Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Conven-tion on Persistent Organic Pollutants
All rights reserved
First published 2004
Produced for the Government of the Republic of Moldovaand the World Bank
Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources9, Cosmonauþilor str., MD-2005, ChiºinãuTel: (+ 373 22) 20-45-07Fax: (+ 373 22) 22-68-58e-mail: [email protected] page: www.moldova.md
www.cim.moldova.md
Co-ordinated by the World Bank/GEF Project “EnablingActivities related to the implementation of the StockholmConvention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) inthe Republic of Moldova”, tel/fax: (+ 373 22) 22-62-54,e-mail: [email protected],Web site: www.moldovapops.md
The project team: Andrei Isac, Project Manager;Ion Barbãrasã, Chief Technical Advisor;Elena Muntean, Assistant
The National Implementation Plan was developed basedon the Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention, signed onMay, 23, 2001 and entered into force on May, 17, 2004.According to the provisions of the Convention, each Partyshall develop and endeavour to implement a plan for theimplementation of its obligations under this Convention.
This publication it is composed of the full version of theNational Implementation Plan, as of May 2004.
Publishing & Printing Enterprise ªtiinþaAcademiei str., 3.MD 2028, Chiºinãu, MoldovaTel. (+373 22) 73-96-16Fax (+373 22) 73-96-26e-mail: [email protected]
© The World Bank, 2004© The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the
Republic of Moldova, 2004© E.P.E. ªtiinþa, 2004
CZU 614.7:574 (094)R 46
Descrierea CIP a Camerei Naþionale a CãrþiiREPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA. National implementation plan for the Stockholm Convention on persistent orga-
nic pollutants. – Ch. Î.E.P. ªtiinþa, 2004 (Combinatul Poligr.). – 80 p.ISBN 9975-67-446-1
614.7: 574 (094)
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVADECISION nr.1155from 20 October 2004
Chisinau
on the approval of the National Strategy on the reduction and eliminationof persistent organic pollutants and the
National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants
In order to reduce and eliminate the impact of the persistent organic pollutants on the environment andhuman health, to implement the Stockholm Convention provisions and to create an efficient system ofchemical safety, the Government DECIDES:
1. To approve:
The National Strategy on the reduction and elimination of the persistent organic pollutants, annex nr.1;
The National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants, an-nex nr.2.
2. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Health will collaborate with the in-ternational institutions and donor countries for obtaining technical assistance and financial support in orderto harmonize the environmental protection and public health policies and for the achievement of the provi-sions of the mentioned Strategy and Plan.
3. The ministries, the departments, the public administration authorities and the involved institutions willundertake the necessary measures for the achievement of the planned actions and will present annually,according to the established procedure, to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources the informationregarding the results of implementation of the nominated Strategy and Plan.
4. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has been assigned co-ordnating and control func-tions for carrying out the Strategy and Plan, for information generalization and for annual presentation ofthe synthesized report to the Government.
Prime-ministerof the Republic of Moldova VASILE TARLEV
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................................................................4FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................................5ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................6SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................12
COUNTRY PROFILE ...................................................................................................................152.1. General Issues...................................................................................................................................152.2. Environmental Overview ....................................................................................................................162.3. Institutional Framework for Environmental Management...................................................................18
NIP PRINCIPLES AND DEVELOPMENT......................................................................................19
ASSESSMENT OF THE POPs ISSUES IN THE COUNTRY ..........................................................214.1. Existing POPs-related Legal and Regulatory Framework..................................................................214.2. Current POPs Management, Monitoring and Control ........................................................................234.3. Assessment of POPs Pesticides Issues ............................................................................................244.4. Assessment of PCBs Issues..............................................................................................................264.5. Assessment of DDT Issues................................................................................................................294.6. Assessment of Unintended POPs Releases (PCDD/PCDF, HCB and PCBs)...................................294.7. Requirements for Exemptions............................................................................................................314.8. Existing Monitoring Programs ............................................................................................................314.9. Economic Assessment.......................................................................................................................33
4.10. Impacts of POPs on Public Health and the Environment...................................................................354.11. Social Assessment and Activities of Non-Governmental Organizations ............................................36
STRATEGY.................................................................................................................................38Country Strategy ................................................................................................................................39
ACTION PLAN ............................................................................................................................436.1. Priority Setting....................................................................................................................................436.2. Proposed Actions ...............................................................................................................................45
IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION AND UPDATING ..................................................................55
ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................................59Annex 1: Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Activities ......................................................................59Annex 2: Capacity Building ................................................................................................................61Annex 3: On-ground Remediation Measures.....................................................................................66Annex 4: Public Awareness, Training and Education.........................................................................69
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Government of the Republic of Moldova acknowledges the World Bank for its assistance in obtaining the GEFsupport for the Enabling Activities for the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention and for the full size PersistentOrganic Pollutants Stockpiles Management Project.
This publication is a result of a collaborative effort and was prepared during the implementation of the WorldBank/GEF Project “Enabling Activities related to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Orga-nic Pollutants (POPs) in the Republic of Moldova” with the support of the Ministry of the Ecology and Natural Re-sources, international and national experts.
We are most grateful to Rita Klees, Task Team Leader, ESSD, and Arcadie Capcelea, Environmental Consultant,the World Bank, for their support and encouraging that work.
For their creativity and co-ordination of the entire preparatory process, we express our gratitude to Valeriu Mosanu,Ruslan Melian, Valentin Arion, Elena Bivol and Valentin Ciubotaru, national experts, and Viktor Simoncic (Slovenia),Andrei Barannik (United States) and Katarina Magulova (Slovak Republic), international experts.
That document was developed due to the contribution and support of all below listed persons:
The National Co-ordination Committee:Gheorghe Duca, Acad., Prof., President of AS
Constantin Mihailescu, Minister of Ecology and Natural ResourcesLiudmila Marduhaeva, National Focal Point
Lucreþia Ciurea, MOFNicolae Danilov, MAFI
Petru Groza, MOIIlie Timofte, MEIon ªalaru, MOH
Ghenadie Primovici, MOTCElena ªubina, MOE
Ion Copãceanu, DOCElena Pentilie, DOSM
Pavel Vlad, ASMaria Gonþa, NGO ChimecoElena Zubcov, NGO Ecotox
Representatives of institutions, NGOs and national experts:
Sergiu Covaliu Violeta IvanovMihai Iftodi Maria Nagornîi
Tatiana Þugui Tatiana PleºcoArcadie Zagorodniuc Larisa Gheorghiev
Nicolae Opopol ªtefan StasievAlecu Reniþã Tamara Guvir
Jana Tafi Alexandru StratulatViorica Gladchi Vlad Garaba
Constantin Mogoreanu Victor StrãtilãLidia Romanciuc Victor Cotruþã
Pavel Zamfir Anatol TãrîþãGavril Gîlcã Marius Þãranu
Ghenadie Sirodoev Mihail CocaVictoria Reºetnic Anna Cumanova
Ion Comendant Alexandru Musteaþã
Special thanks go to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Environment Direc-torate, to Brendan Gillespie, Robert Visser and Angela Bularga, as well as to James Willis, UNEP Chemicals for their
contribution and methodological support.
FOREWORDDuring the last decade the problem of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was placed on the envi-
ronmental agenda of the Republic of Moldova as part of toxic substances and waste management pro-grammes. Since 2001, after the signing of the Stockholm Convention, it was defined as a separate field ofactions, which became a priority one among the main environmental issues of the country.
At the same time, sound management of persistent organic pollutants was considered an essential pre-condition for economic growth. The Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy of Moldova un-derlines the link between the environment, health and the impact of POPs, proposing special urgent mea-sures in order to solve these problems.
In dealing with POPs, the country must follow a process that includes developing a clear understandingof the situation, setting priorities and establishing realistic objectives for actions. The Preparation of theMoldova National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention followed such a process uti-lizing a participatory approach whereby all interested partners in society (national and local government,economy, science, energy, agriculture, education, NGOs) had an active role in the decision-making and as-sumed their full share of responsibility for the NIP. Broad involvement was ensured through the free flowof information, participation in workshops and consultative meetings, consideration for the views of indi-viduals and stackeholders groups, affirmation of the partnership principle, and awareness-raising cam-paigns.
To achieve maximal efficiency continued efforts have to be planned to integrate and update, as need-ed, NIP activities into relevant national (economic and environmental) and international environmentalactivities. The NIP will become an efficient tool in solving the POPs problems in the country and will laythe groundwork for an environmentally sound chemicals management system in the Republic of Moldova.
Despite the existing difficult economic situation, the Republic of Moldova is committed to fulfilling itsobligation regarding POPs under the Stockholm Convention. This will require increased internal institu-tional and financial resources and the mobilization of international assistance. The World Bank, which fi-nanced preparation of the NIP, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is currently assisting theRepublic of Moldova in preparing a POPs Stockpile Management Project. Joint efforts such as this will becrucial to the success of the NIP in promoting a safe environment and protecting public health as part ofthe sustainable development of the country.
Constantin MihailescuMinister of Ecology and
Natural Resources
Edward BrownCountry ManagerThe World Bank
Country Office, Moldova
Basel – The Basel Convention on the Control ofTransboundary Movements of HazardousWastes and their DisposalBAT – Best Available Techniques BEP – Best Available PracticesCCM – Center for Chemicals ManagementCIS/NIS – Commonwealth of IndependentStates/Newly Independent StatesCLRTAP (POPs) – Convention On Long-rangeTransboundary Air Pollution, Protocol on Persis-tent Organic PollutantsCPM – Center for Preventive MedicineDDE – Dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethileneDDT – Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanDES – Department for Emergency SituationsDOC – Department of CustomsEBRD – European Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopmentEIA – Environmental Impact AssessmentESSD – Environmentally and Socially Sustain-able DevelopmentEU – European UnionFDI – Foreign Direct InvestmentFSU – Former Soviet UnionGDP – Gross Domestic Product GEF – Global Environment Facility GRM – Government of the Republic of MoldovaHCB – HexachlorbenzeneHIPC – World Bank-IMF Heavily Indebted PoorCountries InitiativeHMS – Hydrometeorological ServiceIBRD – International Bank for Reconstructionand DevelopmentIDA – International Development AssociationIMF – International Monetary Fund LRTAP – Convention on Long-range Trans-boundary Air PollutionMAC – Maximum Allowable ConcentrationMAFI – Ministry of Agriculture and Food Indus-tryMDL – Moldovan Leu (national currency)ME – Ministry of EnergyMECTD – Ministry of Ecology, Construction andTerritorial Development
MENR – Ministry of Ecology and Natural Re-sourcesMFA – Ministry of Foreign AffairsMIA – Ministry of Internal AffairsMOD – Ministry of DefenseMOE – Ministry of EconomyMOH – Ministry of HealthMOI – Ministry of IndustryMOJ – Ministry of JusticeMOTC – Ministry of Transport and Communica-tionsNEAP - National Environmental Action PlanNEHAP – National Environmental Health ActionPlanNGO – Non-governmental OrganizationNIP – National Implementation PlanNIS – Newly Independent StatesOECD – Organization for Economic Co-opera-tion and DevelopmentPCBs – Polychlorinated ByphenilsPCDDs – Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-DioxinsPCDFs – Polychlorinated DibenzofuransPIU – Project Implementation UnitPOPs – Persistent Organic Pollutantsppb – parts per billionppm – parts per millionREC – Regional Environmental CenterRotterdam – The Rotterdam Convention on thePrior Informed Consent Procedure for CertainHazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in Interna-tional TradeSEE – State Ecological ExpertiseSEI – State Ecological InspectorateTACIS – Technical Assistance for the Common-wealth of Independent States (EU Programme)TBD – To-be-Determined UNECE – United Nations Economic Commis-sion for EuropeWHO – World Health Organization
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
he National Implementation Plan(NIP) provides a policy frameworkand describes concrete interventionsto reach the national objectives and
priorities regarding the management of PersistentOrganic Pollutants (POPs), and to meet the obliga-tions taken by the Republic of Moldova under theStockholm Convention. The NIP seeks to encour-age, facilitate and support national and local author-ities in their efforts to collect and properly disposeof POPs as well as to remediate or contain sourcesof POPs pollution. To this end, a wide range oftools is proposed, including regulatory, voluntary,remedial, monitoring, enforcement, and researchtools.
The national policy regarding POPs, which is anintegral part of national environmental policy, isdriven by understanding that a comprehensivechemical safety management system needs tobe created in the Republic of Moldova. It recog-
nizes the need to apply a precautionary, preventionand polluter pays approach in addressing POPs,and implementing cost-effective measures to prevent en-vironmental degradation and negative societal, par-ticularly health, impacts. In the NIP, POPs issuesare regarded as a separate chemical management is-sue only to the extent needed to the fulfillment ofspecific obligations arising from the StockholmConvention; in all other relations, POPs activitieshave to be integrated in the overall strategy to pro-tect human health and the environment from therisks resulting from exposure to toxic substances.The national environmental and sectoral policies,strategies and programs should be amended to re-flect POPs priority elements, as well as other dan-gerous and toxic substances management issues.
The NIP is consistent with the national sustain-able development strategy and programs aiming atharmonizing economic, environmental and socialaspects of development. For example, environ-
8
T
SUMMARY
� Storage conditions. Obsolete pesticides warehouse, Gratiesti, Chisinau mun.
mentally sound management of POPs pesticidesand other prohibited and unused agriculturalchemicals is considered helpful for marketingMoldovan organic agriculture products worldwide.
The obligations under the Stockholm Conven-tion are only a subset of broader international oblig-ations of the Republic of Moldova. The links andoperational platform between the Stockholm Con-vention, the Aarhus Convention and its Protocol onPOPs, the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Con-vention and other relevant multilateral environ-mental agreements ratified by the Republic ofMoldova should be established.
The process of NIP preparation followed theUNEP/World Bank “Guidance for Developing aNIP for the Stockholm Convention”. The Ministryof Ecology and Natural Resources1 (MENR) as-sumed the main responsibility for developing theNIP, with an active participation of all stakeholders,including governmental bodies, local communities,consumer groups, the business sector, scientificcommunity, NGOs, etc. A prior national inventoryof POPs enabled a better setting of priorities andnational objectives in the field of POPs manage-ment.
Pursuant to the requirements of the StockholmConvention, the MENR and other stakeholdershave identified the following strategic objectives: Reduction of POPs releases from intentionalproduction and use (Article 3).� Prohibit production and use (except PCBs in
equipment) and eliminate import and export ofPOPs chemicals listed in Annexes A and B by2005.
� Establish a schedule to phase out the use ofPCBs in equipment according to Annex A, PartII (a) of the Convention and totally ban thesePCBs by 2025.
