Albania

Sharra dumpsite and awareness-raising campaign on POPs in wastes in Albania

1ALB   Sharra Dump in Albania  .pdf 535KB

Environmental Center for Development, Education and Networking Center (EDEN Center)

This activity produced both a public awareness-raising campaign and a report describing a POPs hotspot on the Sharra dumpsite. EDEN Center launched a public awareness-raising campaign highlighting the importance of decisions taken about POPs waste within policy strategies at both the national and international levels. It involved translation of materials into the Albanian language and dissemination to key stakeholders and media. The hotspot report used a waste site as an example by describing the history, current situation and recommendations for future treatment of the Sharra dumpsite. The dump contains municipal and hazardous waste and is always on fire creating concerns regarding dioxin and furan formation.

Outputs:
Hotspot report on the Sharra dumpsite
Translated information materials prepared by the hub into the Albanian language and provided for their dissemination.

Keywords:
POPs hotspots, Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Waste management and POPs; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBS)

Albania

Country situation report on POPs in Albania

2ALB   Albania Country Situation Report  .pdf 647KB

Environmental Center for Development, Education and Networking Center (EDEN Center) and Arnika

The report explains the sources and types of POPs in Albania and the damage caused by them, including studies describing the contamination of the environment, food, breast milk and blood. In addition, the report covers the results of six new monitoring samples collected by EDEN Center and Arnika from soil and chicken eggs gathered near POPs hotspots. This is the first report to comprehensively describe the POPs situation in Albania.

Outputs:
Country situation report
Analysis of six samples (soil and chicken eggs) from hotspots for organochlorine pesticides
Photos of Albanian hotspots

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes; Monitoring and assessment

Albania

Pesticide contamination in an abandoned chemical plant

3ALB   Lindane and Chromium Contamination at Porto Romano  .pdf 773KB

Environmental Center for Development, Education and Networking Center (EDEN Center)

EDEN Center prepared a hotspot report on a destroyed chemical plant near Durres which formerly produced Lindane and dichromate. The report describes the history of the site, proposed remediation schemes, chemical characterization, access to environmental information, and environmental, socioeconomic and health consequences. The study also included analysis of chicken eggs collected from chickens grazing near the plant which showed high levels of the beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and Lindane. Another sampling of mud also showed high levels of the beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and Lindane. The results of the sampling confirm this hotspot as one of the most contaminated POPs hotspots in the Balkan region.

Outputs:
Hotspot report
Photos of hotspot
Preparation of leaflet on the hotspot and distribution of 1,000 copies
Analysis of two samples for organochlorine pesticides

Keywords:
POPs hotspots; New POPs, Monitoring and assessment, Obsolete pesticides

Argentina

Country situation report on POPs in Argentina

1ARG   Argentina Country Situation English Summary  .pdf 336KB

1ARG   Argentina Country Situation Report Spanish  .pdf 2,378KB

Taller Ecologista

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Argentina with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include: a description of POPs named in the Convention; sources, levels and harms; citizen participation and public awareness; ratification of the Treaty; alternatives to POPs; new POPs; and recommendations concerning inventories. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information required by NGOs in Argentina that they will need to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns, and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations. Taller Ecologista participates in the Citizen's Antiincineration Coalition (www.noalaincineración.org), and this network and the Citizen National Coalition against PCBs played an important role in the public awareness activities around the dissemination of the report. This is the first citizen-prepared national report on the Stockholm Convention and POPs situation in Argentina.

Outputs:
Report on the country situation (English summary and full report in Spanish)
Dissemination of the report to POPs stakeholders

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes

Argentina

Capacity building to strengthen community participation in the implementation of the Stockholm Convention, focusing on children's chemical safety

2ARG   Capacity Building and Comm Participation  .pdf 341KB

Asociación Argentina de Médicos por el Medio Ambiente (AAMMA)

AAMMA coordinated and performed training workshops for pediatricians on POPs health effects as they relate to children. Workshops were implemented in three different regions of Argentina: Neuquén City, Neuquén Province (central region), San Salvador City, Jujuy Province (northern region), and Río Gallegos City, Santa Cruz Province (southern region). Each workshop involved two complete days: one training day for pediatricians and a second training day bringing together different stakeholders in the community and ending with an open panel to consider the regional problems created by POPS exposure and possible implementation of solutions. Topics included POPs health effects; information on the NIP; diagnosis of the local POPs situation; and new emerging diseases and POPs. Presenters also included the Stockholm Convention focal point; officials from the Ministry of Public Health; and coordination with Argentine Society of Pediatrics of Jujuy Province.

Outputs:
Three training workshops for pediatricians and local communities
Distribution of training materials at workshops (three books and a flyer)
Public dissemination through newspapers, radio and TV

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Health and ecosystem impacts

Argentina

Participation in the Argentina National Implementation Plan (NIP) of the Stockholm Convention focusing on children's chemical safety

3ARG   Participation in Argentina NIP  .pdf 334KB

3ARG   AAMMA Flyer NIP  .pdf 84KB

Asociación Argentina de Médicos por el Medio Ambiente (AAMMA)

This project activity supported AAMMA's participation in the NIP and dissemination of activities in NIP preparation to other NGOs. AAMMA provided a public interest and physician perspective in NIP participation and promoted a policy that included indicators of children's chemical safety; sharing information; and developing options for taking effective precautionary actions from established chemical threats and from chemical risks. The activity achieved its goal, which was to assure a fair balance between the entire NIPs' representatives and reflect the capacity, needs and wishes of the national stakeholders, assuring not only a space of participation, but also the access to information, training and awareness opportunities. Information was posted on the AAMMA website at www.aamma.org.

Outputs:
Summary report on NIP participation

Keywords:
Policy and legislation

Argentina

Opportunities for moving toward non-incineration medical waste treatment in Latin America

4ARG   MedWaste in Latin America English Summary  .pdf 361

ARG_4 Spanish MedWaste in Latin America.pdf

Health Care Without Harm Latin America and Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives

This activity produced a booklet that, in practical terms, described a system to prevent POPs formation by segregating medical waste and utilizing alternatives to medical waste incineration. The booklet provided health care workers with guidance regarding how to improve waste management within their facilities, as well as ensure that people in charge of healing will no longer be a source of health-harming pollutants. Two workshops in Entre Rios and Bariloche for hospital personnel, nurses and NGOs helped disseminate the information. It was also distributed in the Latin America region among HCWH and IPEN members. Finally, it will hopefully be a useful tool for NGOs, citizens and civil society groups to push for better health care waste management in their communities.

Outputs:
Booklet (in Spanish)
Report on activities (summary in English and full report in Spanish)
Workshops

Keywords:
Waste management and POPs; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Alternatives to practices that use or generate POPs

Argentina

Spanish translation of Dirty Dozen magazine articles for the special issue on POPs

6ARG   [no file]

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

Cecilia Allen from GAIA Argentina translated articles from the Dirty Dozen Magazine into Spanish for the special edition of the Dirty Dozen Magazine that was distributed at the First Conference of Parties of the Stockholm Convention in Punta del Este, Uruguay in May 2005. The artistic magazine uses language that is easy to understand to raise awareness on a broad range of topics related to the Stockholm Convention and POPs. Topics included POPs pesticides and stockpiles, dioxin inventories, Convention implementation strategies, DDT and malaria, new POPs, body burdens, and cultural impacts on Indigenous Peoples.

Outputs:
Spanish translation of the Dirty Dozen Magazine

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising

Argentina

Global day of action on POPs in Argentina

7ARG   Citizen Anti Incin Letter Spanish  .pdf 34KB

7ARG   Citizen Anti Incineration Coalition GDA English  .pdf 329KB

7ARG   Citizen GDA Press  .pdf 70KB

Acción por la Biodiversidad and Citizen´s Anti-Incineration Coalition

Activities included the preparation and distribution of a press release on the global launch of the release of The Egg Report, putting specific emphasis on the POPs releases from waste incinerators and the need to take action to eliminate those toxic releases. Translated copies of the IPEN Egg Report were delivered to local and regional governments throughout the country, and a letter was sent to the Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development. The letter reminded officials of the promise made by the Argentine government when ratifying the POPs treaty. The letter called for taking the measures to minimize and eliminate POPs, highlighted the existence of incinerator alternatives that do not produce POPs, and urged the government to phase out waste incineration and implement alternatives for waste management. Other members of the Coalition made special presentations on radio shows on the launch of the IPEN Egg Report.

Outputs:
Dissemination of the Egg Report
Preparation and delivery of a letter to government officials
Radio show presentations

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Waste management and POPs

Argentina

Global day of action on POPs in Argentina

8ARG   CETAAR Argentina GDA English  .pdf 329KB

Centro de Estudios sobre Tecnologías Apropiadas de la Argentina (CETAAR)

Centro de Estudios sobre Tecnologías Apropiadas de la Argentina (CETAAR) was the NGO organizer of the activities in the locality of Marcos Paz. The activity also included other NGOs: Frente Grande, Movimiento Plátano, Partido Obrero and Grupo Vecinos de Marcos Paz por un Ambiente Sano. There were press releases for TV and national and local media, a fact sheet and leaflets printed and distributed in a local fair and other communities, and a children's puppet theatre was conducted. The issues discussed included the problem of solid waste, the local incinerator as a source of POPs, and the obligations of the Stockholm Convention. Several schools in the area requested the materials for follow-up activities.

Outputs:
Summary of activities (English and Spanish)
Media press releases and outreach
Fact sheet and leaflets
Children's puppet threatre

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Waste management and POPs

Armenia

Monitoring of PCB levels in environmental media in the Republic of Armenia and the identification of hotspots

1ARM   Armenia PCBs Monitoring English Summary  .pdf 354KB

Ecotox

This report monitored PCBs in a total of 50 samples of environmental media and food in five regions of Armenia (Lori, Tavush, Kotaik, Syunik and Ararat). The results suggested the countrywide contamination of Armenia by residual levels of PCBs. PCBs levels were several times higher in soil samples taken in areas with large industrial facilities and power plants. These findings suggest the facilities continue to use PCBs-containing liquids. Almost two-fold higher levels of PCBs were found in water reservoirs in territories of industrialized areas of Armenia.

Outputs:
Report on PCB monitoring (English summary and full report in Russian)
Submission of results for incorporation into NIP

Keywords:
PCBs; Monitoring and assessment; Inventories and data collection; POPs hotspots; Health and ecosystem impacts

Armenia

Environmental security for residents of Aarat Oblast; a burial site of obsolete and banned pesticides in Armenia

2ARM   Armenia Pesticides Aarat booklet_1  .pdf 172KB

2ARM   Armenia Safety Pesticides Russian  .pdf 556KB

ARM_2 Armenia Safety Pesticides  .pdf 338KB

Women of Armenia for Health and Healthy Environment

This study analyzed in a total of 23 soil, water, breast milk and food samples in settlements close to a large DDT burial site uncovered by a landslide. DDT and Lindane were found in all samples of breast milk and cow milk. Some breast milk samples contained levels of DDT that were six times higher than permitted levels of the pesticide in cow's milk. Results of the survey suggest that the safety of the pesticide burial site has not yet been ensured, despite the Governmental Resolution on the matter. High concentrations of organochlorine pesticides were found at the territory of the burial site and in sampling points at distances up to 50 m from the site. These findings suggest infiltration of organochlorine pesticides into soil.

Outputs:
Hotspot report on pesticide burial site (English summary and full report in Russian)
Presentation of results to mass media
Proposals developed for inclusion in NIP
Series of booklets and leaflets prepared and distributed to two target villages

Keywords:
POPs hotspots; Monitoring and assessment; Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Obsolete pesticides; Health and ecosystem impacts

Armenia

Country situation report on POPs in Armenia

3ARM   Armenia Counry Situation Report Russian  .pdf 619KB

ARM_3 Armenia Country Situation Report English Summary  .pdf 398KB

The Centre of Environmental Studies (Armenia)

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Armenia with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include sources of POPs, levels of POPs pollution, damages caused by POPs, legislation and recommendations for the elimination of POPs. The report indicates that the prevailing source of environmental pollution by POPs is industry, including the chemical sector; then agriculture (source of pesticides), energy sector, and unintentional production of toxics during industrial production, fossil fuel combustion and waste generation. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information needed by NGOs in Armenia to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations.

Outputs:
Report on the country situation
Dissemination of the report to POPs stakeholders

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes

Armenia

Global day of action on POPs in Armenia: no incinerators in Armenia

4ARM   Armenia Women GDA English  .pdf 330KB

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE)

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment designed a poster on POPs health hazards and presented information at different levels about potential POPs releases from a planned waste incinerator in Armenia. Specialists of the NGO participated in different events, dealing with incinerator construction issues, including two discussions on the activity "Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Master Plan of Urban Development of Yerevan" (April-May 2005), as well as meetings of the Consultative Council on Solid Municipal Waste Management under the Ministry of Urban Development of Armenia. Information materials on health and environmental hazards of waste incinerators were developed and disseminated.

Outputs:
Summary report on activities
Preparation of a poster and other informational materials
Information dissemination
Participation in two policy discussions

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Waste management and POPs

Armenia

Global day of action on POPs in Armenia: roundtable and painting exhibition

5ARM   Armenia Ecotox GDA English  .pdf 329KB

Ecotox

In the course of the activity, a roundtable with participation of representatives of governmental bodies, research facilities and NGOs was conducted. The roundtable participants discussed problems of POPs pollution in Armenia and associated health impacts. They reviewed informational materials on environmental levels of PCBs and dioxins, and PCBs contamination of food products in the country. Besides that, the NGO organized exhibition of drawings and posters of Yerevan schoolchildren, dedicated to different POPs-associated issues.

Outputs:
Summary report on activities
Roundtable discussion with government officials, research facilities and NGOs
Painting exhibition of drawings and posters about POPs by schoolchildren

Keywords: Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Youth

Armenia

Global day of action on POPs in Armenia: Yerevan State University

6ARM   Armenia Khazer GDA English  .pdf 330KB

Khazer

On April 20, 2005, Khazer initiated and coordinated a seminar for about 100 students and lecturers of Yerevan State University from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Geography and Biology. The seminar organizers informed the audience on the POPs-related situation in Armenia, on the Stockholm Convention and other international initiatives to address POPs-related problems. Specially developed background documents for the seminar were disseminated. Leading experts in the sphere of chemical pollution were invited to participate in the seminar. Separately, on May 12 and 13, 2005, in the framework of the activity, seminars for school teachers of Yerevan were conducted in the State Museum of Natural History of Armenia. The seminars were attended by representatives of the National Education Institute and about 60 teachers of secondary schools. These seminars focused on existing methods to raise environmental awareness of schoolchildren, particularly in the sphere of health and environmental impacts of POPs. All participants in the above seminars admitted that similar public awareness-raising events are important for the discussion of issues associated with health and environmental impacts of POPs, including their impacts of children's health and the prevention of child diseases, caused by chemical contamination.

Outputs: Summary report on activities
Seminar at Yerevan State University
Seminar at the State Museum of Natural History

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Youth

Armenia

Environmentally sound waste management

7ARM   Enviro Sound Waste Mgt in Armenia  .pdf 438KB

Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE)

AWHHE presented policy positions on waste management to governmental decision makers responsible for solid waste management in Armenia, and they participated in public hearings on solid waste management. A seminar and a roundtable with participation of representatives of governmental authorities, local residents and non-governmental organizations were organized. Issues of solid waste management in Armenia including alternatives to incineration were discussed. Special attention was paid to the elimination of dioxin sources in Armenia and employing a zero-waste approach and sustainable waste management. The third part of the activity focused on preparation and distribution of informational materials including booklets, posters and newsletters on POPs sources in Armenia and their impact on human health and the environment, including working with media, meetings with governmental authorities and community members. Appeals to authorities on matters of addressing the problem of solid waste management, the need to use alternatives to incineration and a zero-waste approach were prepared. AWHHE participated in the preparation of a documentary on solid waste impact on human health and the environment. The documentary will be shown on Armenian national TV. AWHHE also participated in a live TV program on solid waste management.

Outputs:
Summary report on activities
Meeting with government officials
Seminar and roundtable discussion on waste management
Preparation of booklets, posters and newsletters on POPs sources
Preparation of documentary on solid waste
Dissemination of materials and participation in live TV program

Keywords:
Waste management and POPs; Policy and legislation; Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Alternatives to practices that use or generate POPs

Armenia

Identification of potential sources of dioxins and furans in Armenia and elaboration of recommendations aimed at reducing their negative impact on human health and the environment

8ARM   Dioxin Sources in Armenia  .pdf 331KB

Ecotox

The goal of the activity was to identify potential sources of dioxin/furan releases, their description and the preparation of proposals aimed to reduce their negative impacts on human health and the environment. The study compared calculated dioxin emissions using the UNEP Toolkit and the emission factors from the scientific literature described by the RAPAM - Owltree Consulting report for IPEN. Calculated dioxin emissions to air and soil were significantly higher using the Toolkit for the following sources: open burning of household waste, landfill fires, forest fires, and open burning of agricultural residues. Activity outcomes were communicated to government authorities.

Outputs:
Report on dioxin sources in Armenia

Keywords:
Inventories and data collection; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs)

Azerbaijan

Public environmental inventory of pesticides in the Republic of Azerbaijan and organization of a public movement for their elimination

1AZE   Pesticides in Azerbaijan English Summary  .pdf 333KB

Ruzgyar

The study conducted field visits to specific districts of the country and found local pesticide storage facilities had been liquidated in connection with the privatization of lands of former collective and state farms. The most hazardous conditions were found at the site for liquidation of banned and obsolete pesticides (at a distance of 54 km from Baku). Concrete containers for highly toxic pesticides and chemicals were opened and toxic substances were scattered at the site area. Residents of the nearby villages still apply these chemicals to their land plots. The study also included an independent analysis of statistical data on population morbidity in connection with pesticide application. The findings were discussed at a seminar entitled "Pesticides and the Environment," which was conducted with the participation of representatives of NGOs, municipalities, relevant governmental bodies (the Ministry of Agriculture, the Public Health Ministry, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources) and mass media outlets.

Outputs:
Report on hotspot identification of obsolete pesticides inventory
50-page brochure on pesticides, environment and public was prepared and distributed
Seminar with NGOS, relevant government ministries to discuss results

Keywords:
Obsolete pesticides; POPs hotspots; Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Policy and legislation

Azerbaijan

Global day of action on POPs in Azerbaijan

   2AZE   Azerbaijan GDA English  .pdf 329KB

Ruzgyar

Ruzgyar organized a field visit to the site for the elimination of banned and obsolete pesticides with participation of representatives of the Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources and Agriculture, public health professionals, academic community members, mass media outlets and NGOs. The field visit participants made a video recording demonstrating the sanitary and environmental situation at the site. The NGO organized a press conference dedicated to "Pesticides, Environment and Health." The press conference participants noted that in order to address POPs-related environmental problems it is necessary: to develop inter-sectoral and inter-agency partnerships for improvement of the POPs elimination site, to implement a detailed POPs inventory in the country, to identify "hotspothotspots," to transport obsolete pesticides to the "burial site," and to raise public awareness of POPs-related problems. Results of the event were covered by newspaper articles and presentations. On behalf of the NGO group, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Economic Development of Azerbaijan, requesting assistance for reconstruction of the site for elimination of obsolete pesticides.

Outputs:
Summary report on activities
Field visit to obsolete pesticides site
Outreach to media and press conference
Letter to Ministry of Economic Development

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Obsolete pesticides; POPs Hotspots; Policy and legislation

Azerbaijan

Country situation report on POPs in Azerbaijan

3AZE   Azerbaijan Country Situation Report  .pdf 367KB Ruzgyar

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Azerbaijan with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include sources of POPs, country capacity for the management and elimination of POPs; activities needed to meet Convention requirements, and NGO proposals for POPs elimination. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information needed by NGOs in Azerbaijan to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns, and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations.

Outputs:
Country situation report

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes

Bangladesh

Country situation report on POPs in Bangladesh

1BGD   Bangladesh Country Situation Report  .pdf 543KB

Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Bangladesh with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include historical and current uses and sources of POPs pesticides and PCBs; dumping of wastes, sources and properties of dioxins and furans; importation of POPs pesticides; health effects of POPs; and relevant policies and regulations. ESDO also conducted a survey of farmers' use of POPs pesticides in Bangladesh, which revealed heptachlor, dieldrin, DDT and chlordane are still being utilized. It concludes with NGO policy recommendations on eliminating POPs. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information required by NGOs in Bangladesh needed to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns, and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations.

Outputs:
Report on the country situation
Farmers' survey included in report
Dissemination of the report to POPs stakeholders

Key Words:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes; Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Pesticides, agriculture and integrated pest management; Policy and legislation; Inventories and data collection; PCBs; Waste management and POPs

Bangladesh

Assess and identify the POPs hotspots in Bangladesh

2BGD   POPs Hotspots in Bangladesh  .pdf 386KB

Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)

This report includes a first-of-its-kind mapping of Bangladesh's POPs sites, practices and hotspots. The 12 POPs discussed in this report either arise from industries or are used in agriculture and disease vector control. Nine of these constitute pesticides used on agricultural crops and vector control. Data was collected for remediation purposes and in order to raise public and government awareness regarding POPs-related challenges. The POPs hotspot data included sites, practices and equipment containing PCBs, dioxins and furans. It also listed generators and capacitors, ship breaking sites, waste dumping/landfills, waste incinerators, timber, dyeing, PVC/plastic industry, and others. Also included are DDT, PCB and other pesticide stockpile sites, as well as specific processes generating unintentional POPs. The report revealed Bangladesh's primary POPs hotspots to be concentrated in Dhaka city and the surrounding areas namely Gagipur, Norshindhi, Narayanganj, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylthet and Barishal.

Outputs:
National hotspot mapping
Identification of specific POPS contaminated sites, practices, processes and equipment

Key Words:
POPs Hotspots; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Waste management and POPs; DDT; PCBs; Inventories and data collection

Bangladesh

Public information and capacity building on POPs

3BGD   Public info and cap build in Bangladesh  .pdf 341KB

Association for Community Development (ACD)

This report highlights a POPs information exchange and capacity-building mechanism that was created, increasing overall knowledge to help provide input on policy decisions toward the needs of the environment, community and society. Specific activities included POPs and Stockholm Convention education and capacity-building workshops, advocacy training, formation and mobilization of youth support groups, an awareness-raising campaign which focused on community meetings, a rally, and a public gathering. The aim of these activities was to increase public knowledge about POPs and their impact on public health and increase the capacity of civil society to provide inputs into chemical safety policy.

Outputs:
Formation of youth advocacy groups

Key Words:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Policy and legislation; Youth

Bangladesh

National Level POPs Awareness-Raising and Workshop in Bangladesh

4BGD   National POPs Awareness and Workshop in Bangladesh  .pdf 479KB

Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)

Due to limited knowledge of the adverse effects of POPs, practices such as continued use of POPs pesticides in agriculture, open burning, incineration and others that add to the POPs level are often adopted. In response, ESDO organized a multi-stakeholder (NGO, government, media, industry and civil society) awareness-raising campaign and technical training workshop on POPs, their impact on human health and the environment, and strategies for elimination. The workshop targeted NGOs, government and media, and it resulted in the creation of the Bangladesh POPs Elimination Network (or BPEN), which increased capacity and effectiveness of NGOs and the IPEN network. The activity has also resulted in an awareness-raising multiplier effect through workshop participants communicating knowledge gained at the workshop to other organizations and communities.

Outputs:
Creation of a National POPs network (Bangladesh POPs Elimination Network or BPEN)
Improved new reporting and media efforts to raise awareness among general population
Further dissemination of information and community awareness-raising by BPEN NGOs

Key Words:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Belarus

Country situation report on POPs in Belarus

1BYE   Belarus Country Situation Report English Summary  .pdf 599KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Belarus with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include sources and levels of POPs, damages, NGOs and civil society, laws and government responsibilities, country efforts to deal with POPs, state of implementation, new POPs, alternatives, resources on POPs, and NGO recommendations for the elimination of POPs. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information needed by NGOs in Belarus to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns, and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations.

Outputs:
Country situation report
Dissemination to stakeholders

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes

Belarus

Verkhnedvinsk and Novopolock; two hotspots in Belarus

1BYE   Belarus Novopolotsk Hotspot English Summary  .pdf 354KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

FRI produced two separate reports on POPs hotspots in Belarus: a large petrochemical complex in Novopolock and a dumpsite for obsolete pesticides in Verkhnedvinsk. Topics include physical descriptions of the sites; environmental, social and health consequences; responsible party; plans for cleanup; and NGO recommendations. The report on Novopolock documents extensive chlorinated chemical production and wastes. The report on Verkhnedvinsk describes conditions at this obsolete pesticide dump as catastrophic. Since it is situated near the Daugava River, pollutants can flow into the Baltic Sea. Both sites represent POPs hotspots that need to be considered in the NIP.

