In September 2009 GEF, FAO, Green Cross, IHPA and Milieukontakt International have started a new project.
The aim is to create a strong platform on the elimination of obsolete pesticides and POPs in 9 countries of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.

The final result will bring a greater awareness of the danger of obsolete pesticides and an increased capacity to manage, dispose of and prevent obsolete pesticides and POPs stockpiles. In addition, the project will bring about information exchange and cooperation between 9 participating countries, as well as stimulate a systematic involvement of a wide range of stakeholders.

Project period:
September 2009- December 2011

Participating Countries:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia and Romania.

Read a leaflet or download it

The Final Programme is available at forum website

Download the book:

Report on Obsolete Pesticides : alternative methods for destruction of OPs.

Since 2005 a consortium of Milieukontakt International, the International HCH and Pesticides Association, engineering company Tauw BV and the Dutch NGO Natuur en Milieu (Nature and Environment) has been involved in the elimination of risks of obsolete pesticides in several countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. While working on the inventory and repacking of obsolete pesticides, the consortium realised that there is a strong need for locally applicable methods of destruction. A safe and environmentally sound method could prevent expensive long distance transport of pesticides to the incineration installations in Western Europe. An adequate local system in place could also prevent local governments from using their own installations -for example old cement factories- that can create severe environmental hazards.

The consortium believes that a locally applicable methodology could bring a new breakthrough in the destruction of obsolete pesticides. Therefore, it was decided to select two methodologies for further research and possible development. Due to the limit of our project budget, the number of methods had to be restricted. Based on earlier research and own inventory, we down selected two methodologies. This process was monitored by a group of experts on the basis of international developed criteria.

Last year a conference was organised to reflect with the main players in the field of obsolete pesticides on the two selected methodologies. The report Obsolete Pesticdes-a Burning Question presents the results of this conference, and also includes additional information on the two technologies under review.

Download all documents listed below in one zipfile (9.5 MB) or per section below:
* Obsolete Pesticides- a ‘Burning’ Question (full report with annex 1)
* Annex 2
* Annex 2a
* Annex 3
* Annex 3a

Tauw, Witteveen & Bos, International HCH & Pesticides Association and Milieukontakt write a technical study on the problems of obsolete pesticides for Tajikistan.

Here is a link to article about their work in Central Asia:
http://milieukontakt.net/en/?p=588