� Implement systematic measures for reductionof exposure and risk from use of PCB-contain-ing equipment according to the Annex A, partII, b of the Convention.
� Prohibit recovery for reuse in other equipmentof PCB-containing liquids according to theStockholm Convention requirements (Annex A,part II, d) by amendments of legislation untilthe 2010 and establish environmentally soundwaste management of liquids and equipmentscontaminated by PCBs not later than 2028.
9
� Barrels of obsolete pesticides in the warehouse, Pascani, Hincesti rayon
1 The MENR is the successor of the Ministry of Ecology, Construction and Territorial Development (MECTD). The re-organization was undertaken in March 2004.
� Identify the PCBs content in other than energyequipment and articles and manage them ac-cordingly by 2025.
� Evaluate national options for specific exemp-tions according to the Stockholm convention re-quirements by 2005.
� Establish a mechanism for the assessment ofnew pesticides and industrial chemicals (in ac-cordance with the POPs criteria) by 2007.
� Implement assessment of pesticides and indus-trial chemicals in use according to the POPs cri-teria by 2010.
Reduction or Elimination of Releases from Un-intentional Production (Article 5)� Further investigation of sources and current
management options regarding releases ofchemicals listed in Annex C in order to preparerelevant Action Plan by 2006.
� Identify BAT and BEP for every particular in-dustry and sources by 2010, and introduce BATand BEP for new sources since 2010.
� Promote measures to achieve release reductionsince 2006.
Reduction or Elimination of Releases fromStockpiles and Wastes (Article 6)� Finalize the collection of prohibited pesticides
at district deposits during 2004-2006.
� Finalize the strategy for identification of stock-piles consisting of or containing chemicals listedin Annexes A and B, and products containingPOPs listed in Annexes A, B and C by 2006.
� Manage obsolete pesticides stockpiles andwastes in an environmentally sound manner,following international standards and guide-lines, according to the following scheme: (100%of POPs pesticides contained stockpiles andwastes by the year 2005, 25% of other stockpilescontaining obsolete pesticides by 2006, 50% –by 2007, 75% – by 2008, and 100% – by 2009).
� Establish a schedule for managing PCB-con-taining stockpiles and wastes in an environmen-tally sound manner, starting since the comple-tion of the identification process, but not laterthan 2007.
� Establish a schedule for managing products con-taining POPs listed in Annexes A, B and C,starting since the completion of the identifica-tion process, but not later than 2009.
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of POPs listed in An-nex A (except PCBs) by legal provision by 2005.
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of PCBs by legal pro-vision by 2006.
10
� Entrance to the Vulcanesti Pesticides Landfill (2003)
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of POPs listed in An-nex C by legal provision by 2006.
Listing of Chemicals in Annexes A, B and C (Ar-ticle 8)� Monitor POPs candidates use and impacts and
utilize internationally accepted experience andfindings.
Research, Development and Monitoring (Article 11)� Develop environmental and health oriented
monitoring strategies and start step by step im-plementation since 2005, starting with priorityareas, zones and concerns.The NIP covers the period of five years and
foresees four categories of actions, as follows:� Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Activi-
ties: Improving the legal and regulatory frame-work is a prerequisite for effective POPs man-agement in Moldova. This category of actions istargeted at: (1) amending the current legislation,in order to make it consistent with the Stock-holm Convention, and incorporating provisionsfor establishing a broader chemical safety ap-proach in the country; (2) drafting specific regu-latory acts and supporting operational guide-lines and practical handbooks; (3) establishingan adequate institutional framework for co-ordi-nation of POPs related activities. Secondary leg-
islation (regulations, procedures, standards andguidelines) shall clarify monitoring, reporting,inspection, implementation, and enforcementresponsibilities of all parties involved. An inte-grated environmental permitting should be de-veloped and provisions for BAT and BEP re-garding POPs sources (new and existing) ad-dressed. The regulatory requirements should al-so be transferred into practical and operationalguides, as well as introduced to the general pub-lic in simple and understandable terms.
� Capacity Building: This category includes ac-tions related to the training of professionals anddecision makers; improvement of POPs inven-tories; increasing the capabilities for hot-spotsidentification, reporting, monitoring and con-trol, research and development; strengtheningthe national capacity for chemical risk as-sessment and risk management by promo-tion of international cooperation and techni-cal assistance. Coordination, compatibility andintegration of monitoring, laboratory and com-pliance control capabilities shall be enhanced toimprove POPs cycle information and data man-agement, thus facilitating more effective and ef-ficient national programming, planning and de-cision-making. Adequate information manage-ment should be promoted through a common
11
� Block of capacitors
integrated computerized system of tracking reg-ulated POPs, dangerous and toxic substancesand other chemicals throughout their life-cycle.
� On-ground Remediation Measures: Theseinclude repackaging and centralisation of obso-lete pesticides at the district storage facilities,identification of the most appropriate solutionfor their final elimination, low-cost measures tominimise the impacts of abandoned storage fa-cilities, collecting old DDT stocks from ruralhouseholds, and remediation measures at thepesticide dump in Ciºmichioi and the stockpilesof out-of-use capacitors in Vulcãneºti and otherplaces. An extensive and POPs specific techni-cal assistance program should be promoted byinvolving potential international financialsources and technology transfer options.
� Public Awareness, Training and Education:The measures under this category refer to rais-ing public awareness and ensuring proper com-munication on POPs-related issues, includingthe incorporation of POPs issues in educationalprogrammes. The Communication Strategy, de-veloped in the framework of the POPs EnablingActivities Project, will be used as the main dri-ving engine to promote POPs awareness amongthe general public, decision makers and effect-ed groups.The MENR and the Stockholm Convention na-
tional focal point sought suggestions from relevantgovernment agencies and it was unanimously ac-knowledged that Moldova did not need exemp-tions as specified in Art. 4. At the same time, na-tional and sector-wide privatization being almostcompleted, the majority of industrial and agricul-tural production is concentrated in the private sec-tor. In this regard, MENR shall continue consulta-tions with major private industrial and agriculturalproducers, manufacturers’ and consumer associa-tions, to seek whether some exemptions might berequested by the private sector.
Severe economic and financial constraints limitthe country’s capability to achieve expected levelof POPs release reduction. Therefore, one of thecountry’s first priorities is joint implementation ofnationally and internationally supported efforts,
which is a strategic pathway for the solving of POPsand other chemicals issues in Moldova. It is partic-ularly important to establish sustainable co-financ-ing and contributing platforms between interna-tional, national, regional and local sources, govern-ment and private funds. Incentives need to be pro-vided to increase the share of local public and pri-vate sector financing. A phased increase in publicenvironmental expenditures in POPs shall beplanned parallel to overall economic recovery or, atleast, ensure timely release and efficient executionof budgetary allocations for priority POPs issues.
The implementation of the Stockholm Conven-tion will be coordinated in the Republic of Moldo-va by the National Committee for EnvironmentalPolicy, established in July 2002, which brings to-gether senior officials from the key ministries. Tosupport activities of the National Committee in thefield of chemical safety, the MENR should consid-er bringing various related international Conven-tions’ focal points under one umbrella, transform-ing the existing POPs PIU into a separate legal en-tity (Center for Chemicals Management - CCM) tocoordinate and manage Moldovan internationalobligations under the Basel, Stockholm, LRTAPand Aarhus Protocols (and potentially RotterdamConvention,) thus gaining synergies and improvingand increasing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, trans-parency, accountability and cross-fertilization.POPs-related obligations of various ministries andagencies require focusing, fine-tuning of authorityand responsibilities, as well as better coordinationand proactive cooperation – the MENR shall be as-signed leading responsibility and given relevantpowers to ensure enforcement. The CCM shouldserve as an expertise, guidance and coordinationunit.
The NIP provides flexibility for implementa-tion mechanisms and operational plans, and imple-mentation agencies should have a sort of maneu-vering in order to reach established national goalstimely and efficiently, but strictly considering theprinciples of safe and environmentally sound mea-sures. The NIP will be periodically evaluated bymeans of established criteria and indicators, ana-lyzed by stakeholders and revised if appropriated.
12
ver the last 40 years awareness hasbeen growing globally about thethreats posed to human health and tothe environment by the ever-increas-
ing emissions and discharges into the natural envi-ronment of various toxic and hazardous substances.Mounting evidence of health and environmentaldamage has focused the attention of the interna-tional community on a category of substances re-ferred to as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs.)Some of these are used as pesticides, while othersare industrial chemicals. They are also generatedunintentionally as byproducts of combustion andindustrial processes. POPs possess toxic characteris-tics, are persistent, accumulate in the fatty tissues of mostliving organisms, are prone to long-range transboundarytransport and are likely to cause significant adverse hu-man health or environmental effects near to and distant
from their sources. The realization of POPs’ healthand environmental threats led a number of coun-tries to introduce policies and legislation to managean increasing number of these chemicals. Due toPOPs’ persistence and propensity to cross-bordermovement, states are also seeking multinational co-operation to address the challenge.
The 1995 Global Programme of Action for theProtection of Marine Environment from Land-based Activities and the 1998 POPs Protocol to theUNECE Convention on Long-range Transbound-ary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) were responses to thisserious situation. The Basel Convention on theControl of Transboundary Movements of Haz-ardous Wastes and their Disposal was one of thefirst to address management of toxics, comple-mented later primarily by the Rotterdam Conven-tion on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Proce-
13
INTRODUCTION1.
O
� Storage place for different types of obsolete pesticides
dure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesti-cides in International Trade. In addition, it was ac-knowledged that there was sufficient scientific evi-dence for immediate international action regarding12 POPs. The Convention on Persistent OrganicPollutants (The Stockholm or POPs Convention)was adopted and opened for signature at the Con-ference of Plenipotentiaries in Stockholm on May22, 2001. The Convention will become legallybinding on May 17, 2004.
The overall objective of the Stockholm Con-vention is to protect human health and the environ-ment from POPs2. It makes specific reference tothe precautionary principle as set forth in Principle15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and De-velopment. The Stockholm Convention providessubscribing Parties with basic objectives, principlesand elements to be used in developing comprehen-sive programs and control regimes with respect toPOPs. It is structured to address POPs that are a)intentionally produced, such as pesticides and PCBs,and b) produced and released unintentionally as the re-sult of human activity, including dioxins, furans,PCBs, and HCB. The nine chemicals currently list-ed in Annex A of the Convention are subject to aban on production and use, except where there aregeneric or specific exemptions. In addition, pro-duction and use of DDT, a pesticide still used inmany developing countries for malaria and otherdiseases vector control, is severely restricted, as setforth in Annex B of the Convention. Import andexport of the ten intentionally produced POPs is al-lowed only for the purpose of environmentallysound disposal under restricted conditions.
Special provisions are included in the Stock-holm Convention for those Parties, with regulatoryassessment schemes to review existing chemicalsfor POPs characteristics and to take regulatory mea-sures with the aim of preventing the development,production and marketing of new substances withPOPs characteristics.
Releases of unintentionally produced by-prod-ucts listed in Annex C are subject to continuousminimization with, as objective, the ultimate elimi-nation where feasible. The most stringent controlprovision with regard to by-products is that Partiesshall promote and, in accordance with their actionplans, require the use of best available techniques(BAT) for new sources within major source cate-gories.
The Convention also foresees identification andsafe management of stockpiles containing or con-sisting of POPs. Waste containing, consisting of orcontaminated with POPs should be disposed of insuch a way that the POP content is destroyed or ir-reversibly transformed, so that it does not exhibitPOPs characteristics. Where this does not representthe environmentally preferable option or where thePOPs content is low, waste shall be otherwise dis-posed of in an environmentally sound manner. Dis-posal operations that may lead to recovery or re-useof POPs are explicitly prohibited. With regard toshipment of wastes, relevant international rules,standards and guidelines, such as stipulated in theBasel Convention, are to be taken into account.
The POPs Convention requires the Partiesto develop implementation plans to indicatehow they will meet their obligations under theConvention. The implementation plans are to betransmitted to the Conference of the Parties withintwo years of the Convention entering into force. Inaddition, the Convention sets forth a number ofobligations that the Parties shall or are encouragedto undertake, including designating a national focalpoint, fostering information exchange, providingtechnical assistance, promoting and facilitatingpublic awareness and participation, consultationand education, stimulating research and monitor-ing, and reporting “at periodic intervals.” The Re-public of Moldova signed the Stockholm Conven-tion on May 23, 2001 and ratified it on February 19,2004.
Moldova has severe public health and environ-mental problems linked to the intensive use of pes-ticides in the past. The stockpiles of obsolete (in-cluding POPs) pesticides are a continuous threat tothe health of thousands of people. The country hasaccumulated large amounts of PCB oils and PCB-contaminated equipment in the energy sector,which present high risks to the environment andpublic health. At the same time, Moldova lackscredible evidence about the current releases, thedegree of environmental contamination and healthimpacts due to unintentionally produced POPs andPCBs. The Government of Moldova acknowledgesthat elimination of POPs will serve the long-terminterests of public health, environment, and eco-nomic development of the country.
In 2001, the Government of Moldova requestedfrom the Global Environment Facility (GEF) fi-
14
2 The 12 chemicals listed in the Convention are: aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene,DDT, hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, chlorinated dioxins and chlorinated furans.
nancial assistance for strengthening its capacity tofulfill the obligations arising from the POPs Con-vention, including the development of a planningframework to identify priority activities. This assis-tance has been provided in the framework of a$410,000 GEF POPs grant - “Enabling activitiesrelated to the implementation of the StockholmConvention on POPs in the Republic of Moldova”.The National Implementation Plan (NIP) is one ofthe main outputs of this project. The goal of theNIP is to provide a framework and managementoptions and measures in order to meet the obliga-tions taken by Moldova by joining the StockholmConvention and to reach the national objectivesand priorities regarding the POPs.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Re-sources3 (MENR) assumed the main responsibilityfor developing the NIP as the state authority re-sponsible for compliance and enforcement of na-tional legal requirements and international obliga-tions related to management of toxic and hazardousproducts and substances. It must be stressed thatthe NIP was developed as an interagency andcross-sectoral document. The National Implemen-tation Plan was prepared by a multi-disciplinary
group of national experts. From the very begin-ning, the NIP development was approached as aprocess with active participation of all stakeholdersand based on the shared responsibility of the gov-ernmental bodies, local communities, consumergroups, the business sector, scientific community,NGOs, etc.
