Strategic Action Programme
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UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/Inf.7 17 April 2003 ENGLISH MEDITERRANEAN ACTION PLAN Meeting of the MED POL National Coordinators Sangemini, Italy, 27-30 May 2003 STRATEGIC ACTION PROGRAMME REGIONAL INVENTORY QUANTITIES AND USES OF PESTICIDES AND PCBs FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION In cooperation with UNEP Athens, 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Methodology for POPs inventory 1-10 Annex I - Inventories 1-114 Annex II – References 1-12 UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/Inf.7 Page 1 Introduction The Strategic Action Programme (SAP) was elaborated and adopted to facilitate the implementation by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention of the LBS Protocol. Therefore it is designed to assist Parties in taking actions individually or jointly within their respective policies, priorities and resources which will lead to the prevention, reduction, control and/or elimination of the degradation of the marine environment. The issue of POPs, namely, nine chlorinated pesticides and PCBs and other POPs is addressed in the Strategic Action Programme under the substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate. The SAP targets are: - “By the year 2010 to phase out inputs of 9 pesticides and PCBs and reduce to the fullest possible extent inputs of unwanted contaminants; - By the year 2005, to reduce 50 per cent of the inputs of the priority 12 POPs; - By the year 2005, to collect and dispose of all PCB waste in a safe and environmentally-sound manner.” These targets would be reached through a set of regional and national activities on the basis of a regional strategy for the management of POPs and a national strategy and plan for the management of POPs, both elaborated on the basis of environmentally-sound management processes. In this perspective,over a period of two years the Mediterranean countries will make an inventory of quantities and uses of the nine pesticides and PCBs, as well as of the industries that manufacture or condition them. The present document outlines the major courses of accumulation of pesticides in the Mediterranean region and provides general comments regarding the uses of these chemical substances. The document constitutes a milestone that would enable the Mediterranean countries to prepare their inventories. It includes an inventory of PCBs and nine pesticides based on the available information and international programmes such as UNEP, UNEP-chemicals, UNEP/MAP, FAO and others. Methodology for POPs inventory POPs could be classified into 3 types: • Chemicals used in pesticide formulation; • Chemicals (PCB/PCT) used in closed systems as isolators (transformers, capacitators) and as hydraulic fluid; • Chemicals produced unintentionnally (dioxins) during the thermal degradation of organic halogenated compounds (bromine and chlorine). The methodology considers the life cycle of the chemicals during their uses in an industrial process or as obsolete chemicals. Obsolete POPs exist frequently as stocks in customs, farms, pesticide dealers, old industrial sites. POPs are also found mixed with different types of products such as: UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/Inf.7 Page 2 • Luboil contaminated with PCB (>50 ppm); • Luboil used in concrete modulation contaminated with PCBs (>50 ppm); • Contaminated soils; • Contaminated packaging materials. The information used to compile inventories for POPs are from two sources: • The inventories of national stocks. The FAO database is considered to be the most comprehensive source of information for stocks; • The atmospheric emissions of POPs which are considered as a relevant geographical indicator of sources. These two sources have been explored to set up the present POPs inventory in the Mediterranean countries. The information includes: • List of consent of each country regarding the PIC Convention; • List of obsolete chemicals; • Status of ratification of relevant conventions and protocols; • Indicators of atmospheric pollution for Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) Hexaclorobenzene (HCB) Polychlorinated dibenzo[p]dioxines and furans (PCDD/Fs) g-Hexachlorocyclohexane (g-HCH). A number of statements could be drawn from these inventories : • For many Mediterranean countries, no detailed information exists on the releases of PCBs and nine pesticides from point sources (industry and urban centres).This could be the result of the lack of monitoring programmes. • Due to the fact that most of the compounds concerned have been banned in the majority of the countries of the region, the main sources will consist of stockpiles and inventories due to former production and/or import and, more importantly, the compounds present in the main environmental vectors and reservoirs due to previous chronicle usage and in accidental spills. The contribution by industrial production will only be important in those cases where some restricted usage of the PTS is allowed (i.e. DDT as precursor of Dicofol). • The nine pesticides have been widely used in the region, but the production and usage of most of the compounds are banned in the majority of the