National Implementation plans for the Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants.

This National Implementation Plan for the Management of POPs is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at (i) identifying and gathering information on possible options for management of POPs to implement the Stockholm Convention with an indication of the scope of application, limitations, costs, and benefits for each option; (ii) evaluating the options available and actions necessary to meet the requirements of the Stockholm Convention and country objectives; and (iii) identifying requirements for assistance in the completion of additional assessments and information gathering to complete and implement the NIP. builds on the findings of the preliminary inventories conducted earlier in 2005. Through the endorsement of this document, the Ministry of Environment commits itself to undertake adequate activities to implement the tasks included in the NIP to cope with the toxic properties of the Persistent Organic Pollutants, their resistant properties to environmental degradation, their capacity to bioaccumulate, and their mobility in the environment, as well as the risk they present to human health. Priority actions that need to be taken in this regard are (i) strengthening the legal framework; (ii) institutional strengthening and capacity building; (iii) improving data management; (iv) raising awareness; (v) mobilizing financial resources for NIP implementation; (vi) promoting improved technologies and practices; (vii) promoting research in chemicals management; (viii) improving national infrastructure; (ix) managing hot-spots and stockpiles, including water bodies.
To make agriculture more productive and sustainable, main interventions will be directed to increase controls on the use of pesticides, including (i) review the sampling and analysis inspection program at customs to include inert materials in addition to the active ingredients of pesticides; (ii) enhance control of smuggling and illegal entry and exit of pesticides and chemicals; (iii) enhance inspection of pesticides outlets and distribution retailers concerning product expiry dates, labeling requirements, hygiene and other standards; (iv) perform an assessment of potential POPs pesticides contaminated sites to avoid re-use of contaminated media, particularly soil; and (v) conduct awareness and training activities for target farmers and agricultural associations geographically well-distributed among agricultural areas.
In order to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the NIP focuses on (i) the introduction of environmentally sound Waste Management technologies to stop the unintentional release of PCBs from uncontrolled burning of municipal solid waste and from medical waste incinerators; and (ii) conducting an evaluation of recommended solutions in the following: secondary copper production, secondary aluminum production, secondary lead production, textile and leather dyeing, and finishing, open burning of solid waste, and transportation.
As for the Governance, at the institutional level the Plan requests to (i) identify and assess the needs of key ministries and institutions involved in chemical management to fulfill its mandates (human resources, equipment, financial resources, IT, etc.); and (ii) identify and propose mechanisms to improve the communication among key ministries and stakeholders such as through the creation of a National Committee for Chemicals Management.