A preliminary national inventory of POPs wasundertaken in order to provide quantitative infor-mation for initiating development of an ActionPlan. Gathered data allowed for setting prioritiesand determining the national objectives in the fieldof POPs minimization and elimination, a process inwhich national stakeholders were largely involved.On the basis of the discussed and agreed prioritiesand objectives the National Implementation Planwas formulated for different areas of POPs. Smallproblem-oriented teams were set out, to tackle spe-cific issues related, for example, to persistent or-ganic pesticides or PCBs or POPs monitoring andresearch. During their activity, members of theteams worked closely with counterparts in the ap-propriate governmental or non-governmental sec-tors. Workshops were organized that brought to-gether senior representatives of all of these sectors
15
3 The MENR is the successor of the Ministry of Ecology, Construction and Territorial Development (MECTD). The re-organization was undertaken in March 2004.
� General view of the Vulcanesti (Cismichioi) Pesticides Landfill
in order to discuss national strategies and optionsfor eliminating POPs.
The NIP includes both regulatory and non-reg-ulatory measures targeting POPs. It is obvious thatPOPs are only a small part of the chemicals thatneed control and monitoring in view of their possi-ble impact on the environment and human health.Therefore, POPs issues are treated in the NIP as anindependent chemical management issue only tothe extent this is related to the direct fulfillment ofspecific obligations arising from the StockholmConvention. In all other relations, POPs activitieshave to be integrated in the overall strategy to pro-tect human health and the environment from therisks resulting from exposure to toxic substances.
At the same time, the NIP is consistent with thenational sustainable development strategy and pro-grams aiming at harmonizing economic, environ-mental and social aspects of development. TheEconomic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy,currently prepared by the Government, will deter-mine the country development in the mediumterm. In the context of the NIP, poverty and envi-ronment are related through a complex web of rela-tionships. Environmental conditions have major ef-fects on the health, opportunities, and security ofpoor people. A large part of the Moldovan popula-tion is actively involved in or directly depends onagriculture activities, which makes them suscepti-ble to impacts from obsolete pesticides. Contami-
nation of agriculture land and foodstuffs with POPspesticides residues compromises the future optionsfor developing organic agriculture and underminesthe export potential of agriculture products. There-fore, the sound management of POPs is not to betreated as an exclusively environmental issue. Oneof the major themes of the NIP is that improvingenvironmental conditions by mitigating POPs-re-lated problems can help to stimulate economicgrowth and reduce poverty. The many links be-tween environmental management and poverty re-duction provide the rationale for the systematicmainstreaming of this nexus in the NIP priority ac-tivities.
The NIP is structured as follows. Chapter 2 pro-vides a very brief profile of the country, includinggeneral social, economic, environmental and envi-ronment management information. Chapter 3 in-troduces the principles of the NIP development.An assessment of POPs-related issues in Moldovais presented in Chapter 4. The political statementand country strategy in the field of POPs andchemical management are presented in Chapter 5,and the actions incorporated in the NIP follow inChapter 6. Finally, Chapter 7 provides the frame-work for implementation, evaluation and updatingof the NIP. More detailed background informationcan be found in the NIP Background Paper andtechnical reports, which are provided on the pro-ject’s website4.
16
4 www.moldovapops.md.
2.1. General Issueshe Republic of Moldova is a small,landlocked and densely populatedcountry located in the South-Easternpart of Europe, bordering Romania
and Ukraine. The country has a population of 4.3million people, of which 0.7 million live in Trans-nistria, Moldova’s most industrialized region.Transnistria is de facto (politically and institutional-ly) separated from the rest of the country. Out ofthe total population, 54% are rural inhabitants,most of them involved in agriculture activities. Theprevalence of rural population has important social,economic, political and environmental conse-quences.
The country is relatively low-lying and hilly,with semi-arid steppe plains in the south coveringone third of the territory and fluvial terraces in thewest and the east. Moldova is endowed with fertileblack soils, covering about 70% of the territory. Theclimate is temperate and continental. Precipitationis low (400-500 mm a year) and droughts are fre-quent.
Moldova became independent on August 27,1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Amongthe Newly Independent States (NIS), Moldova hasbeen hardest of all hit in terms of economic down-turn. During the 1990s, the GDP was in continuousdecline reaching in 2000 a level of only 37% of its1990 value. The Moldovan economy has experi-enced a severe economic downturn with dramaticdrops in real output, fiscal revenues and expendi-tures, and poverty increase during the transitionperiod. The share of the population with an incomeless than half of the subsistence minimum (207 lei)is about 53.4%. The increase in poverty has beenassociated with an increase in inequality. The rich-est 20% of the population earn close to half of thetotal income, 11 times more than the poorest 20%5.Poverty in Moldova is prevalent in the countryside,where most of pesticides pollution and contamina-tion is located. The poorest quintile in Moldova iscomposed by 35.8% of urban population and 64.2%of rural population. Revenues in rural areas aremostly in-kind (71.5% of the total disposable in-come), with cash accounting for only 28.5 %.
17
COUNTRY PROFILE2.
T
5 See: Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, approved by the GRM on April 11, 2002.
� Nistru river at Rezina
Despite good economic growth over the lastthree years, poverty continues to be a serious prob-lem, with per capita income less than US$460,which makes Moldova one of the poorest states inEurope. More than a half of the population has aconsumption level below the internationally com-parable absolute poverty line of US$2.15 per day,and a majority falls into the category of chronicallypoor6. The population has been severely affectedby the erosion of public health and education sys-tems.
Moldova is one of the region’s most heavily in-debted countries with an external debt stock (ex-cluding energy arrears) of about 83 percent of GDP.A variety of factors impedes development. Thecountry is highly dependent on capital flows fromabroad. The economic climate is not attractive toinvestors. High political risk, a shrinking laborforce, and the small size of the Moldovan marketwork together to keep them at bay.
The abundance of fertile, mineral-rich soils andthe temperate climate predisposes the country toagribusiness. Agriculture is a sector of crucial im-portance for Moldova, employing about 27% of thepopulation and supporting other economic activi-ties, as food and wine production. However, the re-form in agriculture has proceeded slowly and con-
tradictorily. Privatization resulted in land fragmen-tation, which, in turn, led to a significant reductionof agriculture output. The GRM intends to supportagriculture development through implementing as-sistance programs for farmers; creating and provid-ing support to farmer associations; and rural com-munity development. Introduction of organic farm-ing practices may be the key to resolving the prob-lems in agriculture on a sustainable basis and wouldincrease the income of individual farmers. Foodprocessing is the largest Moldovan industrial sector;it is a strategic engine for growth, accounting for68% of total industrial output, and a similar share oftotal export.
Moldovan industry is undergoing a deep crisis,largely due to the long-lasting stagnation in invest-ments. During the last decade, the share of indus-trial output in the GDP has contracted and ispresently similar to that of the agriculture sector.Increasing the share of industrial output is one ofthe major economic goals of the Moldovan Govern-ment.
Moldova lacks fossil fuel resources. Hydropowerresources are also scanty. The country has to relyheavily on imports of energy resources (98% of thetotal energy consume). Decreasing country’s de-
18
6 Moldova: Public Economic Management Review, Report No. 25423-MD, Poverty Reduction and Economic Man-agement Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region, The World Bank, Washington, DC, February 20, 2003, p. 4
� Old house. Central Moldova
pendence upon energy resources from abroad isone of the Government objectives.
Moldova is a “gateway” between the former So-viet Union countries and the West: trade-wise, lan-guage-wise and culturally. The country will be-come increasingly important as a future border be-tween the EU and Eastern Europe, once Romaniajoins the EU. Road and rail transport are the twomost important modes of transport.
2.2. Environmental Overview
Current environmental problems in the countryare largely the result of past ineffective and ineffi-cient management, as well as declining environ-mental expenditures and investment. The severedownturn of Moldovan economy, accompaniedwith significant price rise in the last ten years, hasboth positive and negative impacts on the environ-ment. The former include a dramatic reduction inuse of agrochemicals and pollution generated in in-dustry and energy sectors. The latter include dete-riorating capital assets, declining or no investmentsat all in waste minimization, abatement and cleantechnologies, inadequate institutional capacity, en-vironmental management, monitoring, control andenforcement.
With the decline of industrial activity and ener-gy use during recent years, air emissions of sulphurand nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and partic-ulates from stationary sources have decreased7. Atthe same time, the air quality in the main cities(Chisinau, Balti, Tiraspol) did not improve, mainlydue to the increased number of (older) vehiclesduring the last years. The water quality of the mainrivers (Nistru and Prut) is satisfactory. The qualityof groundwater is a growing concern, and supply ofsafe drinking water to the population is one of themajor national objectives.
About 30% of lands under agricultural cultiva-tion suffer from some form of erosion, the estimat-ed annual loss of agricultural production being US$45-55 million. Soil erosion and degradation is pro-gressing at a high rate and totaly eroded land has in-creased by 45% over the last 20 years. Waste man-agement is rapidly becoming a major concern inMoldova. Domestic waste is deposited in numer-ous landfills, the majority of which are not properlyauthorized and do not meet environmental and san-itary requirements. There are no organized disposalsites for hazardous and industrial waste. Most toxicindustrial waste is stored at industrial sites whileawaiting a solution.
Natural ecosystems have been conserved onless than 20% of Moldova’s territory; they are frag-mented and highly degraded. Many protected
19
7 Republic of Moldova State of the Environment Report 2002. MECTD & National Institute of Ecology, Chisinau, 2003, 116 p.
� Landscape of the South of Moldova
plant and animal species are under stress. Protectedareas occupy 1.96% of the territory, placing Moldo-va far behind most other European countries.
After gaining independence, Moldova experi-enced a deterioration of the health status of its pop-ulation. The key factors of this trend are collapsinghealth services and the socioeconomic stressbrought about by difficult economic and socialchange for large segments of population duringcontinuous transition. The current life expectancyat birth (67.4 years in 2000) places Moldova behindmost other European nations. The country contin-ues to lag far behind the health status outcomesachieved in other European countries8. The burdenof chronic morbidity, caused by environmental pol-lution, affects the quality of life and brings signifi-cant social and economic losses. One of the coun-try’s strategic objectives is to preserve and improvethe quality of the environment as a factor for ensur-ing the public health.
2.3. Institutional Framework forEnvironmental Management
Over the past decade Moldova has worked to-wards improving and shaping its own environmen-tal institutional framework. To-date, together withnumerous policies and plans, 41 codes and laws,and about 60 regulations have been adopted. Acombination of command-and-control and market-based economic instruments is being used in thecountry to ensure their implementation and en-force compliance.
The most important policy and strategic docu-ments related to the chemicals issues are: the Na-tional Environmental Action Plan (1995), the Na-tional Program for Production and DomesticWastes Management (2000), the Concept of Envi-ronmental Policy of the Republic of Moldova(2001), the National Environmental Health ActionPlan (2001), the Mid-term Strategy for Socio-Eco-nomic Development of the Republic of Moldova to2005 (2001), the National Program of Environmen-tal Safety (2003) and the Concept of National Wa-ter Policy (2003).
The administrative system for environmentalmanagement and protection includes at the highestlevel: (i) the President, who is responsible for the
state of the environment in the country in front ofthe global community; (ii) the Parliament, responsi-ble for approving general environmental policyprinciples and adopting laws; and (iii) the Govern-ment, responsible for the implementation of nation-al environmental policy. The Parliament has a Com-mission on Ecology and Natural Resources, and theGRM has a Department of Agriculture and Environ-ment as well as a number of inter-ministerial ad hocand standing commissions created to address specificenvironmental problems.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources(MENR) is the central national duly environmentalauthority and was designated the Stockholm Con-vention competent authority. The main govern-mental bodies involved in chemicals managementissues are: Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry ofAgriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), Ministry of In-dustry (MOI), Ministry of Energy (ME), Ministry ofTransport and Communications (MOTC), Ministry ofEconomy (MOE), Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA),Ministry of Defense (MD), Department of Customs(DOC), Department of Standardization and Metrologyand Department for Emergency Situations (DES). Thelocal authorities have responsibilities for environ-mental protection and management in the limits oftheir territory, ensuring compliance with applicablelegislation and standards. The legislation stipulateda range of obligations for economic entities (e.g. to op-erate on the basis of environmental permits, pre-vent pollution, manage toxic substances in environ-mentally safe way, etc).
Since 1991, Moldova began to actively partici-pate in international, regional and bilateral environ-mental cooperation, signing 17 and ratifying 16 in-ternational conventions, including the Basel Con-vention on Transboundary Movements of Haz-ardous Wastes and their Disposal; the Geneva Con-vention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollu-tion; and the Aarhus Protocol to CLRTAP on Per-sistent Organic Pollutants. Moldova signed theStockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pol-lutants on May 21, 2001, and ratified it on February19, 2004, thus demonstrating its continuous com-mitment to sustainable development and interna-tional cooperation in this field. MENR is the na-tional Competent Authority for most of internation-al environmental conventions and hosts all focalpoints for POPs (chemicals) related agreements.
20
8 Moldova Health Policy Note: The Health Sector in Transition. Report No. 26676-MD, Human Development SectorUnit, Europe and Central Asia Region, The World Bank, Washington, DC, November 2003, p.5.
he philosophy that guided NIP prepa-ration was based on the understand-ing that the control and elimination ofPOPs has to be integrated into the
broader context of sound chemicals management. Themost efficient improvement in POPs could beachieved in close connection with the fulfillment ofother national needs and international obligationsin this field.
POPs are only a small part of the chemicals thatneed control and monitoring in view of their possi-ble impact on the environment and human health.Therefore, POPs issues are treated in the NIP as anindependent chemical management issue only tothe extent this is related to the direct fulfillment ofspecific obligations arising from the StockholmConvention. In all other relations, POPs activitieshave to be integrated in the overall strategy to pro-tect human health and the environment from theeffects of toxic substances. This means the estab-lishment of environmentally sound and integrated man-agement of chemicals, the institutionalization of precau-tionary principle and integrated pollution and preven-tion control in particular sectors. POPs monitoringhas to be integrated in the national environmentalmonitoring system; reporting on POPs has to be-come part of the general environmental reportingprocedure; public information, awareness and edu-cation has to encompass, besides POPs, otherchemicals.
It follows from the above that POPs NIP canserve as a triggering policy instrument for develop-ing national programs for sound chemicals manage-ment. The general principles underlying the NIPpreparation are:� Integration in the national development and environ-
mental policy. The NIP is not a stand-alone docu-ment. It was developed as a part of the nationalenvironmental policy (NIP POPs actions arecombined with other environmental actions)
and it is consistent with the national sustainabledevelopment strategy. The integration of POPsactivities in the overall Moldova environmentalpolicy is one of the conditions sine qua non toachieve needed efficiency and to contribute tothe improving of the environmental situation ingeneral.