Outputs:
Hotspot report on Verkhnedvinsk
Hotspot report on Novopolock
Keywords:

POPs Hotspots; Obsolete pesticides

Belarus

Egg sampling for by-product POPs

2BYE   Belarus_eggsreport  .pdf 451KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

FRI sampled eggs from chickens raised near the Bolshoi Trostenec dumpsite as part of IPEP's global egg sampling project for unintentionally produced POPs. PCBs levels expressed in WHO-TEQs exceeded background levels by more than 10-fold and were four times higher than the proposed European Union (EU) limit for eggs. Levels of dioxins exceeded EU regulatory limits for eggs by almost 1 pg WHO-TEQ/g. The study produced the first data about POPs in chicken eggs in Belarus. Extensive media outreach accompanied the release of the results.

Outputs:
Hotspot and egg sampling report, "Contamination of chicken eggs near the Bolshoi Trostenec dumpsite in Belarus by dioxins, PCBs, and hexachlorobenzene."

Keywords:
POPs Hotspots; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Monitoring and assessment; PCBs

Belarus

Global day of action on POPs in Belarus

3BYE   Belarus Int Acad Ecol GDA English  .pdf 330KB

International Academy of Ecology

The International Academy of Ecology held a roundtable discussion with NGOs, academics, businesses and press on the topic of materials and POPs-in particular: PVC used in construction materials. The topics included the link between PVC and dioxin formation, the growing waste problem, and the need to consider material substitution away from chlorinated plastics as a dioxin reduction practice.

Outputs:
Summary report on activity
Roundtable discussion

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Alternatives to practices that use or generate POPs

Belarus

Dirty Dozen magazine

4BYE   FRI - Dirty Dozen 2005 - Final Report  .pdf 300KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

This artistic magazine uses language that is easy to understand to raise awareness on a broad range of topics related to the Stockholm Convention and POPs for use by NGOs during the First Conference of the Parties in Uruguay. Topics included POPs pesticides and stockpiles, dioxin inventories, Convention implementation strategies, DDT and malaria, new POPs, body burdens, and cultural impacts on Indigenous Peoples. Eighteen IPEN participating organizations wrote articles and the magazine was translated into Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Outputs:
Dirty Dozen Magazine

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Belarus

Global day of action on POPs in Belarus

5BYE   Global Day of Action Belarus  .pdf 329KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

FRI developed an informational website in Russian to supply a wide spectrum of organizations interested in implementation of Stockholm Convention in Belarus with relevant and independent information. The activity also included a press event to present the results of the hotspot report on POPs in eggs.

Outputs:
Summary report on activity
Publicly accessible website in Russian language about POPs
Press event and media outreach

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Guidelines for Stockholm Convention implementation in Belarus

6BYE   Guidelines for Convention Implem in Belarus  .pdf 330KB

6BYE   Guidelines for Convention Implem in Belarus Russian  .pdf 791KB

Foundation for the Realization of Ideas (FRI)

The activity focused on how best to implement the Stockholm Convention in Belarus. Topics covered include the POPs situation, government obligations and practical actions on a local level. FRI also produced informational materials and organized a national NGO workshop on POPs to develop NGO interest and capacity in working on the NIP.

Outputs:
Summary report on activity (English summary and full report in Russian)
National workshop on POPs
Informational materials
Participation in NIP preparation

Keywords:
Policy and legislation; Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Belarus

Cement kilns and POPs

7BYE   Cement Kilns in Belarus  .pdf 358KB

Foundation for Realization of Ideas (FRI)

This report analyzes the potential impact of cement kilns on POPs contamination in Belarus. Topics covered include: manufacturing processes, cement manufacturing in Belarus and sources of dioxins. The topic is relevant to Annex C of the Convention, which lists cement kilns firing hazardous waste as a potential dioxin source.

Outputs:
Policy brief on cement kilns

Keywords:
Policy and legislation; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Waste management and POPs

Belarus

Expert team investigation of brominated flame retardants in Minsk

8BYE   Brominated flame retardants in Belarus  .pdf 329KB

Foundation for Realization of Ideas (Belarus)

The activity assembled an expert team of NGO and government personnel to work on this groundbreaking study, which provided the first data on brominated flame retardants in Belarus. Personnel included representatives of FRI, a representative of the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Public Health, and representatives of Arnika (Czech Republic) and Eco-Accord (Russia) as Steering Committee consultants. The report provides information on characteristics of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and analytical testing results on samples collected from an apartment, office and computer club. The report highlights the potential importance of the problem related to PBDEs in the Minsk area. The investigation is timely, especially because Norway proposed the addition of pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE) to the Convention list of substances in 2005.

Outputs:
PBDE sampling and analysis
Hotspot report on PBDEs

Keywords:
Monitoring and assessment; POPs Hotspots; New POPs

Benin

Awareness-raising on POPs for health and environmental protection

1BEN   Health and Enviro Problems w POPs in Benin French  .pdf 840KB

1BEN   Health and Enviro Problems w POPs in Benin  .pdf 348KB

Organization Béninoise pour la Promotion de l'Agriculture Biologique (OBEPAB)

This activity aimed at reducing POPs production and use in agriculture and in informal services for health and environmental protection. The study identified supply sources of POPs pesticides and surveyed farmers regarding health effects. Educational materials on POPs pesticides were prepared and disseminated to farmers along with information regarding phytosanitary laws and environmental management. Awareness-raising workshops were held in the Zou-Collines town hall with representatives of farmers' organizations, school officers, NGOs, extension workers and municipal advisers. Local radio stations were also used for broadcastings on POPs issues.

