National Action Plan for decommissioning and elimination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

The Albanian updated National Action Plan for decommissioning and elimination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) aims to reduce pollutant emissions and efforts the implementing of monitoring plans for biological materials, reporting to the public and international organizations, and raising awareness through education and public information campaigns. Legislative and regulatory measures are being taken to prevent industrial pollution, strengthen waste management capacities, reduce emissions of dioxins and furans, and implement best waste management practices in various sectors. The National Action Plan for the elimination of persistent organic pollutants is a significant step towards sustainable environmental protection in Albania.This updated National Action Plan (NAP) constitutes an important document for the government of Albanian on the management of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) o the national territory, as it gives assessment of the state of current inventory, legal, institutional and technical aspects. This text was based on the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) methodology for preparation, revision and updating. This Plan addresses cross-sectoral approached issues that are horizontally affecting the environment in general, as regards the presence and possible pollution caused by POPs in surface and ground waters, in soil and cultivated plants, in ambient air and other. Also Albania has inherited many environmental problems from the past, such as: soil erosion, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, urban waste, air pollution in urban and industrial areas, pollution of land caused by the harmful waste of industries etc. The State of the Environment Report (SSR) is prepared every year by the National Environment Agency (NAE). Information on the state of the environment is the basic document that analyzes the general state of the environment of the environment in Albania, and gives recommendations for environmental planning policies on a one-year basis (data used also for this Plan).
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are persistent chemicals in the environment that present high risk due to negative effects on human health and the environment. POPs compounds are used worldwide in industry, agriculture, communication, etc. Recognizing the great role of chemicals in improving the quality of life, it is also known well any chemical can have negative effects depending on the properties and exposure to them. It is why international and national efforts are directed to control chemicals, the risk associated with them, through their good management throughout their life cycle, by including: i) finding less dangerous alternatives; ii) reducing exposure; iii) management of their trade; and iv) raising awareness of their environmental risk. Since POPs do not break down, they can easily be found in soil, lakes, water, fish, animals, in plants, in food and in humans even though it has been a long time since they were used or discharged in environment. The current assessment of the state of POP pesticides is mainly based on new POPs as the inventory of other POPs, which were listed in the Stockholm Convention in 2001, were introduced in 2006. The group of new POPs used as pesticides include: chlordecone, alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, beta hexachlorocyclohexane, lindane, pentachlorobenzene and endosulfan. New POPs used as pesticides, data were obtained from the Ministry responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development and trading companies on the amount of import, use and their possible condition. The data obtained show that of all the new POPs used as pesticides, only endosulfan has been imported, marketed and used in the country during the last 10 years.