� Integration of chemical management issues in othersectoral policies. POPs management is not to betreated as an exclusively environmental issue.The NIP is a national document, adopted bythe Government, where the obligations of allstakeholders are clearly defined. One of the ma-jor themes of the NIP is that improving environ-mental conditions by mitigating POPs-relatedproblems can help to stimulate economicgrowth and reduce poverty. The problem ofPOPs has to be directly related to the economicactivities also as a new business opportunity.Sound management of pesticides can help theagricultural sector9 to promote Moldova’s organ-ic agriculture products worldwide. In this sense,introduction of POPs issues in national agricul-ture policy could bring direct benefits to thissector. Likewise, the energy sector can benefitfrom PCBs elimination by reducing occupation-al health impacts, introducing PCB-free andmodern energy saving equipment and optimiza-tion of infrastructure.
� Partnership and shared responsibility. Setting uprealistic objectives and effectively reachingthem is possible only within a partnership of allbeneficiaries (e.g., consumers, the general pub-lic) and stakeholders – the business sector, na-tional and local authorities, local communities,NGOs, and the international community. Thereis a wide range of interests in chemical manage-ment and a broad base of involvement and sup-port is required. Each part should assume itsshare of responsibility. Involvement of different
21
NIP PRINCIPLES AND DEVELOPMENT3.
T
9 Agriculture is the most important economic sector in Moldova and the biggest employer. Introduction of organicfarming practices may be the key to resolving the problems in agriculture on a sustainable basis and would increasethe income of individual farmers. Convincing the international community that POPs and other chemicals are undercontrol would increase the export opportunities for Moldovan organic agriculture products.
stakeholders in the project preparation was alsoneeded to estimate the national technical capa-bilities for solving POPs problems10. Agricultureand energy sectors are the most important stake-holders, and have to be directly involved in solv-ing most of existing problems with obsolete pes-ticides and PCBs.
� Coordination with relevant national policy docu-ments and strategies (e.g. Economic Growth andPoverty Reduction Strategy, National Environ-mental Action Plan, National Program for Pro-duction and Domestic Wastes Management,Concept of Environmental Policy of the Repub-lic of Moldova, National Environmental HealthAction Plan, National Program of Environmen-tal Safety, Concept of National Water Policy,Concept of Ecological Agriculture).
� Coordination with and building on international ex-perience - relation to other Conventions (Rotter-dam, Basel) and relevant international docu-ments. Regional co-operation frameworks (e.g.Transnational Monitoring Network under theInternational Commission for the Protection ofthe Danube River) will be used to resolve thePOPs issues in Moldova.
� Emphasize pollution prevention and low-cost solu-tions. Remediation of POPs impacts is very cost-ly. Prevention of their releases into the environ-ment through adequate management systems islikely to bring benefits through saving effortsand money. In preventing future and remediat-ing existing damages Moldova will seek to de-velop affordable low-cost solutions.
� Right to know and prior informed consent principles.These establish the basis for ensuring thatmechanisms exist for end-users, the public and
particularly all potentially impacted individualshave access to information about chemicals andthe impacts they may have, and that use is un-dertaken in that knowledge.
� Use measurable indicators and assess performance.The NIP has to be subject to revisions and up-dates on regular basis. This will be obviouslylinked to the performance evaluation process.The NIP will include a set of verifiable indica-tors, designated for this purpose.The elaboration of the NIP followed the step-
wise approach as described in the UNEP/WorldBank “Guidance for Developing a NIP for theStockholm Convention” dated October 2003. Apreliminary inventory of POPs in Moldova was un-dertaken in order to provide quantitative informa-tion for initiating development of an Action Plan.The inventory provided a better understanding ofthe situation, which allowed the setting of prioritiesand the determining of the national objectives inthe field of POPs minimization and elimination, aprocess in which national stakeholders were largelyinvolved. On the basis of the discussed and agreedpriorities and objectives, the NIP was formulatedfor different areas of POPs. Small problem-orientedteams were set out, to tackle specific issues related,for example, to persistent organic pesticides orPCBs or POPs monitoring and research. Duringtheir activity, members of the teams worked closelywith counterparts in the appropriate governmentalor non-governmental sectors and businesses. Work-shops were organized that brought together seniorrepresentatives of all of these sectors in order todiscuss national strategies and options for eliminat-ing POPs.
22
10 Significant resources will be necessary to solve the problems of, e.g., obsolete stockpiles or PCBs. To find low-costsolutions a close cooperation with the national business community and research institutions will be needed.
4.1. Existing POPs-related Legaland Regulatory Framework
ver 25 legal and regulatory acts deal ingeneral terms with the full life-cycleof managing toxic and hazardous sub-stances and wastes, which, though not
naming specifically, cover POPs regulated by theStockholm Convention.
The Law on Environmental Protection, adoptedon June 16, 1993, established basic principles of en-vironmental protection, including the priority ofenvironmental goals, mandatory environmentalcompliance, environmental liability, prohibition ofimplementation of any programs and projects with-out a positive conclusion of the state ecological ex-pertise and concurrence by the population in thearea of impacts, payments for use of natural re-sources and non-compliance, and use of collectedfunds for environmental mitigation and rehabilita-tion.
The Law on Sanitary-Epidemiological Well-beingof Population, adopted on June 16, 1993, seeks toensure favorable environmental conditions to sup-port healthy life for citizens, including a variety ofchemical safety measures.
The Law on Ecological Expertise and Environmen-tal Impact Assessment, adopted on July 26, 1996,seeks to prevent or minimize potential direct, indi-rect or cumulative impacts of various activities onthe environment and to ensure environmental andsocial sustainability of planning, design and deci-sion-making processes. The state ecological exper-tise and EIA are mandatory obligations to somechemical related issues.
The Law on Wastes from Industrial Production andConsumption, adopted on October 9, 1997, aims atfostering efficient management of wastes in orderto reduce their amount, increase recycling andreuse, and prevent environmental pollution anddegradation.
The Law on Regime for Hazardous Products andSubstances, adopted on July 3, 1997, establishes thelegal basis for activities related to production, stor-
age, transportation and use of hazardous and toxicproducts and substances, as well as their import andexport, in order to avoid, reduce or prevent theirnegative impacts on population and environment
The Law on Protection of Atmospheric Air, adopt-ed on December 17, 1997, aims at preserving thepurity of the air, improving its quality, preventingand reducing negative physical, chemical, biologi-cal, radioactive and other impacts, which may causeadverse consequences to the environment and pop-ulation.
The Law on Plant Protection stipulates that allplant protection chemical and biological substancesand means shall be certified, tested and registered.Import and use of untested, uncertified and unreg-istered chemical and other means of plant protec-tion is prohibited.
Certain elements of toxic and hazardous sub-stances and wastes management are regulated by anumber of other national laws, as follows: the Lawon the Safety of Dangerous Industrial Facilities, adopt-ed on February 11, 2000; the Law on the Control ofStrategic Goods Export, Re-Export, Import and Tran-sit, adopted on July 26, 2000; the Law on Licensing ofCertain Types of Activities, adopted on July 30, 2001;the Law on Civil Protection, adopted on November9, 2001; the Law on Consumers Protection, adoptedon March 13, 2003; the Law on Certification, adoptedon October 28, 1999.
Current Moldovan legislation includes generalprohibitions and restrictions on production, use,storage, marketing and disposal of a broad varietyof toxic, hazardous, flammable and volatile sub-stances and waste, including POPs listed in theConvention. The main deficiency in the present le-gal framework is that legislation does not specifical-ly mention POPs and only covers use of substancesas plant protection products, not, e.g., biocidal orindustrial uses, and it does not regulate uninten-tional and by-product POPs. As the Convention hasboth mandatory and aspiration stipulations, and isvery broad in scope, in the sense that the controlmeasures cover the whole cycle of POPs, from pro-duction to disposal, Moldovan legislation does notyet fully cover all these measures.
23
ASSESSMENT OF THE POPs ISSUESIN THE COUNTRY4.
O
Numerous Moldovan laws require that individ-uals and judicial entities develop, introduce anduse advanced environmentally clean technologiesthat: provide for energy and resources conservationand savings; ensure low- and no-wastes production;prevent emissions and discharges, and reduce im-pacts on the environment and public health; imple-ment highly efficient and effective process.Though the scope and application of these require-ments are similar in their spirit to the BAT de-scribed in Annex C to the Convention, Moldovanlegislation does not mention BAT or BEP by nameand is less specific.
The analysis of existing POPs-related legal andregulatory framework identified the followingproblems:� Moldovan legislation does not specifically men-
tion POPs and only covers the use of substancesas plant protection products, not, e.g., biocidalor industrial uses; it does not regulate uninten-tional and by-product POPs and does not men-tion BAT or BEP.
� Current legislation does not define public andprivate sector management responsibilities forPOPs during their life-cycle, from production todisposal, as well as contaminated sites.
� There is no framework for prohibition of pro-duction and use of specific POPs chemicals tobe added to the Convention in the future.
� Not all of the 12 POPs regulated by the Stock-holm Convention have environmental standards.
4.2. Current POPs Management,Monitoring and Control
In relation to POPs, MENR is responsible forstate legal monitoring, control and compliance en-forcement, particularly for production, storage,transportation, use, neutralization, and burial oftoxic and hazardous products and substances andtheir wastes11. MENR has to concur to all Statutes,Lists and Registers on toxic and hazardous prod-ucts and substances prepared and maintained byother ministries and agencies, as well as to sitting ofspecialized testing grounds for neutralization andburial of hazardous and toxic products, substancesand their wastes.
The MOH is responsible for establishing andmaintaining the National Register of Potentially ToxicChemical Substances and for listing new substanceswhen necessary. It also amends the Statute on Proce-dures for the Use and Elimination of Hazardous Prod-ucts and Substances and their Wastes; issues conclusionregarding the Statute on Procedures for Transporting,Storing and Use of Phyto-Sanitary Means and Fertiliz-ers and the List of Chemical and Biological Means ofPlants Protection and their Growth Stimulation.
MAFI includes the State Service for Plants Protec-tion and the State Centre for Phyto-Sanitary Means andFertilizers Certification, which has a designated certi-fied laboratory. The State Register of Phyto-SanitaryMeans and Fertilizers, approved by the interdepart-mental Council for phyto-sanitary means and fertiliz-ers approval, is elaborated, maintained and updatedthrough a joint effort of MAFI, MOH and MENR.
DOC administers export and imports by ensur-ing compliance with restrictions established byMENR, MAFI, MOH, which furnish the depart-ment with lists of prohibited pesticides and chemi-cals in accordance with national legislation and in-ternational obligations. DOC enforces these restric-
24
11 These functions are delegated to the State Ecological Inspectorate, which is a subdivision of MECTD.
� Barrels with liquid obsolete pesticides, Comrat
tions at the border, with MAFI and MENR helpingcustoms officers with specific technical issues.
MOE is concerned about several aspects of en-vironmental and energy saving issues, but the prob-lem of PCBs is not specifically on their agenda. In-creased pressure from the unresolved problem ofPCB oils and power equipment (particularly old ca-pacitors) has driven the energy sector to seek solu-tions.
There is no established monitoring system onPOPs in the country, although the MENR and theMOH have monitoring programs comprising analy-ses of organochlorinated pesticides, includingDDT, in ground and surface waters, soils, drinkingwater and foodstuffs. There is no information ex-change among institutions carrying out analyses ofPOPs and no unified database.
It is recognized that existing national institu-tional, organizational, technical, human and finan-cial capabilities are very limited and inadequate forensuring full implementation of a sound manage-ment of chemicals, including those regulated underthe Stockholm and other related Conventions andProtocols, without foreign technical and financialassistance,
The analysis of current POPs management,monitoring and control identified the followingproblems related to Convention requirements:
� Inadequate coordination and communicationbetween environmental and sectoral agencieson POPs–related matters, and their limited ca-pabilities to incorporate environmental dimen-sions into national and sectoral economic devel-opment agenda
� Existing laws and plans suffer from being poorlyimplemented and enforced, as a result of inade-quate funding and inadequate administrativeand judicial support.
� Ineffective communication with civil societyand lack of meaningful public empowerment
� Disconnection between assumed responsibili-ties under POPs-related tasks and obligationsand financial resources available to meet thosecommitments to an acceptable degree
� Inadequate laboratory facilities and coordina-tion between the monitoring, analytical andcontrol systems, managed by various ministriesand agencies
� Inadequate data and information managementsystems to handle diverse and multiple purposedatabanks; lack of interconnection between sec-toral information systems relating to POPs man-agement, thus leading to poor information fordecision-making.
25
� General view of a block of capacitors, Orhei
4.3. Assessment of POPs Pesti-cides Issues
The Republic of Moldova has never had anddoes not currently have pesticide producing enter-prises or factories; all agrochemicals for plant pro-tection permitted for use in the country have beenand are imported from abroad. None of the POPspesticides is presently included in the register ofpermitted substances for use in agriculture, forestryand households.
The import/export of pesticides is a licensed ac-tivity in Moldova. It is regulated by a number ofacts developed by MENR, MAFI, and MOH, andenforced by DOC. POPs pesticides have reported-ly not been subject to import/export during the lastdecade. Nor do any data exist about possible illegalentries of POPs pesticides, but this is not expectedto be a very large problem, due to lack of specificdemand from the farmers.
In the 1950-1990s an estimated total amount of560,000 tons of pesticides were used in Moldova,including 22,000 tons of persistent organochlorinat-ed compounds (OCPs). Pesticides use registered apeak in 1975-1985, but reduced dramatically over
the last 10-12 years (from 38,300 tons in 1984 tosome 2,800 tons in 2000, as active ingredient). Theshare of persistent OCPs also decreased, in favor ofother pesticide groups. (Figure 1 and 2)
The absence in the past of controls on pesti-cides manufacture, imports, transportation, storage,and use have resulted in the stockpiling of nowbanned and useless pesticides which constitute anacute environmental problem/hazard. In order tofind a solution for the ever-increasing amount ofobsolete pesticides accumulated in the country, apesticide dump was built in 1978 on the territoryadjacent to Ciºmichioi village, in the South ofMoldova. Over a period of ten years (1978-1988)3,940 tons of pesticides were buried there, includ-ing 654.1 tons of DDT12.
By the early 1990s, over 1,000 warehouses forpesticide storage have been built in kolkhozes.During 1991-2003 about 60% of these were de-stroyed or dismantled, with only 20% of the re-maining ones maintaining a satisfactory condition.Significant amounts of obsolete pesticides arestored in the open. The deteriorated packaging en-hances the risk of harmful effect on people’s healthand environment, some warehouses being situatedclose to residential areas.
26
� New private pesticides and fertilizers warehouse
12 By now, this is the only option for old pesticides disposal, which has been applied in Moldova at national scale.
27
Figure 1. DISTRIBUTION OF PESTICIDES (by communes)
28
Figure 2. PESTICIDES DISTRIBUTION (on the administrative-territorial units)
Storing POPs pesticides in inappropriate condi-tions led to the contamination of adjacent lands. Asurvey made by the State Ecological Inspectoratein 2002 in the Nistru River basin revealed a signifi-cant level of soil contamination with organochlori-nated pesticides, including DDT and HCH,around most checked facilities. The concentrationsof OCPs in soil regularly and significantly exceededthe MAC even at 200 m from the facilities. In sev-eral cases the contamination of surface waters near-by occurred.
Since 1997, three Government decrees havebeen taken aiming at the collection and centralizedstorage of obsolete pesticides, while seeking solu-
tions for their final elimination. These decisionshave never been implemented. In November 2003,the MOD and DES started repackaging and trans-portation of obsolete pesticides in a few districts. Atthe same time, it has to be stressed that no techni-cal solution for final elimination/disposal of obso-lete pesticides has been selected so far on the basisof an economical, financial, technical and environ-mental analysis.
Currently, the total amount of obsolete pesti-cides in Moldova is approximately 5,650 tons, in-cluding about 3,940 tons buried at the pesticidedump in Cismichioi and 1,712 tons stored in 344poorly equipped or unfitted facilities, which lack
29
� Pesticides warehouse in Olanesti, Stefan-Voda
� Pesticides Dump. Interior vew
proper monitoring and security. Only 777 tons outof the latter amount are identified preparations,and among them POPs pesticides are representedby 80 kg of heptachlor and 1,600 kg of toxaphene.However, no information exists on what amount ofPOP pesticides may be among the 935 tons ofunidentified obsolete pesticides stored in facili-ties13. (Figures 1 and 2)
The amount of obsolete pesticides stored in thewarehouses showed a steady decrease over theyears. Since 1995, the total amount of recorded pes-ticides decreased by approximately 600 tons. Itwould be very difficult to say whether thesechanges exist only on paper or they are real. Itwould not be totally unreasonable, however, to as-sume that some amounts of stored pesticides are
30
13 Tentative expert estimates suggest that Stockholm POPs may represent less than 20% of existing stock of obsoletepesticides.
� Lapusna pesticides warehouse. General view
� Barrels with Toxaphene, Pascani, Hicesti rayon � A barrel with Heptachlor.Gura Galbenei, Cimislia rayon
subject to illegal disposal, they are stolen, washedout with the runoff or infiltrate into the groundwa-ter, conducting to soil and water contamination.
No comprehensive assessment of the risks asso-ciated with POPs stockpiles, contaminated sitesand wastes has been made in Moldova so far. Inmany cases, the exact location and the environmen-tal state of contaminated sites has not been deter-mined. On the other hand, no guidelines were de-veloped providing criteria and procedures for suchinventories and for assessing the risks posed bysuch places, and no decontamination measureshave been elaborated at the national level.
During 1976-1990, soil samples showed pesti-cide contamination levels exceeding the maximumallowable concentration (MAC) from five times inthe Southern zone to 50 times in the Central zone.A research by the Institute for Experimental Mete-orology of the State Committee for Meteorology ofthe former Soviet Union showed that in 1979-1985about 60% of soil samples were polluted with DDTexceeding the MAC, in spite of the fact that DDTwas prohibited in 1970.
Since 1989, due to reduction in pesticide appli-cation, investigations showed an anticipated de-crease of pesticides-related pressure both in annualand perennial crops. During 1990-1995, the region-al Centers of Preventive Medicine of the MOHhave analyzed the contents of 28 pesticides’ residu-als in 10 agricultural crops and foodstuffs. Pesticideresiduals were found in 56.4% of tomato samplesand in 40 % of grape samples, but they never ex-ceeded the MAC. This downward trend has contin-ued in the last years. The percentage of samples in-vestigated during 1995-2002 showing traces ofDDT and HCH has decreased every year and only
episodically exceeded the MAC. Traces of hep-tachlor showed up only once. From the foodstuffs,animal products were found to accumulate most: in2002, DDT residuals were found in 4.5% of sam-ples and HCH in 1.8% of samples. The contamina-tion level of crops was insignificant.
The review of the findings of POPs pesticidesassessment against the provisions of the StockholmConvention revealed the following problems:� Large amounts of obsolete (including POPs)
pesticides are stored in poorly equipped or un-fitted storage facilities lacking proper monitor-ing and security.
� There is no clear ownership and accountabilityfor the obsolete pesticides issue, related tostockpile and contaminated sites management.
� There is evidence of some amounts of POPs pes-ticides (especially DDT) stored in private house-holds and used by farmers in an uncontrolled way.
� POPs pesticides are still identifiable in the envi-ronment (including soil, surface and ground wa-ter and foodstuffs), despite the ban on their useimposed long time ago.
� Large areas around former and existing storagefacilities are contaminated with POPs pesticides.
� Tracking, reporting and enforcement systemsassociated with imports and exports of POPspesticides have to be improved.
� The Government is aware of and committed tosolve the problem of obsolete pesticides butlacks capacity for doing it.
� No regulations, standards and/or guidelineswere developed covering contaminated sites as-sessment procedures, remediation criteria, fu-ture site use restrictions and site monitoring.
31
� Residues of obsolete pesticides in the open air
4.4. Assessment of PCBs IssuesPCBs14 have never been produced in the Re-
public of Moldova, all of them being imported. Ap-parently, no control of the quality of dielectric oilsexists at national borders related to the concentra-tions of PCBs. Their utilization in some sectors hasbeen discontinued or prohibited in the 1980s.However, PCBs continue to be used in power in-stallations and other types of equipment. The ma-jor sources of environmental pollution with poly-chlorinated biphenyls in Moldova are the emissionsfrom the energy sector and industry. The mainpathways of environmental pollution are the PCBoil spills and leaks from electric equipment, heatexchangers and hydraulic systems, evaporationfrom different technical installations, and dis-charges of industrial liquid waste.
It is estimated that most of PCBs in Moldova areconcentrated in the electricity sector. This sectorhas to be primarily targeted to solve the problem ofPCBs in Moldova. The preliminary inventory iden-tified that about 30,000 tons of dielectric oils areused in electrical power installations, including ap-proximately 23,300 tons in high voltage transform-ers, 5,400 tons in circuit breakers and 400 tons incapacitors. (Figure 3) From the total amount, 95-97% is in the equipment that belongs to power supplyentities (producers, transporters, and distributors)and 3-5% in the consumers’ electrical installations.The losses of dielectric oils in the energy sector areestimated at 9-10 tons per year.
The power entities keep no records about thetype of oil currently or previously filled in equip-ment. Thus, no direct evidence exists at this mo-ment on whether the dielectric oil is or is not PCB-contaminated. A few selected analyses executed byFichtner (Germany) in 1999, in transformers fromthe transport division of the power system, and byUnion Fenosa (Spain) in 2003, in 30 transformersfrom power distribution companies, did not provideproof of any PCB presence (however, this is notconsidered to be a representative sample and doesnot allow any generalization).
In contrast to transformer oil, the capacitorsused in Moldova probably contain PCB, and mostlikely this would be trichlorobyphenil. The total
number of capacitor batteries located at 20 electri-cal substations throughout the country is almost20,000, containing a total amount of 365 tons oftrichlorobyphenil. Most of the capacitors are con-centrated at the Vulcanesti substation in the southof Moldova. Over 12,000 batteries are kept at thesubstation including many out-of-use capacitors, 56kg each, containing 19 kg of PCB oil. Thus, a totalamount of 230 tons of trichlorobyphenil and 670tons of PCB-contaminated equipment is storedthere.
The capacitors represent a significant hazard tothe environment. Most of them have been in opera-tion for more than 30 years. There is no check for oilspillages from the capacitors. Old batteries are storedin open metal containers, some of them are leaking.They represent a real threat for the health of peopleliving in the vicinity of the substation. Complaintsfrom the local population about nuisance (unpleas-ant odours, eyes irritation) are not unusual.
At present, there are no possibilities for disposalof old capacitors in the country. After the break-upof the USSR the former procedures for disposal ofcapacitor oils have been abandoned. Apparently, nolegal requirements exist for disposing of the equip-ment contaminated with PCBs.
Regulations (dating from the Soviet period)concerning the handling of dielectric oils are inplace. However, even the personnel in the energysector is poorly informed (and only in relation to ca-pacitors) about the PCB risks. The electric installa-tions are not labeled accordingly.
The degree of uncertainty related to the PCBproblem in Moldova is quite high. No monitoringof PCBs and PCB-containing materials is beingdone in the country. There is no reliable system-atized information on leakage accidents and conse-quences of PCBs pollution of the environment, orother negative impacts of PCBs. Almost nothing isknown about the amount of PCBs in the electricequipment being used and the out-of-use installa-tions; the PCB releases to the environment duringlast decades; their content in the environment;PCB-contaminated sites; or the exposure of thepopulation to PCBs and their environmental risks.
Lack of information concerning non-energysector PCB applications does not allow any perti-
32
14 The polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of hydrocarbons that have largely been used along the 20th cen-tury in the energy sector and industry. PCBs have been manufactured primarily for use as dielectric fluids in powerinstallations (especially transformers and capacitors). They also had a number of industrial applications, in hydraulicequipment, as plasticizers, lubricants, etc. Starting with the 1960s, scientific evidence accumulated showing thatthese substances are quasi indestructible, highly bioaccumulative and toxic. Consequently, in the 1970-1980s pro-duction and marketing of PCBs became forbidden in all industrialized countries.
nent conclusions in this field. The preliminary in-ventory provided no information on the matter. Thesectors/industries where a certain amount of PCBscould be presently used in Moldova are as follows:hydraulic fluids; lubricating oils; adhesives; paints;
surface treatment for textiles; plasticizers; sealants;fluorescent lamp ballasts and other consumer goods.
The review of the findings of PCBs assessmentagainst the provisions of the Stockholm Conven-tion revealed the following problems:
33
� Power transformer in operation “Moldelectrica”, Orhei
� Capacitor batteries in blocks
34
Figure 3. VOLUME OF OIL IN ENERGY INSTALATIONS (potentialy contaminated with PCB)
35
� Currently there are no specific legal require-ments as regards PCBs import/export, storage,labelling, transport, and no operational guide-lines were developed for these fields.
� There appears to be no clear ownership and ac-countability of PCB issues for activities under theauthority of Ministries other than the MENR.
� Compliance with the Convention will requireproblem definition; setting and maintaining in-ventories; design and implementation of reme-dial measures
� There are very few data on PCB oils in use orawaiting destruction or disposal; PCB-contain-ing or contaminated equipment and otherwastes, stockpiles and contaminates sites; PCBcontaining products or other (non-energy)equipment.
� Options for appropriate destruction or disposalof PCBs have not been explored in Moldova.
� Environmental authorities do not appear to havea clear focus for environmental control of PCBs.
� Regular PCBs monitoring does not exist andlaboratory capacity is insufficient.
� PCB awareness level of decision makers appearsto be very low.
� No surveys of stockpiles, wastes and sites conta-minated by PCBs were conducted to determineto which extent such sites present a threat to theenvironment and human health in the near andlonger term.
4.5. Assessment of DDT Issues
DDT has never been produced in Moldova. Itsuse was forbidden in 1970; currently DDT is notlisted in the official register of permitted substancesfor use in agriculture, forestry and household. Illegalimport of DDT is unlikely, since: (1) it could not belegally used; and (2) DDT is no longer seen as anessential pesticide, since a number of effective al-ternative pesticides are in use. Over the last decade,DDT concentrations in the environment have con-
stantly decreased. The results of the long-termmonitoring of DDT residues in soil show a cleardownward trend after the peak was reached in the1980s. The same tendency has been recorded in thesurface waters. According to investigations by HMS,the maximum concentrations of DDT residuals de-tected in surface waters decreased from 8-10 ppb inthe 1980s to 0.0-0.01 ppb in 2002.
Concerning DDT stockpiles, a reported amountof 654.1 tons is buried at the Cismichioi pesticidedump. The investigations carried out in 1999 in theframework of the Tacis project „Selected Actions forthe Protection of the Danube River Basin” showedthat surface soils within and adjacent to the site arecontaminated with residues of DDT and its metabo-lites. The study reported strong evidence that pesti-cide residues from the dump are being mobilizedthrough exposure of contaminated surface soils andby leaching from the dump into groundwater.
Due to the fact that DDT has been prohibitedover 30 years ago and its imports have stopped in theyearly 1970s, all shipment and contractual informa-tion has been lost, thus making desk assessment im-possible. At the same time, according to some ex-perts, DDT might still be used in some rural house-holds, which do not possess knowledge of the com-position of obsolete stock they might have preserved.
The review of the findings of DDT assessmentagainst the provisions of the Stockholm Conventionrevealed a number of problems similar to those apply-ing to other POPs pesticides described under item 4.3.
4.6. Assessment of UnintendedPOPs15 Releases (PCDD/PCDF, HCB and PCBs)
No comprehensive study to identify the releas-es of PCDD, PCDF, PCBs and HCB has been everconducted in the Republic of Moldova.
The UNEP Standardised Toolkit for Identificationand Quantification of Dioxin and Furan16 Releases was
15 Four POPs substances to be controlled via the Stockholm Convention are produced unintentionally as by-productsor trace contaminants. These are: polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs); polychlorinated dibenzofurans(PCDFs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and, hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Two of them, namely PCBs and HCB,have also been produced for specific purposes (PCBs as dielectric fluids etc. and HCB as a seed fungicide).
16 Dioxins and furans are amongst the most toxic substances known to man, and normally they are not intentionallyproduced. They are usually generated and subsequently released through a number of anthropogenic and naturalactivities. Anthropogenic sources include a broad range of industrial and combustion sources. PCDDs and PCDFshave been detected in effluents from municipal effluents, waste incinerators, cement kilns, steel plants, wood com-bustion etc.
used to make a preliminary inventory of these substancesin Moldova. Various sources released 42.6 g TEQ ofPCDD/PCDF into atmosphere, water and land in 2001.According to the inventory, 47.6% of total PCDD/PCDFreleases resulted from wastewater; 35.9% from powergeneration and heating, 6.6% from uncontrolled combus-tion processes (fires/burning of biomass).
Over the period of 1990-2001 total PCDD/ PCDFreleases to the atmosphere, water and land decreasedby 83.8% (from 263.1 g TEQ to 42.6 g TEQ). At thesame time, it can be foreseen that national economicrecovery could bring a significant increase ofPCDD/PCDF releases. Therefore appropriate mea-sures have to be taken to identify the hot spots and totarget limited available resources at prevention andlimitation of emissions from priority sources.
Emissions of PCBs (as unwanted by-products17)in Moldova amounted to 16.24 kg/year in 1990.The main emission sources were heavy-duty vehi-cles, buses and lime production. During the lastdecade PCBs releases declined sharply (up to 2.10kg/year in 2001).
There are no data available on current and his-toric emission levels of HCB18 in Moldova. In 1990,
HCB releases in Moldova were assessed at 0.025 kg, andthe main emission source was cement production (99%).In 2001, releases were estimated at 1.0 kg. The main emis-sion source was secondary aluminum production (99%).
Significant uncertainties regarding quantificationof releases of un-intended and by-products POPsmust be stressed. These are due to the lack of reliableand continuous monitoring, analytical methods andequipment, both in the public and private sectors.
The National Program for Environmental Safetyasks for developing and implementing emission lim-it values for unintentional POPs. However, due tolack of capacity (equipment) to monitor and analyzesuch emissions, this task looks unrealizable in thenear future. Besides, there appears to be a regulatorygap with respect to responsibilities for managing re-leases (especially PCBs) from industry. There are noexisting inventories of industrial plants or factoriesknown to release HCBs, PCBs, dioxins or furans.Many surveys will be required to garner a clear andprecise definition of the problem. This will also like-ly require the establishment of consultative mecha-nisms and partnerships and the cooperation of many
36
� Storage conditions. Sacks with obsolete pesticides.
17 PCB can be classified under two source categories: as deliberately used industrial products (discussed above) andas unintentional products. PCBs are a common contaminant in emissions from combustion sources. At low com-bustion temperatures and inadequate combustion chamber residence time, PCBs are volatilized and released to thelocal environment where they condense and contaminate the surrounding area.
18 HCB was originally used as a fungicidal seed treatment. As a fungicide, it is not allowed for use in Moldova, and re-portedly it was not extensively used in the past. HCB sources also include: emissions from incineration; leachatefrom hazardous waste dumps; emissions from various industrial sources; effluents from municipal wastewater treat-ment plants and long-range transport and deposition.
Ministries. This activity is a prerequisite to develop-ing an implementation plan to achieve compliance.
The review of the findings of unintended POPsassessment against the provisions of the StockholmConvention revealed the following problems:� There appears to be a regulatory gap with re-
spect to responsibilities for managing releasesfrom industry.
� There are no existing inventories of industrialplants or factories known to release HCBs,PCBs, dioxins or furans.
� There are no data on process-related releasesfrom the industry sector, medical incinerators,and/or sewage treatment plant discharges.
� Currently there are no emission limit values forunintentional POPs.
� Lack of capacity to monitor releases of uninten-tional POPs.
4.7. Requirements for Exemptions
The MENR and the Stockholm Convention na-tional focal point sought suggestions from relevantgovernment agencies and it was unanimously ac-knowledged that Moldova did not need exemp-tions as specified in Art. 4. At the same time, withnational and sector-wide privatization almost com-pleted, the majority of industrial and agricultural
production is concentrated in the private sector. Inthis regard, MENR shall continue consultationswith major private industrial and agricultural pro-ducers, manufacturers’ and consumer associationsto seek whether some exemptions might be re-quested by the private sector.
4.8. Existing Monitoring Programs
Several laboratories, centers, institutions anddepartments are involved in monitoring activitiesregarding pesticides (including POPs) in Moldova.The State Ecological Inspectorate (SEI) is in charge ofcompliance monitoring and pollution control. Themain focus of the SEI is analysis of pollutants indischarges and in the environment in the vicinity ofpollution sources. The Inspectorate has six certi-fied laboratories (one central and five regional) withskilled staff. However, an evaluation of laboratorycapabilities undertaken in 2002 in the framework ofthe World Bank Environmental Compliance andEnforcement Capacity Building Project revealedthat the analytical instrumentation in all laborato-ries is extremely obsolete and none of them isequipped for adequate analyses of organic microp-ollutants (which include the POPs) in water, air andsoil samples. Since the laboratories do not partici-pate in the national/international inter-laboratory
37
� Power Plant Nr.2, Chisinau
comparisons, the quality assurance/quality controlissues are of concern19. A modern gas chromato-graph with FID and ECD detectors was recentlysupplied to the central laboratory in Chisinau in theframework of the mentioned project, increasing itscapability for high-precision measurements ofPOPs pesticides and PCBs. In 2002-2003, the SEIundertook a survey of old pesticides storehousesand investigated the level of contamination of adja-cent areas with organochlorinated pesticides, in-cluding DDT, in the Nistru River basin.
The State Hydrometeorological Service (HMS)monitors background air, water and soil quality toassist in the formulation of pollution control mea-sures. It has certified laboratories for water and soilanalyses, which regularly participate in internationalquality assurance and quality control schemes. TheHMS is running programs of pesticide monitoringin soil and water. The most comprehensive programinvolved the investigation of DDT and DDEresidues in soil since 1979. The results showed aclear downward trend after the peak was reached inthe 1980s. The same tendency has been recorded inthe surface waters. The HMS has a comprehensivenetwork of sampling stations covering all major wa-ter courses and water bodies and monitoring a rangeof some 35 parameters, including DDT and otherpesticides. Water quality reports are sent regularlyto national authorities and also to the Secretariat ofthe Danube Protection Convention. At the sametime, air monitoring is deficient due to a lack ofequipment for measuring POPs pesticides.
The Ministry of Health is responsible for moni-toring in relation to human health. The MOH hasan extensive network of regional laboratories in theCenters for Preventive Medicine (CPMs) carryingout a significant number of analyses of foodstuffs,agriculture soils, air, drinking water and surface wa-ters for pesticides residues. It is also responsible foroccupational health issues related to pesticides use.The National Center for Preventive Medicine inChisinau has a fully equipped laboratory withtrained staff, capable of carrying out sophisticatedanalyses. The laboratory has national certificationand its results are mutually recognized by thehealth authorities of Russia and Ukraine. Several
other CPM laboratories in the country are alsoquite well equipped and staffed.
Several other institutions have the technical ca-pacity for POPs pesticides analyses (e.g. the Centerfor Agrochemical Service of the MAFI, the Insti-tute of Geophysics and Geography of the Academyof Sciences), but these are not regular and dependupon demand from interested clients. Private en-terprises and farmers do not have technical capabil-ity of analyzing POPs, in particular pesticides, andthey usually contract certified laboratories for doingthat. Currently, the industries and the energy sectordo not have the obligation of self-monitoring in re-spect of specific pollutants like PCBs or PCDD/PCDF, since those are usually not listed in environ-mental permit requirements and, on the otherhand, no national environmental quality standardshave been established for some of them.
Coordination and exchange of informationamong the monitoring agencies is sporadic and isusually the result of the individual initiative of tech-nical experts within those institutions. Despite sev-eral signed agreements (e.g. the Agreement on coop-eration between the MECTD and the MOH signedin 2000), currently there are no operational channelsof information exchange between the parties. Thisgenerates duplication of efforts, on the one side, in-formation gaps, on the other side, and does not allowrelevant information to be used in decision-making.
The Government attempts to integrate existingsectoral monitoring frameworks and to canalizegathered information into the decision-makingprocess so far resulted in setting different “nation-al” monitoring systems, which basically involve thesame institutions (CPMs, HMS, SEI, MAFI) andsuffer from the same overlapping. Besides, pro-posed systems often remain on paper only, sincetheir implementation is hindered by lack of funds20.
In conclusion, currently only investigations overDDT and its metabolites are regularly carried outin Moldova. Other pesticides included in the POPslist of the Stockholm Convention (aldrin, dieldrin,chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphen,and hexachlorobenzene) are not monitored at na-tional scale. A significant amount of data on POPspesticide exists within the country, but appears
38
19 Upgrading Compliance Monitoring Capabilities of the State Ecological Inspectorate. Final Report. June 2002. Envi-ronmental Compliance and Enforcement Capacity Building Project, The World Bank.
20 See, for example: GRM Decision No. 477 of 19.05.2000 on the approval of the Regulation on the national networkof laboratory observation and control over the pollution of the environment with radioactive, toxic and bacteriologicalsubstances; and GRM Decision No. 717 of 07.06.2002 on the approval of the Concept of organization and function-ing of social-hygienic monitoring in the Republic of Moldova and the Regulation on the social-hygienic monitoring inthe Republic of Moldova.
fragmented, making future reporting obligationsmore difficult than necessary.
Analyses of PCBs are sporadic, since no pressureis made on the energy sector and industries by theenvironmental authorities as regards self-monitor-ing, reporting on PCBs and PCB-contaminatedequipment, etc.
At present, there are no Government inventoriesof industrial plants or factories known to releasedioxins or furans. The very few analyses of dioxinsand furans in Moldovan environment were done forscientific purposes and by NGOs, and the sampleshave been analyzed in western laboratories.
The assessment of existing POPs monitoringprograms revealed the following problems:� From the POPs list of the Stockholm Conven-
tion only DDT and its metabolites are regularlymonitored at national scale. Data on other POPsare fragmentary and scattered among differentinstitutions.
� Coordination and exchange of informationamong the monitoring agencies is sporadic. Cur-rently there are no operational channels of infor-mation exchange between the parties.
� The general laboratory capacity is insufficient,especially for PCBs and unintended POPs.
� Quality assurance/quality control issues are of con-cern, since the equipment in many laboratories isobsolete, training of staff is episodic and inter-lab-oratory comparison exercises are not undertaken.
� Data handling and analysis procedures are defi-cient, preventing the possibility to use gatheredmonitoring information for decision-making.
� Currently, the industries and the energy sectordo not have self-monitoring obligations con-cerning specific pollutants like PCBs orPCDD/PCDF.
4.9. Economic Assessment
Moldovan economic development is cruciallydependent on the environment and natural re-sources. At the same time, however, economicgrowth (development) is accompanied by signifi-cant adverse environmental and social impacts andconsequences. There is no denying that POPs air,water and soil pollution (and food contamination)leads to serious negative impacts on health and var-ious economic goods and services. The socio-eco-nomic costs resulting from environmental and nat-ural resources damage and degradation are real andhard-felt, particularly by the poor. Most of the peo-ple in Moldova work on land and are directly de-pendent on natural resources for food, shelter andemployment, i.e. their short-term and long-termwelfare is inextricably dependent on and tied to thequality and productivity of natural systems.
During NIP preparation, an attempt was under-taken to make an economic evaluation of POPs-re-lated environmental and health impacts (costs) andbenefits resulting from implementing various miti-gatory and management alternatives. Due to lack ofreliable environmental monitoring, epidemiologicaland population data, and its time and spatial di-mensions, it was difficult to establish and quantifydirect doze-response and other relationships be-tween individual POPs and measurable environ-mental and health effects. Currently in Moldovamarket prices and the market place do not ade-quately capture and reflect the full value to the so-ciety and the private sector of the full spectrum ofpotentially POPs-associated impacts and conse-quences, as well as of undertaking precautionary,mitigatory, prevention and rehabilitation actions orusing particular resources, so-called “externalities”.
39
� Destroyed storehouse, Lapusna, Hincesti rayon
Furthermore, internationally acceptable economicevaluation methodologies are not used in Moldova,and necessary monitoring and research data and in-formation is lacking.
As necessary information and data were notreadily available, a “benefit transfer” approach wasused where estimates obtained in other but similarcontext were used to estimate the range of costsunder various alternative options to manage and ad-dress problems associated with the POPs regulatedby the Stockholm Convention. Economic evalua-tion of POPs-related environmental damage wasbased on the inventory data, using standardMoldovan methodologies and approved nationalnorms for natural resources use charges and envi-ronmental pollution payments. Total environmen-tal damage from POPs was estimated to be aboutMDL 96.6 million in 2001 (about US$7.2 million.)Total POPs-related health (damage) costs were es-timated, using international comparable health ef-fects data, to be about MDL 78.8 million (aboutUS$5.8 million.)
Cost-benefit analysis looked at “no project” sce-nario, i.e. when no POPs mitigatory measures areundertaken. In this case, total (environmental andhealth) POPs associated (damage) costs would beabout MDL 175.4 million (US$13 million.) “Withproject” scenario, i.e. total POPs mitigation bene-fits, was not attempted to be evaluated at this stage,as it was impossible to precisely estimate the totalcost of all proposed alternatives to address theretypes of regulated POPs.
At the same time, an attempt was made, usinginternationally available estimates of various tech-niques, to estimate costs of mitigating PCB-relatedproblems related to clean-up and destruction ofabout 14000 obsolete capacitors and 26000 varioustransformers, waste oils, etc. It was concluded thatthe total cost for a 6-12 years long clean-up and de-struction of PCB contaminated equipment, assetsand oils will be about US$34 million, i.e. aboutUS$2.8-5.6 millions annually, provided PCB mitiga-tion equipment and technologies have been pro-cured and installed in Moldova. Obviously, the totalcost may be lower or higher in cases when PCB mit-igation will utilize leased equipment and/or on theterritory of third countries, which already have nec-essary facilities. Depending on the selected methodfor mitigating pesticides-related pollution and obso-
lete stocks controlled storage, land-filling or de-struction, the total cost was tentatively estimated torange US$2-8 million, spread over a period 4-6years, i.e. annual costs topping US$1.3-2 million21.
In addition, it is anticipated that there will be animpact in terms of increased administrative burden,due to the managing of various project activities,certain notification and reporting obligations, etc.Thus it is evident that, during the life-time of NIPimplementation, annual benefits from implement-ing POPs mitigation activities, at least for POPspesticides and PCBs, will significantly exceed pro-jects costs by US$5.6-8.9 million. The total costshave to be weighted against the benefits. The NIPcontributes to elimination of the most harmful sub-stances of global concern.
4.10. Impacts of POPs on PublicHealth and the Environment
Among the pesticides that have been used inMoldova in the past, the organochlorinated pesti-cides (OCPs), which include all the pesticides list-ed in the POPs Convention, are thought to posethe biggest health and environmental risks due totheir toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation po-tential. In the 1990s, their use in Moldova almostceased. However, their intensive use in the past,their persistence in the environment and the relat-ed health risks still make of them a health and en-vironmental issue.
The intense use of OCPs in the past, which rea-ched a peak in the 1970s, caused pesticides accu-mulation in and contamination of soil and crops.Presently it is well-known that some OCPs can per-sist in the soil for 10-20 years and more. This ex-plains why DDT is still detectable in the Moldovanenvironment, despite the fact that it was banned in1970 and was not used in significant amounts sincethen.
Poor enforcement of specific rules and workinginstructions related to pesticides storage, trans-portation, preparation, use, etc., as well as insuffi-cient awareness of the population on the healthrisks associated with pesticides, leaded to multipleviolations of the regulations on handling toxic sub-stances, including uncontrolled pesticide use on
40
21 Due to uncertainty regarding the final selection of the most cost-effective and politically feasible mitigation option, a“benefit transfer approach” was used, where the estimates obtained in other but similar contexts were used to comeup with a cost-range for various internationally available clean-up and destruction technologies.
the individual plots of farmers. This led to occupa-tional health problems for many people directly in-volved in pesticides handling. This also con-tributed to the pesticides entering the environmentand circulating in the food chains. In the 1980s, thefrequency of detected pesticide residuals (includ-ing DDT and HCH) in Moldovan foodstuffs waspretty high, ranging from 5.6% (1984) to 19.8%(1990). The most contaminated were fruits, cannedgoods, dairy products and meat. The contaminationfrequency decreased during the last decade, butstill data from 2000 indicated that pesticide residu-als were present in 3.1% out of about 12,000 ana-lyzed samples of food crops.
Investigations undertaken in Moldova by healthauthorities in the peak period of pesticide applica-tion denoted a significant exposure of humans toOCPs. HCH and DDT were identified in thebreast milk of women living in villages where sig-nificant amounts of these pesticides were applied22.The vast majority of breast milk samples (between87% and 96% in different villages) have beenproved to be contaminated. The concentrations ofpesticides in body fluids showed a clear correlationwith the level of pesticide application in the fields.The toxic effects of OCPs on exposed people in-cluded reproductive dysfunctions and other func-
tional disturbances in women, as well as increasedfrequency of masculine sterility, the incidence ofboth being related to the level of pesticides use.
Epidemiological studies also revealed a correla-tion between the level of OCPs use in previousyears and the morbidity through chronic hepatitisand liver cirrhosis in the investigated areas ofMoldova. Research findings identified a strong pos-itive correlation between the general level of pesti-cides use and infant mortality. The demonstratedchronic effects on children and teenagers related topesticides application included immune systemdisruptions, as well as physical and mental retarda-tion. The comprehensive estimation of health sta-tus revealed an evident general worsening of chil-dren’s and teenagers’ health indices in areas withhigh level of pesticides application.
It is considered that as a result of excessive useof pesticides in Moldova during the last decades,the health status of at least two generations was af-fected. The burden of morbidity resulted from theacute and chronic effects of exposure to organicchemicals is significant in Moldova and has impor-tant social and economic costs. Prevention of fur-ther exposure of the population to POPs pesticidesis one of the public health imperatives.
41
22 Volneanschi A., Romanciuc P. Hygienic evaluation of the content of organochlorinated pesticides in breast milk(Rom.) Proceedings of the III Congress of hygienists, microbiologists, epidemiologists and parazitologists of the Re-public of Moldova, Chisinau, 1992. P. 68-70.
� Access to obsolete pesticides is denied. Warehouse in Pascani, Hincesti rayon
Starting with the land reform in the mid 1990s,the number of large pesticide users (agriculturefarms) was in a continuous decline. Consequently,the number of people professionally exposed topesticides at the work place also dropped from34,700 persons in 1993 to 8,800 in 2002. This doesnot mean, however, that the total number of ex-posed people decreased in the same proportion,since many peasants continue to apply pesticideson their individual plots in smaller amounts and un-der less controlled conditions. This might in facthave increased the risks of pesticide use, instead ofdecreasing them.
The assessment of impacts of POPs on popula-tion and the environment revealed: � Lack of comprehensive and reliable environ-
mental monitoring and epidemiological data,making it difficult to establish and quantify di-rect doze-response and other relationships be-tween individual POPs and measurable envi-ronmental and health effects.
4.11. Social Assessment and Ac-tivities of Non-GovernmentalOrganizations
Country-driven Rapid Social Assessment (RSA)was used during NIP preparation to: identify stake-holders; increase stakeholders’ ownership; clarifyand prioritize POPs-related social issues (poverty,age, ethnicity, gender) and project objectives andgoals; define responsibilities and build broad-basedcommitment to the project outcomes. RSA provid-ed a means for achieving and securing public in-volvement and participation. It also sought to an-swer key POPs NIP-related questions and therebyimprove decision-making, and helped address a va-riety of social factors that would be critical to NIPimplementation success. RSA is an on-goingprocess that should take place throughout the NIPcycle.
The range of stakeholders that were consultedduring POPs NIP design included: the GRM,MENR, acting as the executing agency, other min-istries and local administrations; the Parliament andits relevant standing commissions and deputies; se-lected public and private enterprises, and owners ofrelevant assets; Academia; affected local communi-ties and NGOs representing their interests; theWorld Bank, GEF and international and bilateral
donors. Local experts and NGOs were used as in-termediaries between the government, affectedcommunities and local civil society; they also car-ried out the RSA.
Both the GRM and the Parliament seek to findpractical solutions to or at least mitigate immediateadverse environmental and health impacts of dilap-idated (and leaking) pesticide storage facilities,scattered all over the country. Three GRM resolu-tions were approved to this effect, outlining variousalternatives to collecting and sitting obsolete pesti-cide storage facilities. None of these decisions wereimplemented, due to lack of funding and opposi-tion of local population, which was not informed ofand engaged in decision-making. The Parliamentconducted a special session on obsolete pesticidesand had a number of special hearings and meetingswith local populations (these have been repeatedlycovered by national TV and media).
At the same time, it is also quite obvious thatPOPs problems are not on the top of the nationalagenda, due to severe financial constraints, limitedand inconsistent commitment of the political elite,and due to inadequate understanding of the inter-relationships between POPs pollution and public
42
� Free access to obsolete pesticides
health and poverty elimination. While MENR andMOH seem to consistently and proactively champi-on complete and final resolution of POPs (pesti-cide) related problems, other agencies do not seethe resolution of POPs problems as one of thebuilding blocks in achieving national sustainabledevelopment and poverty elimination, includingassuring sustainable food production, reliable qual-ity water supply, sanitation and waste management,and fostering public health.
Few stakeholders are aware of POPs-relatedproblems (e.g., only 3% of survey respondents wereaware of POPs23), seriously concerned with variousnegative environmental and health impacts, andsee POPs mitigation and elimination as a priority.Others, while appreciating the seriousness of po-tential problems, do not place comprehensivePOPs mitigation and management among the dailylife priorities. Awareness of PCB/dioxin/furan-relat-ed environmental and health problems is almostnon-existent and does not come even close to thetop of public or private priorities.
Poor POPs awareness and ignorance of variousgroups, like farmers, enterprise employees, chil-dren, or students is related to: lack of institutional-ized communication channels and experienced andcredible PR staff, ineffectiveness of existing infor-
mation environmental dissemination, communica-tion and education, distrust of and even hostility to-wards public authorities, fear of prosecution and re-luctance, due to censure, of local population to ar-ticulate their concerns. Most vulnerable and poorgroups of population are mainly concerned withtheir daily survival and showed almost total indif-ference towards POPs (chemical) pollution and itsimpacts on their health. Mass media was cited asthe primary sources of POPs-related information,while environmental and local authorities andNGOs were ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively.24
There are over 2000 NGOs registered in Moldo-va – over 50% of them exist only on paper, the re-maining ones have 1-2 members, and only 20-30NGOs are rather actively involved in environmen-tal and social activities, increasingly with the tech-nical and financial assistance from the Regional En-vironmental Center (REC). It is acknowledged thatmost NGOs do not have technical capabilities togenerate their own environmental research and in-formation gathering, and are using data availablefrom public agencies and academia. Many NGOsshape their activities to match the priorities of in-ternational donors rather than build on and addressconcerns of local communities.
43
23 Bivol, Elena and Ciubotaru, Valentin, Report on the Survey on Main Public Concerns Regarding POPs in the Re-public of Moldova, Chiºinãu, 2003, p.4.
24 Renita, Alecu, Victoria Resetnic and Victor Stratila, Report on the Survey on Main Public Concerns Regarding POPsin the Republic of Moldova, Ecological Movement of Moldova, Chisinau 2003, p.5.
he overall country society is deeplyand rightly concerned about harmfulchemical substances, including POPsentering, staying in and destroying
their environment. POPs and other chemicals inair, water, soil and sediment can end up in the foodchain, upon which all living beings, including hu-mans, depend for their existence. The national pol-icy regarding POPs chemicals is driven by under-standing that a national chemical safety manage-ment system needs to be created for applying aprecautionary, prevention and polluter pays ap-proach in identifying chemicals pressures and im-pacts, in assessing remediation options and in im-plementing cost-effective measures to prevent en-vironmental degradation and negative societal, par-ticularly health, impacts.
The range of POPs chemicals concerns, high-lighted by the Stockholm Convention, is consid-ered as country priority for the time being, andshould serve as a triggering mechanism for themodernization of the current national chemicalsmanagement system towards an environmentally
sound management of toxic, persistent, harmfuland bio-accumulative substances in all spheres ofhuman society. Minimization and final eliminationof POPs related pressures and impacts to the natur-al and human environment is an integral part of na-tional environmental policy. It is considered thatenvironmentally sound management of chemicals,if being adequately set up and functioning, is animportant element contributing to the well-beingof the country, society sustainable developmentand poverty alleviation. Adequate solving of POPspesticides problems, as well as sound managementof other prohibited and unused agricultural chemi-cals, is considered to be helpful for the promotionof Moldovan ecologically clean agricultural prod-ucts world wide.
The national policy is calling for phased ap-proach and well developed implementation plansfor the solving of significant treats related to widespectrum of chemicals’ harms and dangers.
The policy has two key management objectives:� Remediation and virtual elimination from the
environment of POPs that result predominantly
44
STRATEGY5.
T
� Urgent remediation needed.
from human activity and that are persistent andbio-accumulative; and
� Management of other toxic substances andchemicals, throughout their entire life cycles, toavoid, prevent or minimize their release into theenvironment.The policy recognizes the need to apply a pre-
cautionary, prevention and polluter pays approach inidentifying POPs and implementing cost-effectivemeasures to prevent environmental degradation andnegative societal, particularly health, impacts.
Currently, the overall national policy goal isminimize POPs related treats to the environmentand public health by means of better managementoptions, which should serve as an example, skele-ton and operational model for further widening anddevelopment of chemical safety management sys-tem in Moldova.
Country Strategy
The country strategy for the establishing of na-tion-wide chemical safety management system andthe solving of POPs priority problems is based onthe policy stipulations and includes integratedstrategies in the following spheres:
Policy� Obligations under the Stockholm Convention
are only a subset of broader international obliga-
tions of Moldova, which may be defined as “en-vironmentally sound and integrated manage-ment of chemicals”. The links and operationalplatform between the Stockholm Convention,the Aarhus Protocol, the Basel Convention, theRotterdam Convention and other relevant inter-national conventions should be established.
� The national environmental and sectoral poli-cies, strategies and programs should be modern-ized and must reflect POPs priority elements, aswell as other dangerous and toxic substancesmanagement issues. The flexibility mecha-nisms shall be built-in to allow timely and effi-cient adjustment and updating when warranted.The policies, strategies and programs shall pro-vide prioritization of action, based on cost-bene-fit analysis and potential threat of POPs to hu-man health, welfare and the environment.
Legislation� Existing regulatory gaps have to be filled-in and
legislation has to be amended to ensure cross-sectoral and media consistency and timely trans-position of international obligations. The legis-lation shall address some specific POPs issues,which are not currently covered by existing le-gal and regulatory framework, both at the na-tional and sectoral levels.
� Implementation regulations, procedures, stan-dards and guidelines shall be drafted in an inte-grated manner, clarifying monitoring, reporting,control, implementation and enforcement re-
45
� Clean-up of warehouses is planned.
sponsibilities of the respective ministries andagencies, and creating a unified and integratedcomputerized system of tracking regulatedPOPs, dangerous & toxic substances and otherchemicals throughout their life cycle.
� The revision of the environmental standards re-lated to the management of hazardous chemi-cals will focus not only on numerical values, buton a broad reform encompassing the principlesand the legal basis for standards setting. Theprovision and stipulations from legal and regula-tory acts should be also transferred to the practi-cal and operational guides, as well as presented
for the general public in simple and understand-able mode.
� The number of regulated polluting substancesshould be limited to these: with the highestthreat to human health, regulated under applic-able international obligations, and that can beeffectively monitored with the limited technicalcapacity and human resources available.
� An integrated environmental permitting shouldbe developed, consistent with the applicableEU requirements. Provisions for BAT and BEP,regarding POPs sources (new and existing)should be clearly addressed in legislation.
46
� Example of guarded pesticides and fertilizers storehouse. Chisinau mun.
� Destroyed warehouse: looking for low cost sollutions.
Administrative Management
� To support activities of implementation of theStockholm Convention and of other internation-al conventions in that field, the MENR shouldconsider the possibility of creating a Center forChemicals Management (CCM) to coordinateand manage Moldovan international obligationsunder the Basel, Stockholm, and Aarhus Proto-col to LRTAP and potentially the RotterdamConvention, thus attracting the investmentsand technologies for the implementation of theinternational treaties and for the NIP, and gain-ing synergies, as well as improving and increas-ing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, transparency,accountability and cross-fertilization.
� POPs-related obligations of various ministriesand agencies require focusing, fine-tuning of au-thority and responsibilities, as well as better co-ordination and proactive cooperation – theMENR shall be assigned lead responsibility andgiven relevant powers to ensure enforcement.
� A possibility of creating a centralized computer-ized system – a unified databank (integrating in-formation and data from various registers, lists,sectoral monitoring systems of different hierar-chy), based on upgraded centralized monitoringand laboratory capabilities and complementedby focused training of selected staff, should beexplored.
� Coordination, compatibility and integration ofmonitoring, laboratory and control capabilitiesshall be enhanced, in order to improve POPs cy-cle information and data management and facil-itate more effective and efficient national pro-gramming, planning and decision-making.
� Environmental audits should include POPs con-cerns and should be used more extensively andconsistently to review performance, collect dataand develop mitigatory plans for various eco-nomic entities, as well as identify and assign en-vironmental liabilities.
� Improve DOC system for POPs import, exportand transit tracking and reporting, monitoring,control and enforcement, including computer-ized and integrated information and data man-agement and sharing, particularly regarding la-beling and compliance with licenses’ and per-mits’ stipulations on quantities and consistencyof brand names/chemical compositions.