Outputs:
Report on activities (summary in English and full report in French)
Preparation and dissemination of awareness-raising materials

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Pesticides, agriculture and integrated pest management

Benin

Training grassroots communities on exposure risks to POPs in the district of Oueme-Benin

2BEN   Training of Grassroots in Benin French  .pdf 542KB

2BEN   Training of Grassroots in Benin  .pdf 337KB

Organization des Femmes pour la Gestion de l'Energie, de l'Environnement et la Promotion du Développement intégré (OFEDI)

The activity mainly aimed to train and to inform communities working in the informal system in the district of Oueme about hazards and risks relating to the direct or indirect exposure to POPs and to lead them to reduce-even to avoid-any substance containing or liable to produce POPs. OFEDI selected representatives to be trained from farmers, market gardeners, welders, car mechanics, and women conserving beans and cereals. The two-day workshop included the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Planning and the Stockholm Convention focal point. Topics covered included the objectives of the Stockholm Convention, sources and health impacts, and control strategies.

Outputs:
Report on activities (summary in English and full report in French)
Preparation and dissemination of awareness-raising materials, posters, and stickers
Awareness-raising and capacity building workhsop

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Pesticides, agriculture and integrated pest management

Benin

Global day of action on POPs in Benin

3BEN   Benin Global Day of Action English  .pdf 369KB

3BEN   Benin Global Day of Action French  .pdf 472KB

Organization des Femmes pour la Gestion de l'Energie, de l'Environnement et la Promotion du Développement intégré (OFEDI)

OFEDI developed informational materials and organized a press conference to inform journalists about POPs and the Stockholm Convention. The global egg sampling results were also shared with all the participants to the press conference.

Outputs:
Summary report on activity
Preparation of informational materials
Press conference

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Brazil

Civil society seminar for development of the National Implementation Plan (NIP) in Brazil

1BRA   Seminar and Mobilizing for the NIP in Brazil  .pdf 216KB

Associação de Combate aos POPs (ACPO)

ACPO held this workshop on January 22 - 23, 2006 in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. The representatives of 20 different Civil Society Organizations met to prepare and discuss the Civil Society contributions to the preparations of the National Implementation Plan (NIP) of the Stockholm Convention. Among the main achievements of the seminar are a group of strategies and actions the participants had identified as key for the mobilization and broader participation of civil society in this process. The strategies and actions are divided into three main groups: pesticides, urban issues and industrial issues, and they are crossed referenced in areas such as education, public right to know, POPs inventory, health impacts on communities and workers, involvement of the Judicial System (such as Public Prosecutors), universities, and politicians. The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health of Brazil helped financially support the workshop. A CD with presentations and recommendations was produced.

Outputs:
Awareness-raising and capacity building workshop
Informational materials including CD of presentations
Summary report of activities

Keywords:
: Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Policy and legislation

Bulgaria

Raise public awareness about POPs destruction in Bulgaria

1BUL   Bulgaria National Haz Waste Treatment English  .pdf 1,210KB

1BUL   Leaflet_on_NHWC Bulgarian  .pdf 460KB

Za Zemiata/For the Earth

Za Zemiata collected and translated general information about hazardous waste treatment, POPs stockpiles, destruction and cleanups in Bulgaria. It published printed materials to raise public awareness about environmentally friendly means of hazardous waste treatment. Another aim of the activity was to support the establishment of a coalition of NGOs, doctors, local initiative committees and trade-unions that discussed the plan to build a National Hazardous Waste Treatment Centre near Stara Zagora. The activity also produced a policy brief on strategies for national POPs stockpile cleanups and destruction, as well as national application of Best Available Techniques to eliminate sources of POPs as by-products.

Outputs:
Preparation and dissemination of informational materials
Public awareness-raising campaign on waste management and alternatives to practices that produce POPs
Policy brief

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Policy and legislation; Waste management and POPs; Alternatives to practices that use or generate POPs

Bulgaria

Conference on pesticide impacts on the Danube and Black Sea region

3BUL   Pesticides Danube Black Sea  .pdf 400KB

National Movement Ecoglasnost - Friends of the Earth Bulgaria (FOE)

FOE organized a workshop on "Pesticide Impacts in the Danube and Black Sea Region" to bring together representatives of different networks (IPEN, PAN, FOE, Global Water Partnership), NGOs and other stakeholders to discuss the possibility for future combined actions in order to reduce POPs contamination and pesticide use and to promote their safe alternatives. Topics included POPs sources, stockpiles, pesticide reduction and monitoring. Participants included stakeholders from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Turkey, UK, and Ukraine.

Outputs:
Summary report of activities
International workshop with wide NGO participation

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising; Pesticides, agriculture and integrated pest management; Policy and legislation

Bulgaria

Global day of action on POPs in Bulgaria: educational workshop

4BUL   Bulgaria Global Day of Action English  .pdf 327KB

National Movement Ecoglasnost - Friends of the Earth Bulgaria (FOE)

FOE organized an educational workshop for journalists, politicians and persons in charge of ecology from local municipalities to discuss the Stockholm Convention, POPs and their sources and health effects, and a review of the situation in Bulgaria.

