment and destruction of
obsolete pesticides in Armenia is not reasonable taking into
account the high costs for construction.
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Health and environmental risk assessment in the close
located villages should be carried out
A specific monitoring program should be established and
implemented accordingly
Public participation in decision making including public
hearing is strongly recommended
The Nubarashen emergency
burial site is not the only
POPs/Pesticides burial site
in Armenia: the problem of clean
up and elimination of other OP
stockpiles in Armenia should
be solved together with
burial site problem
THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION!