Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC) Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) as Wastes under the Basel Convention

Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC)

Environmentally Sound Management (ESM)of Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) as Wastes

under the Basel Convention

Vincent Jugault, Programme Officer

Regional Workshop for South America on the Environmentally Sound Destruction of POPs waste and Decontamination of POP

Containing Waste in the context of the Basel Convention and the Stockholm Convention.

Sao Paolo, 07 – 10 December 2004

Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC)2

Overview

1. Scopes and mandates of the `chemicals` conventions

2. ESM and the Technical Guidelines on POPs Waste

3. Description of the Basel Convention Technical Guidelines for the ESM of POPs Wastes

4. Description of the Basel Convention Technical Guidelines for the ESM of PCBs, PCTs or PBBs

5. Next steps


1 – Technical scope of the ‘chemicals’ conventions

Basel Rotterdam Stockholm PCB Y10,

A 1180/A 3180 1336-36-3 Yes

PCT Y10, A 1180/A 3180

61788-33-8

PBB Y10, A 1180/A 3180

36355-01-8 (hexa-) 27858-07-7 (octa-) 13654-09-6 (deca-)

PCDD/Fs Y 43/44, A 4110

Yes

POPs (pesticides, chemicals)

A 4010, A 4030, A 4130, A 4140

Yes Yes

Other POPs pesticides

A 4010, A 4030, A 4130, A 4140

Non-POPs pesticides

A 3130


Art 2.8: ESM « means taking all practicable steps to ensure that hazardous wastes or other wastes are managed in a manner which will protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects which may result from such wastes. »

General Obligations (Art. 4)• Generation of hazardous wastes is reduced to a minimum

• Availability of adequate disposal facilities

• Pollution is prevented when involving the management of hazardous wastes.

• Transboundary movement is reduced to a minimum consistent

with ESM.

1 - Obligations under the Basel Convention


1 - Obligations under the Stockholm Convention

Art 6.1: Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes. Each Party shall: Identify stockpiles of POPs and manage them

(handle, collect, transport, store) in an environmentally sound manner

Dispose of in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed

Not allow recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct reuse or alternative uses of POPs

Not transport waste across international boundaries without taking into account the Basel Convention

Endeavour to develop appropriate strategies for identifying sites contaminated by POPs


Art 6.2: The COP shall cooperate closely with the appropriate bodies of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal to, inter alia:

1. Destruction Efficiency of disposal technologies Establish levels of destruction and irreversible transformation necessary to ensure that the characteristics of POPs as specified in paragraph 1 of Annex D are not exhibited.

2. Methods for environmentally sound disposal Determine what they consider to be the methods that constitute environmentally sound disposal referred to above; and

3. Low POP Content Work to establish, as appropriate, the concentration levels of the chemicals listed in Annexes A, B, C in order to define the low POP content referred to in paragraph 1 d ii

1 - Obligations under the Stockholm Convention


GenerationTrade in Products

Use(Maintenance)

ESM of Wastes(incl. trade, transb.mov., disposal)

Stockholm

PCTs & PBBs

- - - - - -

PCBs

LCM

- - - - - - - - - -

Rotterdam Basel

Basel

Non-chlorinated pesticides

- - - - - - - - - -

Chlorinated pesticides

1 - Life cycle Management of POPs


1. ESM: ‘a broad policy concept without clear universal definition at the current time’ (2004) ;

2. Several key Basel Convention principles articulated in the 1994 Framework Document on Preparation of Tehnical Guidelines for the ESM of Wastes subject gto the Basel Convention;

3. (General) Technical Guidelines on POPs as Wastes give all general information;

4. Five specific Technical Guidelines on POPs as wastes only give any additional information related to the specific waste streams

2 - ESM and the Technical Guidelines on POPs Waste


2 - Status of Technical Guidelines on POPs waste

POP Lead Country Status POPs wastes in

general Canada Adopted by COP 7 in

October 2004 PCBs, PCTs, PBBs Canada Adopted by COP 7 in

October 2004 DDT Mexico 1st draft soon available,

to be discussed at OEWG IV

Pesticides and HCB SBC 1st draft soon available, to be discussed at OEWG

IV Dioxins and Furans Australia 1st draft available,

to be discussed at OEWG IV


Provide:

1. General guidance on the management of waste consosting of, containing or contaminated with POPs;

2. A Framework for addressing issues referred to in article 6.2 of the Stockholm Convention, on :

Low POP Content

Destruction Efficiency of disposal technologies

Methods for environmentally sound disposal

2 – (General) Technical Guidelines on POPs waste


Issues to be addressed cooperatively (SC/BC)

A - Low POP Content

Defines the « border » between POPs and Non-POPs wastes

a. PCB: 50 mg/kg

b. PCDD/PCDF: 15 μg TEQ/kg

c. All other POPs: 50 mg/kg (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, HCB, mirex, and toxaphene)

