Transcript MEXICO’S PAST SUCCESS: CHLORDANE, DDT AND PCBs

MEXICO’S PAST SUCCESS: CHLORDANE,
DDT AND PCBs
DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH ON CHEMICAL
SUBSTANCES AND ECOTOXICOLOGICAL RISKS
INE-SEMARNAT
Mario Yarto-Ramírez; José Castro-Díaz; Arturo Gavilán-García
229th ACS National Meeting
March 15th, 2005
CONTENT
I
INTRODUCTION
II
METHODOLOGY
III
RESULTS FROM IMPLEMENTATION
IV
CONCLUSIONS
I INTRODUCTION
I INTRODUCTION
A well-known group of toxic chemicals are classified as persistent
organic pollutants (POPs).
Their properties include:
• high toxicity
•persistence in the environment
•long-range transport in the atmosphere
•accumulation in fatty tissue.
Direct contact with POPs can result in acute effects; accidents with
POPs used as pesticides or as raw materials for industrial
processes have killed workers or made them seriously ill after
different kinds of exposure.
I INTRODUCTION
North American Free Trade
Agreement, 1994
North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation (NAAEC)
(NAFTA)
Canada, Mexico & The United
States
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CCA)
Sound Management of Chemicals Initiative (SMOC),
1995
Task Forces
North American Regional Action Plans (NARAPs)
DDT; Chlordane; PCBs; Mercury; Dioxins, Furans &
Hexachlorobenzene; Monitoring & Assessment
Task Forces for each NARAP
Government, Industry, Academy & NGOs
Monitoring & Assessment (CENICA)
I INTRODUCTION
The SMOC project of the CEC was created as an ongoing
initiative to reduce the risks of toxic substances to human
health and the environment in North America. The project
provides a forum for:
a) identifying priority chemical pollution issues of regional
concern
b) developing of NARAPs to address these priority issues
c) overseeing the implementation of approved NARAPs
d) facilitating and encouraging capacity building & to
facilitate cooperation on tri-national agreements and
actions for reducing chemical pollution in North
America.
I INTRODUCTION
PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPs)
UNEP
Substances Included in NARAPs
Aldrin
Chlordane
Chlordane
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Dieldrin
DDT
DDT
Mercury
Endrin
Dioxins &
Heptachlor
Hexachlorobenzene
Mirex
Toxafen
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Dioxins &
Furans
Furans
Hexachlorobenzene
II METHODOLOGY
II METHODOLOGY
•
Resolution 95-05 of the NAAEC calls for the development of
NARAPs for selected persistent and toxic substance.
•
Each Action Plan is unique and do reflect the differentiated
responsibilities of each of the countries, consistent with their
respective production, use, and disposal practices for the
particular substance.
•
The Working Group delegates a temporary Task Force for
implementation: government, industry, environment, and
academia.
•
Once the NARAP is approved by the Task Force, it is forwarded
to the SMOC and when approved and by the CEC Council, the
SMOC Working Group typically forms an Implementation Task
Force (ITF).
II METHODOLOGY
•
Once the ITF is formed, it will develop an Implementation Work
Plan, in which it will set priorities for implementation of actions,
estimate costs of implementing the actions, develop a schedule
and determine roles and responsibilities.
•
Delegates of the Parties to the Task Force are responsible for
conveying
the
Implementation
Plan
and
tracking
implementation of actions domestically. In case of Chlordane,
DDT and PCBs, Mexico developed several actions to
accomplish with the respective NARAP.
RESULTS
FROM
III
IMPLEMENTATION
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
Chlordane

Chlordane was originally introduced in
Mexico for extensive use in agriculture. In
recent years, however, use of this pesticide
has been limited to termite control in
certain wood products.

In 1997, a NARAP was developed as a
basis for coordinated regional action to
eliminate the use of chlordane in Canada,
Mexico, and the United States.
III




RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
In 1970, chlordane was used for pest management in corn and
sorghum.
In 1988, its uses were restricted to termite control in urban areas.
From 1992 to 1996, 212.8 tonnes of chlordane were imported into
Mexico, imported from the US as a technical product.
There is little data available on the amplitude of contamination or on
the degree of human or biotic exposure to chlordane.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
In
1996,
communication
with
CICOPLAFEST was established to
determine status and steps to be taken.
In
1996, contact with the importing and
formulating company, with a view to
arranging for the suspension of imports
and cancellation of the product’s
registration once the remaining stocks
were used up.
Two
pest controllers´ associations
were contacted in order to get more
information about chlordane generation,
uses and management.
A
list of researchers working in Mexico
on topics related to termites and their
control was compiled.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
1996, the pamphlet “Todo lo que usted debe saber sobre el
chlordano y su situación en America del Norte” was published.
In
In
1997, a workshop on pesticides for termite control was held.
Alternative
termite control methods and possible substitutes for
chlordane were evaluated: physical barriers, predators, rotation,
magnets, Breaking up mounds and queen removal.
Use
Its
of chlordane in Mexico is currently illegal.
phase-out is now complete, as the only
company holding a chlordane active ingredient
registration stopped importing it in 1997 and had
no stocks by 1999.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
DDT




DDT was introduced in Mexico in the early 1950s for its use in
agriculture.
In the 1970s, DDT use in agriculture production began to decline as
result of environmental concerns and the introduction of stricter limits
on foods.
By 1997, DDT was registered in Mexico only for use in governmentsponsored public health campaigns against malaria transmission & was
restricted to selective applications in dwellings.
There was only one private company producing DDT in Mexico, and its
production was subject to government approval.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
In
the 1940s and 1950s, malaria was one of the main causes of
mortality, responsible for an average of 24,000 deaths annually and
afflicting an estimated 2.4 million others.
In
recent years, the incidences of malaria have declined to less than
5,000 cases. Since 1982 there have been no deaths from malaria.
The
reduction programme included:
 community participation in the environmental management of
mosquitoes
the use of bacilli and nematodes to control the insects
improving the Mexican Health Secretariat’s surveillance, diagnosis
and treatment system.
Through
the NARAP, Mexico had committed to a declination on DDT
production to 600 tonnes by 1999 and finally stopping its use by 2002.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
Tonnes
Year
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
Sonora
Sinaloa
Comarca lagunera
North of Tamaulipas
Tierra caliente
El Soconusco
Use of DDT until 1999
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Most of the PCBs present in Mexico were manufactured in The
U.S., Europe and Japan, and were being imported by Mexico even
during the 1980s.

It is estimated that Mexico imported about 13,000 metric tonnes of
liquid PCBs.

Although they are no longer manufactured in North America, and
their use is highly restricted in Canada, Mexico and the United
States, large quantities of PCBs are still in use in electrical
equipment.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION

Since 1994, six companies were
authorized for PCBs destruction via
incineration and five were still authorized
by the end of 2000. Nowadays, 22
companies are authorized for treatment of
oil/materials polluted with PCBs.

8569 tonnes of PCBs were authorized for
exportation and incineration by the second
semester of year 2000, but only 6,909
tonnes were sent to the Netherlands
(48%), Finland (29%) and in small
percentage to France, England & Spain.

Almost 500 tonnes of PCBs were exported
to the U.S. until 1997.
III
RESULTS FROM
IMPLEMENTATION

3000 tonnes of the PCBs exported were property of “Luz y Fuerza
del Centro”, “Petróleos Mexicanos” & “Comisión Federal de
Electricidad” all of them companies that belong to the Mexican
Government.

Almost 300 tonnes of PCBs were treated in Mexico.

In December, 2001 a Mexican regulation for PCBs management
“NOM-133-ECOL-2000” was published. It establishes that PCB
materials have to be disposed of, as maximum, in a period of nine
months after being stored as hazardous wastes.
IV CONCLUSIONS
IV CONCLUSIONS

As a result of NARAP activities, chlordane and DDT are not
longer used or manufactured in Canada, Mexico or the United
States.

PCBs wastes are currently being disposed according to specific
regulations and will be substituted in the remaining electric
equipment for safer substances.

Mexico’s institutional capacities for monitoring and analyzing
chemicals in the environment have been strengthened in terms
of information systems and actions to reduce the risks of toxic
substances.

The design and implementation of a chlordane and DDT
sampling and analysis plan for Mexico is included under the
Regional Action Plan on Monitoring and Assessment, currently
under development.
IV CONCLUSIONS

This experience has demonstrated the great benefits of regional
cooperation when priority is given to the management and
control of toxic substances of mutual concern.

Mexico has eliminated chlordane and DDT use completely.

Current field studies at selected sites in Mexico are being
coordinated by INE. These studies are geared towards
measuring a number of POPs including chlordane, DDT and
PCBs.

Furthermore, and in compliance with international initiatives
such as the Basel and Stockholm Conventions, Mexico has had
the opportunity to take advantage of this regional cooperation
and share the experience and expertise gained.
Thank you for your attention!
[email protected]