National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on POPs for Sri Lanka.

The National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on POPs for Sri Lanka (2008) (NIP 2008) details several activities to control and manage POPs in Sri Lanka. Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening as well as Awareness raising on the detrimental effects of POPs are areas of high priority for the successful implementation of the NIP 2008. Currently, Sri Lanka does not use any of the POPs pesticides, identified by the Stockholm Convention. The NIP 2008 has identified a few of the POPs for priority action.
In regard to POPs Pesticides the problems identified are: possibility of illegal imports through false declarations; lack of resources for systematic screening of imports; environmental impacts and baseline levels not adequately studied; lack of sufficient resources for identification and analysis inadequate Health impact data; stocks of outdated Non-POPs pesticides still to be disposed. The management actions identified are: 1.) Improvement of pesticide regulatory system to adequately address the specific issues; 2) Mechanism to minimise accumulation and safe disposal of outdated pesticides, at all levels; 3) Development and implementation of proper information gathering and dissemination system; 4) Develop Laboratories and analytical capacity 5) Monitoring and surveillance of environmental and human health effects.
Problems identified in relation to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) include: lack of adequate legislation to control imports; environmental impacts and baseline levels not adequately studied; lack of sufficient resources for identification and analysis; lack of acceptable treatment, disposal and storage systems for PCB contaminated oils and equipment; contaminated sites yet to be identified; cross Contamination of non PCB oil with PCB oil. Management Actions Identified 1) Develop new legislation for management and prevention of new entry to the country 2) Establish full inventory of PCB containing equipment 3) Establish procedures for equipment maintenance 4) Establish appropriate laboratory facilities for PCB analysis. 5) Establish and implement guidelines for phase out, transportation, storage and disposal of PCB containing equipment 6) Establish progress monitoring mechanisms 7) Capacity building for control and management of PCBs 8) Disposal of existing stocks and stockpiles 9) Rehabilitation and decontamination of contaminated sites 10) Introducing control measures to prevent cross contamination.
The main sources of releases of PCDD and PCDF (Dioxins and Furans) in Sri Lanka were identified as uncontrolled combustion of wastes, primarily in dumps and in the open, processing of metals, in particular scrap copper where a significant amount of PCDD/F is likely to be associated with the residues from gas cleaning systems, incineration of medical wastes which is largely carried out under very poorly controlled conditions and burning of biomass in homes for cooking, industry and for disposal of agricultural residues. Problems related to unintentionally produced by products are similar to the other sources and include lack of information to enable an estimate, lack of data on several categories of accidental fires; lack of appropriate emission factors for some sectors in particular releases to water, for example associated with textile and leather industries; lack of emission factors that relate to the burning of wastes and biomass. Management actions identified are: 1) Incorporate BAT/BEP requirement into legislation for new sources; 2) Review & upgrade relevant legislation/s on solid waste management; 3) Implement proper solid waste management/disposal mechanism; 4) Review existing technology on secondary metal recycling plants, including traditional industries, and identify necessary changes for upgrading these systems; etc.