3 – Technical Guidelines for ESM of POPs Waste


Taking into consideration that:

Destruction Efficiency (DE) and Destruction Removal Efficiency (DRE) are a function of the initial POP content and DE is difficult to be measured;

BAT/BEP set safe design and operations, including expected destruction efficiencies, and have not been identified for all disposal methods;

Pertinent national legislation provides information on this matter (Annex II), the lack of data and knowledge;

DE = (POP content within waste – POP content within gas, liquid, & solid residual) / POP content within the Waste

DRE = (POP content within waste – POP content within gas) / POP content within the Waste

B - Levels of Destruction and irreversible transformation


a) Atmospheric emissions: Limit value for PCDD/F emissions to air defined: 0.14 ng TEQ/Nm. All other POPs, in accordance with pertinent national legislation and international rules, standards and guidelines;

b) Aqueous emissions: In accordance with pertinent national legislation and international rules, standards and guidelines;

c) Solid residues: POPs content should be below the agreed low POP contents

B - Levels of Destruction and irreversible transformation


IV.B - Legislative and regulatory framework Definitions of POPs waste

Link phase-out dates for production and use and for disposal

Requirements for transboundary movements and for transport

Health and safety

Analytical and sampling methods for POPs

Requirements for hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities

General requirement for public participation

Contaminated sites

C - Guidance on ESM


IV.C - Waste Prevention and minimization elements of a waste prevention and minimization programme:

identification of processes, products and articles, actions for the minimization of the volume of wastes, etc;

IV.D - Identification and inventories how to identify POPs wastes, e.g. in obsolete stockpiles and how to

prepare a (national) inventory of POPs waste as a basis for follow-up disposal activities

IV.E - Sampling, analysis and monitoring Should be given high priority with respect to both capacity building

in developing countries and implementation;

There are hundreds of different methods that can be used. key points are given;

3 - Guidance on ESM


IV. F: Handling, collection, packaging, labelling, transportation and storage

Provides for procedures, rules and specific guidance

IV. G Environmentally Sound Disposal

1. Pre-Treatment

2. Destruction and irreversible transformation methods

3. Other disposal methods when destruction or irreversible transformation dos not represent the environmentally preferable option (other disposal methods when POP content is low)

IV. H – IV. K : Remediation of contaminated sites, Health & Safety, Emergency response, Public participation

3 - Guidance on ESM


IV.G: Destruction and irreversible transformation methods

a) Alkali metal reduction

b) Base catalysed decompostion (BCD)

c) Catalytic hydro-dechlorination (CHD)

d) Cement kiln co-incineration

e) Gas phase chemical reduction (GPCR)

f) Hazardous waste incineration

g) Photo-chemical dechlorination and catalytic dechlorination reaction (PCD and CD)

h) Plasma arc

i) Potassium tert-Butoxide method

j) Super-critical water oxidation (SCWO) and subcritical water oxidation

3 - Guidance on ESM


Supersedes de BC TG on Waste Comprising PCB, PCT, PBB (Y10) (February 1997)

Same structure as the ‘General’ TG for ESM of POPs Waste;

To be read in conjunction with the ‘General’ TG for ESM of POPs Waste;

PCTs and PBBs not covered by the Stockholm Convention;

No additional information concerning environmentally sound disposal;

Mixing in order to reach concentrations under the agreed low POPs content is considered NOT environmentally sound;

4 – TG for ESM of PCBs, PCTs, & PBBs


4 – TG for ESM of PCBs, PCTs, & PBBs

Issues that may need additional attention:

Distinction between weigh or surfacic contamination: non porous material versus porous material;

Definition of contaminated metallic parts (p.63);

Risk prevention and fire prevention compared to human exposure through accidental release to the environment and contamination of other waste streams (Seveso, Saint Basile,..etc): hot contamination versus cold contamination (p.73);

Extraction technologies such as solvent washing, are considered pre-treatment technologies: however, these are decontamination technologies (PCB waste to non-PCB waste);

Extraction technologies do not address the decontamination of porous parts (wood) and copper wires;


5 - Next Steps

Development and adoption of the other BC TGs (DDT, pesticides & HCB, Dioxins/Furans);

OEWG IV (June 2005);

Implementation of the adopted Basel Convention Technical Guidelines concerning POPs, ie. POPs wastes, PCBs,..

training and capacity building: workshops, projects;

NIPs (Stockholm)

Transcription into national legislation

Adoption of parameters on ESM in the context of the Stockholm Convention (COP1, May 2005), ie. Low POPs value, Destruction Efficiency, methods fo environmentally sound disposal;

Documents

Secretariat of the Basel Convention (SBC) Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs) as Wastes under the Basel Convention