Arnika Environmental NGO, Prague, Czech Republic

Contact: Jana Altunkaya , Toxic Substances and Waste Programme Email: [email protected] Tel: 00420 737 756 597

Arnika is one of the Czech Republic’s most important environmental NGOs. With around 20 staff and many vol- unteers there is a central Prague office in Prague and 5 regional branches. They also collaborate with: • Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives Through their Advice Centre, Arnika assists public participation • International POPs Elimination Network in decision-making processes influencing the environment they • European Environmental Bureau live in. The Toxics and Waste work focuses on reducing PVC use, • Zero Mercury Working Group providing model examples of good waste programmes, a cam- • Health Care Without Harm paign to reduce substances harmful to human health and the • European Rivers Network environment and activities to curb the heavy air pollution.

EMAS for Hospitals This project focuses on eliminating toxic substances from Czech hospitals and improving waste treatment (prefering non-incineration methods, increasing recycling). A pilot project is run with a regional 500-bed hospital in Havlickuv Brod, www.onhb.cz

Project goals: 1. Cooperation with hospitla to implement EMAS. (Hospital enthusiasm is key - EMAS is a voluntary tool) 2. Awareness-raising activities about hazards of toxic substances and medical waste treatment problems. Educat- ing other healthcare facilities and general public about phthalates, PVC and mercury problems and existing al- ternatives. EMAS (Eco-Management & Audit Scheme) Arnika monitors alternative medical products (e.g. PVC and A voluntary environmental mercury free) available on the Czech market. In April 2011 re- management system, un- gional consulting centres were open to provide advice to health- der which companies and care workers and the public. The project will finish in summer public organisations evalu- 2012 but Arnika plan continue working on sustainable medical ate, manage and continu- care issues, as this topic is often neglected and marginalised in ously improve their envi- the Czech Republic . ronmental performance. ec.europa.eu/

Toxic Free Future Campaign

Arnika calls for: Achievements: 1. Strict fulfillment of the Stockholm Convention 1. Maintaining the public's right to information on and the limitations to release of persistent organic pol- toxic substances in the Act on PRTR. lutants in the Czech Republic. 2. Czech Republic’s signature and ratification of the 2. Maintaining free access to information on toxic sub- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Sub- stances in the Integrated Pollution Register (PRTR). stances. 3. Consistent monitoring of chemical pollution The campaign also deals with specific problems of environ- around Spolana Neratovice chemical industry plant. mental pollution by toxic substances – such as from landfills and incinerators.

Arnika Environmental NGO, Prague, Czech Republic

Contact: Jana Altunkaya , Toxic Substances and Waste Programme Email: [email protected] Tel: 00420 737 756 597

Do not Play with PVC This campaign enforces replacement of PVC, where the plastic is the biggest risk to human health. Arnika have created a database of Harmful Prod- ucts (with unsafe chemicals). Alternative products can be found in their database Products without PVC.

The " Waste is a Source " project promotes examples of good practice in waste prevention and recycling from home and abroad.

The " Gentle paperwork " project (paper saving, sustainable paperwork) highlights the unnecessar- ily high consumption of paper products to encour- age the purchase of recycled goods and promote the promote recycling of valuable raw materials.

Healthy Planet for Healthy Children This recent Arnika project included all of their long-term campaign goals (Don’t play with PVC, Waste is a Source, Toxics-Free Future, waste and energy savings). The project was carried out in three parent and family centres and aimed to bring sustainable consumption and production closer to the public.

Another goal was to improve the environmental impact of the parent centres . As the centres are housed rented buildings, simple steps were taken such as: • energy savings (sticking reflective foil behind radiators) • identification and purchase of suitable cleaning products (detergents derived from easily degradable natural ingredients free from harm- ful chemicals) • permanent access to printed materials for parents about the possi- bilities for greening their homes • saving water (saver-flush toilets) • buying toys from natural materials

A special target group was mothers with young children, who were reached by the greening par- ent centres and giving regular lectures about sustain- able consumption for parents (themes included eco- labelling, organic agriculture, safe toys, the chemical substances in our home, waste and energy savings.)

Relevant links: Arnika : http://arnika.org/ HCWH Europe: www.noharm.org/europe Blog: http://hcwheurope.wordpress.com/

Note: Of all the above mentioned projects come under Arnika’s iToxic and waste programm e, Arnika works on two other programes: Nature Protection and Public Participation