Outputs:
Summary report of activities
Educational workshop and media outreach

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building, and awareness-raising

Bulgaria

Contamination of chicken eggs from Kovachevo, Bulgaria by dioxins, PCBs and hexachlorobenzene

Bulgarian
5BUL   Bulgaria_eggsreport Bulgarian .pdf 1,401KB

5BUL   Bulgaria_eggsreport  .pdf 722KB

Za Zemiata/For the Earth

Za Zemiata sampled eggs from chickens raised in Kovachevo downwind from a thermal power plant and briquette factory as part of IPEP's global egg sampling project for unintentionally produced POPs. Dioxins in eggs from Kovachevo exceeded European Union (EU) limits by more than 20-fold. Levels of PCBs in eggs exceeded the proposed EU limit by more than 2-fold. Finally, the eggs exceeded the proposed EU limit for WHO-TEQ values. The study produced the first data about POPs in chicken eggs in Bulgaria. Extensive media outreach accompanied the release of the results.

Outputs:
Report: Contamination of chicken eggs from Kovachevo, Bulgaria by dioxins, PCBs and hexachlorobenzene
Extensive media outreach

Keywords:
POPs hotspots; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Monitoring and assessment

Bulgaria

Lindane in Bulgaria

6BUL   Lindane in Bulgaria   .pdf 1,765KB

National Movement Ecoglasnost - Friends of the Earth Bulgaria

The activity was highly relevant, as Mexico had nominated Lindane for inclusion in the Convention in 2005 and Bulgaria produced the pesticide until banned in 1969. NME-FOE collected available information from Bulgaria about Lindane, including production, import/export data, uses (e.g. public places, medical products, and agriculture), disposal, storage facilities and contamination of the environment and humans.

Outputs:
Report on Lindane in Bulgaria

Keywords:
New POPs; POPs Hotspots; Obsolete pesticides

Bulgaria

Country situation report on POPs in Bulgaria

7BUL   Bulgaria Country Situation Report   .pdf 1,582KB

National Movement Ecoglasnost - Friends of the Earth Bulgaria

This report describes and assesses the country situation in Bulgaria with respect to POPs and Stockholm Convention implementation. Topics covered include information on pesticides, obsolete stockpiles, PCBs, and dioxins and furans, as well as evaluating the accessibility of information about POPs. It concludes with NGO policy recommendations on eliminating POPs. The report is a useful reference document that provides the basic information NGOs in Bulgaria will need to prepare awareness-raising activities and materials, identify further areas of investigation, plan campaigns, and prepare for a meaningful role in NIP preparations.

Outputs:
Report on the country situation
Dissemination of the report to stakeholders

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes

Bulgaria

Zero Waste Awareness-raising

8BUL   Zero Waste Case Study in Bulgaria   .pdf 638KB

Romani Baht Foundation

Romani Baht Foundation prepared a report about zero waste practices in Sofia that serves as basic information for discussions about Best Environmental Practices according to Article 5 of the Stockholm Convention. Topics include the waste management program in Sofia and the role of Roma scavengers. The report reveals that the Roma population recycles approximately 42 t/yr of waste. The case study indicates that this diversion of waste from burning prevented the formation of 1-150 mg dioxins/year.

Outputs:
Report on zero waste as Best Environmental Practice to address POPs issue created by waste incineration and/or landfilling of waste

Keywords:
Waste management and POPs; Alternatives to practices that use or generate POPs; Unintentionally produced POPs (dioxins, furans, HCB, PCBs); Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising; Policy and legislation

Burundi

Country situation report on POPs in Burundi

1BDI   Burundi Country Situation Report English  .pdf 350KB

Propreté Environnement Santé (PES)

This report evaluates the general situation of POPs in Burundi, including sources and uses of POPs. In addition, PES conducted six training and awareness workshops for farmers, manufacturers, importers, government officials and NGOs. The workshops covered the content of the Stockholm Convention, chemical management and risks in Burundi, chemicals legislation, and information network on chemicals. The workshops yielded recommendations-including the need for greater public awareness-implemented chemicals legislation, stricter controls on imports, and setting up a sub-regional network on POPs.

Outputs:
Country situation report on POPs in Burundi
Public awareness-raising campaign including six workshops, posters and radio coverage

Keywords:
Country situation reports for contribution to NIP processes; Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising

Burundi

Global day of action on POPs in Burundi

2BDI   Global Day of Action in Burundi  .pdf 312KB
Propreté Environnement Santé (PES)

PES held a press conference for journalists and NGOs concerning the Stockholm Convention, the harms POPs cause and the importance of civil society participation in its implementation. In addition, PES translated Stockholm Convention texts into Kirundi (local language) to make it more accessible to the public. The NGO received governmental approval to broadcast a public-awareness message on the Convention to all TV, radio and print media in both French and Kirundi.

Outputs:
Press conference
Local language translation of Stockholm Convention texts
TV and radio coverage

Keywords:
Public information, education, capacity-building and awareness-raising