IHPA-Pops-Newsletter-No19

The report however covers 2 cases. First case on mining tailings. From page 35, part 2 – HCB case .

UN-EC Technical Scoping Mission – Kalush (16Apr10)

Some of the Conclusions:

Independent and scientific sampling has shown the spreading of HCB into the environment at
the HCB storage site. The concentrations in water at the storage facility are a factor 100 (and
in some places far more than that) higher than the Ukraine standard. HCB is extremely toxic
for water environments and is a persistent organic pollutant. The long-term risks of spreading
are therefore high.

Conclusions and recommendations:
Recommendation 5
Given the spreading of HCB, the UN/EC Technical Scoping Mission recommends to urgently
undertake a wider investigation into the extent of the spreading, including identifying
immediate risks for public health. This investigation should use quantitative method with
known detection limits for analysing HCB concentrations in ground, surface and drinking
water (including drinking water inlet points).

Recommendation 6
The mission recommends the urgent clean-up of the HCB storage site and the safe storage
and/or destruction of HCB. An evaluation of appropriate destruction techniques should inform
the actual clean-up. The clean-up of the HCB storage site and waste dump site should be done
with care in order to prevent the spread of soil and particles in the air. Toxic concentrations in
the air could spread across a wide area if the clean-up is not properly done.

Until the clean-up of HCB at the storage site has taken place, the site should be closed to the
public to prevent exposure. It would be advisable to fence the area and post signs stating
clearly that it is a dangerous site.

Hetq Online – An Environmental Disaster in the Making Just Outside Yerevan

The online version of this article: http://hetq.am/en/ecology/tunaqimikat-2/

Dear All,

We have the pleasure that the Members of the European Parliament. Ms. Ria Oomen-Ruijten and Ms. Esther de Lange are organizing a Mini  Hearing on Obsolete Pesticides in Eastern European countries, Caucasus and Central Asia Countries, in the European Parliament from 14.00 till 17.00 on 29 of June 2010 in Brussels.  A room for 160 people has been reserved for the event.

The recent developments of extremely dangerous situations in Ukraine (Time Bomb news), Armenia (Emergency situation) and Kyrgyzstan (death of 20 cows and hospitalization of 20 people due to eating of the poisoned cow meat) are reasons to organize this debate and discuss common strategies how to work on a structural plan how to solve the obsolete pesticides problem in the coming decade in the region

Draft agenda

We are encouraging to participate in the very important debate.

You can participate by sending the following information to Mr. Hubert Beusmans assistant of Ms. Ria Oomen-Ruijten at ria.oomen-ruijten@europarl.europa.eu

First Name
Surname
Birthday
Address
Email address

If you send these data, a pass will be prepared for entering the EU Parliament and you will get an official information.

The debate will be in English

There is no funding for travelling available

Information must be sent to Mr. Hubert Beusmans before the 25^th of May

Look forward to see you in Brussels

Yours,

John Vijgen

1 response

Important conclusions of site visit – fast actions Obsolete Pesticides in Armenia needed – URGENT

Dear All,

I am writing you this mail sitting now here in Yerevan working for OSCE and we really need now to generate some direct help for the Obsolete pesticides case.

We would need fast support from EU Commission for urgent actions now and we should also discuss the issue again in EU Parliament to generate now once and for all a permanent solutions for these problems in the near future.

Could you please prepare the necessary discussions!!

Please visit this site:
http://www.awhhe.am/eng/emergency2010.html

As you can see in the photos and the long correspondence, we are unexpectedly confronted with an emergency situation with direct threat to people and environment.

We are working on an emergency action plan, however that will only help short term, so urgently need financial help will be needed.

All UN organisations in Armenia are well informed. An intergovernmental Working group has been established and we had our first meeting with all ministries concerned. All parties agreed with a simple temporary cover action, but request at the same time final removal.

Estimated amounts not completely clear: originally 512 tons (Minister of Agriculture mentioned at least 800-1000 t yesterday) have been disposed in 1982, but the area where it is spread is much larger about 3000m2 with a depth that can vary from 2-3 m, so a max of 6000 – 9000 m3 is possible. Eventually some classification of contaminated soil and pure waste is possible, but this cannot be assessed now. So cost estimates in the end could vary from minimum 2.5 -3 Mill that can eventually run up to 18 -27 Million euro if the amounts are really so high.

Is there any procedure in the GEF, that would enable faster access to funding and facilitate the 2nd phase of the process of excavating the POPs pesticides waste, repack- temporary storage and then in the 3rd phase get a separate procedure for a proper international tender to ship the waste to one of the dedicated incineration plants in the EU. Normally all this would take some years, but here faster actions would be needed.

How can you assist to speed up things to get at least materials excavated , repackaged and stored temporary?

Please advice. We are trying with FAO also to get access to some emergency funding. OSCE ambassador has discussed with Russian government, which is willing to give support on acquiring repackaging materials.

The Armenian Prime Minister is planning to write a letter to international organisations to request further support.

Thanks for help!

Yours,
John

John Vijgen
Mob +45 2344165