countries of the region as a consequence of the application of the PIC protocols. The exceptions being DDT, which is consented as precursor in the production of Dicofol, and also for restricted pest control in some countries of the region. • There is limited information about production and uses for most substances. Some exceptions are the Drin group of compounds (aldrin, dieldrin), where some restricted uses are allowed in the EU countries, and endrin, which is not subject to the PIC procedure. Endrin is allowed for very limited applications in the EU countries of the region and is banned in Algeria, Cyprus, Israel and Greece. Heptachlor, chlordane and toxaphene are also banned or severely restricted in the region and the same applies to HCB when used as a pesticide. Mirex is not affected by the PIC procedure, although many countries have banned its use. UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/Inf.7 Page 3 • DDT is the only organochloride pesticide that is still currently in production and use in the region. In some Mediterranean countries, both in the north and south, some specific uses are still in practice. • The valuable information drawn from the inventories that most of the nine pesticides remain in stockpiles of pesticides in some of the countries of the region . • PCB containing equipment has been largely used in the region. • The first regulation on PCBs applied by the EEC was in 1976, when their use was restricted to closed circuits; the second one, in 1985, when the use of PCB as a raw material or chemical intermediate was banned. Finally, in 1987, PCB was totally banned for use in new closed circuits. • PCB is part of the PIC procedure followed by most countries in the region. Countries are therefore committed to monitoring and controlling trade in very dangerous substances and, according to the Convention, export of a chemical can only take place with the prior informed consent of the importing party. The Convention covers a list of five industrial chemicals and 22 pesticides, including aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, heptachlor, HCB and PCBs and can, therefore, be seen as a very useful and complementary instrument to the Stockholm Convention. • In spite of the legislation in force, there are still large amounts of PCB in use. This is because in many countries there are exemptions for restricted uses in devices in use for a long period. Moreover, there are stockpiled amounts waiting to be eliminated. • There is general agreement that the disposal of equipment with PCB containing oils is the main source of PCBs in the region. PCB production and use has been linked to economic development before the use of the substance was banned. Hence, the main stockpiles of PCB equipment will reside in the northern parts of the region, where appropriate management of the PCB wastes has not been fully implemented. • The non-European countries of the Mediterranean region have their share of PCB stocks due to the import of PCB containing equipment without the appropriate environmental infrastructure to manage its disposal. • There is no uniform information regarding the statistics on actual uses and stocks of PCB’s for the countries of the region. According to the FAO investigation, the causes of accumulation of unwanted stocks of chlorinated pesticides are the following: • product bans; • inadequate storage and poor stock management; • unsuitable products or packaging; • donation or purchase in excess of requirements; • lack of coordination between donor agencies; • commercial interests of private sector and hidden factors. UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/Inf.7 Page 4 Banning of products In many countries, where a range of products has been banned or withdrawn for health or environmental reasons, the fate of existing stocks is given scant consideration. Stocks remain where they are stored and eventually deteriorate. This applies particularly to organochlorine compounds that are part of strategic stocks for locust control. A common example is the occurrence of dieldrin stocks in many African countries where migratory locusts cause problems. Dieldrin was banned from use in donor-supported locust control programmes in the late 1970s, but no provision was made for the depletion or removal of existing stocks. These have been stored since then, awaiting an appropriate solution. In some cases the pesticides have leaked from damaged containers and elsewhere they have been used illegally. Inadequate storage and poor stock management Insufficient storage capacity for pesticides. The authorities responsible for pesticide stocks often do not have sufficient storage capacity to store all their pesticides safely. Many stores are poorly constructed, have insufficient ventilation, are too hot and/or do not have concrete floors. Because of space constraints, pesticides are often not properly stacked, thereby reducing access to products and making it difficult to monitor the condition of containers. In many places, pesticides are stored in the open for prolonged periods. Poor storage conditions accelerate the degradation of pesticides and their containers. New products are sometimes stored inappropriately because obsolete products are occupying the limited storage space.