Financial Mechanisms� Explore opportunities for POPs-related invest-
ments and technical assistance, as well as for uti-lization of existing projects financed by interna-tional and bilateral financial institutions in vari-ous sectors, like agriculture, energy, and trans-port. Implementation of joint nationally and in-ternationally supported efforts is a strategicpathway for solving POPs and other chemicalsissues in Moldova.
� Plan a phased increase in public environmentalexpenditures parallel to overall economic recov-ery, or, at least, ensure timely release and effi-cient execution of budgetary allocations for pri-ority POPs issues. It is important to establishsustainable co-financing and contributing plat-forms between national, regional and localsources, government and private ones, nationaland international financial flows.
47
� Obsolete pesticides before repackaging.
� Provide incentives to increase the share of localpublic and private sector financing in the man-agement of local, enterprise and site-specificPOPs and other priority chemicals related envi-ronmental problems.
� Streamline environment-related taxation and im-prove collection, expand economic incentives, in-crease fines for POPs and other chemicals pollu-tion, as well as for non-compliance to reflect thescarcity of natural resources and significance ofenvironmental and health impacts; these shouldbe timely indexed to reflect inflation rates.
� To support implementation of Stockholm Con-vention related activities, GRM and MENRshould increase annual allocations from the na-tional and local sources, including environmen-tal non-budgetary funds.
Human Resources� Strengthen and improve chemicals safety skill-
mix of the MENR, MAFI, MOH, MOE, MOD,DOC and related agencies’ systems with well-trained environmental professionals, includingsenior managers, technical and media experts,economists and lawyers.
� Ensure integrated development of country re-sources at various levels (national, regional, lo-cal), including all players (governmental agen-cies, public authorities, private sector, generalpublic) in decision making, sharing of responsi-bilities, training and educational programs.
� Increase the role of local public authorities, pro-viding managerial skills and financial authorityfor POPs and other harmful chemicals combat-ing efforts.
� Seek negotiating bilateral (twinning) agree-ments with the respective environmental agen-cies for technology, know-how transfer andtraining.Acknowledging that meeting the Stockholm
Convention requirements is an important step to-wards ensuring the overall national chemical safety,the strategic approaches of Moldova in this fieldcan be formulated as follows:� Step by step approach, followed by good plan-
ning and definitive agreements between stake-holders, beneficiaries and financial agencies is aprerequisite for the implementation of Stock-holm Convention requirements. The NIP is abasis for relevant actions and negotiations withinternational financial institutes.
� Specific implementation actions included in theNIP should be focused on eliminating/reducing
the priority health and environmental threatsposed by POPs chemicals, by means of afford-able and cost-efficient measures.
� The NIP should provide flexibility for imple-mentation mechanisms and operational plans,and implementation agencies should have a sortof maneuvering, in order to reach establishednational goals timely and efficiently, but strictlyconsidering the principles of safe and environ-mentally sound measures.
� The NIP should be periodically evaluated bymeans of established criteria and indicators, ana-lyzed by stakeholders and revised if appropriated.The strategic objectives pursuant to the re-
quirements of the Stockholm Convention are:
Reduction of POPs Releases from IntentionalProduction and Use (Article 3)� Prohibit production and use (except PCBs in
equipment) and eliminate import and export ofPOPs chemicals listed in Annexes A and B, bythe amending of legislation with clearly formu-lated provisions according to Stockholm Con-vention requirements until 2005.
� Establish a schedule for the elimination of theuse of PCBs in equipment, according to Stock-holm Convention priorities (Annex A, part II, a)after a clear assessment of PCBs content inequipment. Final elimination is scheduled by2025.
� Implement step by step measures for reductionof exposure and risk from use of PCB-contain-ing equipment, according to the priorities stipu-lated by the Stockholm Convention (Annex A,part II, b) after assessment of PCBs content inequipment.
� Prohibit recovery for reuse in other equipmentof PCB-containing liquids, according to theStockholm Convention requirements (Annex A,part II, d) by amendments of legislation until2010, and establish environmentally soundwaste management of liquids and equipmentscontaminated by PCBs not later than 2028.
� Identify PCBs content in other articles andmanage them accordingly by 2025.
� Evaluate national options for specific exemp-tions according to the Stockholm convention re-quirements until 2005.
� Establish a mechanism for assessment of newpesticides and industrial chemicals (in accor-dance with POPs criteria) by 2007.
48
� Implement assessment of pesticides and indus-trial chemicals in use according to the POPs cri-teria until 2010.
Register of Specific Exemptions (Article 4)� Follow up all requirements stipulated in the
Stockholm Convention, since the momentwhen the Register will be officially established.
Reduction or Elimination of Releases from Un-intentional Production (Article 5)� Further investigation of sources and current
management options regarding releases ofchemicals listed in Annex C in order to preparerelevant Action Plan by 2006.
� Identify BAT and BEP for particular industryand sources by 2010 and introduce BAT andBEP for new sources since 2010.
� Promote measures to achieve releases reductionsince 2006.
Reduction or Elimination of Releases fromStockpiles and Wastes (Article 6)� Finalize collection of prohibited pesticides at
district deposits during 2004-2006.� Finalize the strategy for the identification of
stockpiles consisting or containing chemicalslisted in Annexes A and B and products contain-ing POPs listed in Annexes A, B and C by 2006.
� Manage obsolete pesticides stockpiles andwastes in an environmentally sound manner fol-lowing international standards and guidelines,according to the following scheme: (100% ofPOPs pesticides contained stockpiles and wastessince 2005, 25% of other stockpiles containingobsolete pesticides since 2006, 50% - since 2007,75 % - since 2008, and 100% - since 2009).
� To establish a schedule for the managing ofPCB-containing stockpiles and wastes in an en-vironmentally sound manner, starting since thecompletion of the identification process, but notlater than 2007.
� To establish a schedule for the managing ofproducts containing POPs listed in Annexes A,B and C, starting since the completion of theidentification process, but not later than 2009.
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of POPs listed in theAnnex A (except PCBs) by legal provision since2005.
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of PCBs by legal pro-vision since 2006.
� Prohibit recovery, recycling, reclamation, directreuse and alternative use of POPs listed in An-nex C by legal provision since 2006.
Listing of Chemicals in Annexes A, B and C(Article 8)� Monitor POPs candidates use and impacts and
utilize internationally accepted experience andfindings.
� Strengthen national capacity for chemical riskassessment and risk management by promotionof international cooperation and technical assis-tance.
Information Exchange (Article 9)� Develop Communication Strategy and establish
information exchange links to be implementedby MENR.
Public Information, Awareness and Education(Article 10)� Facilitate and promote awareness and under-
standing of POPs information to the public, de-cision makers and other effected groups, basingon the Communication Strategy.
Research, Development and Monitoring (Article 11)� Research and development strategy will have to
be targeted and phased, showing a high degreeof flexibility, in order to be easily adapted asnew data will be gathered.
� Develop environmental and health orientedmonitoring strategies and start step by step im-plementation since 2005, beginning with thepriority areas, zones and concerns.
Technical Assistance (Article 12)� Promote extensive and POPs specific Technical
Assistance Program by accelerating the negotia-tion process with the international community,and involve potential international financialsources and technology transfer options.
Financial Sources and Mechanisms (Article 13)� Promote POPs related Investment Program by
accelerating the negotiation process with the in-ternational community, and involve potential in-ternational financial sources.
49
he goal of the NIP is to ensure com-pliance with the national obligationsunder the Stockholm Convention andto reduce and eliminate risks to hu-
man health, the environment and national develop-ment from past, current and future exposure toPOPs. The NIP seeks to encourage, facilitate andsupport, to the possible extent, national and localauthorities in their efforts to collect and properlydispose POPs, as well as to remediate or containsources of POPs pollution.
Moldova has developed this NIP and intends touse the full range of tools to prevent, reduce andeliminate releases and stockpiles of 12 POPs.These tools include international, regulatory, pro-grammatic, voluntary, remedial, compliance moni-toring and assistance, enforcement, and researchtools. GRM will continuously analyze POPs pollu-tant sources and reduction options as bases forgrouping pollutants, activities, and sectors to maxi-mize efficiencies in achieving reductions. GRMwill coordinate integration and sequence actionswithin and across national action plans, and willseek to leverage these actions on international andindustry-sector bases.
50
ACTION PLAN6.
T
� Repackaging measures will prevent releases.
� The roof of the pesticides warehouse need to be repared.
6.1. Priority Setting
The determination of NIP priorities includedthe following steps: defining the process andmethodology, selecting the ranking criteria, con-sulting NGOs and stakeholders, validating identi-fied priorities, and transferring priority areas to theNIP objectives. A wide spectrum of stakeholdersparticipated in discussions on which problems aremost critical and what measures would be most ap-propriate for the implementation of the StockholmConvention and NIP development.
The following groups of criteria were selectedto be used for ranking POPs priorities: (i) directbenefits to the public and environmental health, aswell as economic and social benefits; (ii) magnitudeof the problem at different levels (international, na-tional, local); (iii) perception by different stake-
holders (international community, central and localgovernments, NGO and the general public, busi-nesses); and (iv) affordability & availability (tech-nology, infrastructure, staff, financial perspective).The list of Stockholm Convention requirementswas assessed against the selected criteria, and fivepriority areas and respective NIP objectives, impor-tant for Moldova in a short-term perspective, wereidentified:
1. Manage stockpiles (pesticides and PCBs)and wastes (all chemicals under Convention) ina safe, efficient and environmentally sound man-ner, in order to reduce or eliminate releases.� To improve legal and regulatory framework for
management of obsolete pesticides, supportedby the development and introducing of manage-ment guidelines and practices.
51
� Site remediation measures as part of planned actions.
� Luck of sound stockpiles management.
� To foresee incentives for rural communitiesshowing the best results in managing pesticidestockpiles.
� To clearly delimitate responsibilities of all stake-holders for enforcement of legal requirements.
� To propose low-cost urgent measures for reduc-tion of releases at the existing stockpiles (pesti-cides and PCBs), to re-assess and improve na-tional capacities for safe collection, transporta-tion and storage of obsolete pesticides and im-plement re-packaging and centralisation fol-lowed by the safe disposal of obsolete pesticides
2. Develop and implement strategy for identifi-cation of POPs-containing stockpiles, wastesand products/articles� To improve POPs pesticides stockpiles and wastes
inventory in respect of risk assessment issues.� To improve PCBs stockpiles and wastes inven-
tory in respect of clear identification of PCBscontent and hot-spot identification.
3. Develop strategy for identifying and remedia-tion of contaminated sites� To strengthen national capacities for environ-
mental monitoring and research of POPs con-tent in the natural surroundings (soil, water, liv-ing organisms).
� To develop guidelines for contaminated siteidentification, including rapid assessment ofsites, environmental risk identification, sam-pling and analytical methodologies.
� To implement a pilot identification of contami-nated sites, test identification guidelines, and, ifsuccessful, create conditions for country-widereplication
� To assess feasibility, local acceptability and af-fordability of remediation options.
4. Promote and facilitate public information,awareness, education� To ensure public information, develop specific
education and awareness programs, set upmechanisms for public participation, maintaintraining efforts, involve industry and users, es-tablish adequate information disseminationmechanisms.
5. Encourage/undertake research, developmentand monitoring� To prepare realistic and needs oriented re-
search, development and monitoring programs,
� To improve institutional framework and techni-cal capacity for monitoring the POPs and moni-tor priority sources/major releases.
� To monitor release reduction as an indicator ofNIP implementation.The NIP will focus on short-term and urgent
measures, while other Stockholm Convention re-quirements will be considered in a medium- andlonger-term perspective after evaluating the imple-mentation results and updating the document.
Given the financial constraints, favorable envi-ronmental living conditions in the country shouldbe achieved by implementing actions that willbring maximum social, economic and environmen-tal benefits for the given levels of expenditures.Considering this criterion, the NIP gives the high-est priority to measures that mitigate the directnegative impacts on environmental health and hu-man well-being. The NIP focuses primarily on themost affordable, low-cost activities, associated withactions for creation of sustainability, public involve-ment, and at the interest of the international com-munity and government.
Severe economic and financial constraints limitthe country’s capability to achieve the expected lev-el of POPs release reduction. Therefore, one of thecountry’s first priorities is commitment of sufficientinternational financial resources, specifically fortechnical assistance and for resolving urgent prob-lems posing significant threats to public health andthe environment. Thus, an important focus of de-veloping a policy framework should be finding newmeans and schemes for resource mobilisation andthe financing of environmental expenditures, aswell as addressing to other barriers for NIP imple-mentation (lack of incentives for resource savingand environmental improvements, related to macro-economic difficulties, weak environmental regula-tions and enforcement, the insufficient technical ca-pacity of public institutions, deficiencies in informa-tion sharing and disclosure, and public outreach).
The intention of this NIP is to make the wholeof the GRM’s efforts on POPs pollutants more thanthe sum of its parts. NIP will derive from strongermulti-media coordination among national and sec-toral programs, and through the significant involve-ment of stakeholders. Creation of institutionalstructure(s) capable to sustain such an approach is aclear current priority.
52
6.2. Proposed ActionsThe NIP foresees a number of measures to be
undertaken in the short-term, presented in thetable below. A more detailed description is provid-ed in Annexes 1-4. The proposed actions can begrouped in 4 categories, as follows:
1. Legal, Regulatory and Institutional ActivitiesThese actions are targeted at amending the cur-
rent legislation specifically related to the Stock-holm Convention and incorporating provisions forestablishing a broader chemical safety approach inthe country. They also include drafting specific reg-ulatory acts and supporting operational guidelinesand practical handbooks. An important element isthe creation of adequate institutional arrangementsfor the co-ordination of POPs related activitiescountry-wide and the dissemination of experiencegained for overall chemical safety aspects.
2. Capacity BuildingThis category includes actions related to the
training of professionals and decision makers, im-
provement of POPs inventories, increasing the ca-pabilities for hot-spots identification, reporting,monitoring and control, research and development.
3. On-ground Remediation MeasuresThese include the repackaging and centralisa-
tion of obsolete pesticides at the district storage fa-cilities, the identification of the most appropriatedsolution for their final elimination, low-cost mea-sures to minimise impacts from abandoned storagefacilities, collecting old DDT stocks from the ruralhouseholds, and remediation measures at the pesti-cide dump in Cismichioi and the stockpiles of out-of-use capacitors in Vulcanesti and other places.
4. Public Awareness, Training and EducationThe measures responding to the most urgent
needs refer to raising public awareness and ensureproper communication on POPs-related issues, andincorporation of POPs issues in educational pro-grammes.
53
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
Legal, Regulatory and Institutional Activities
1. Modifi-cation oflegalframe-work
Provide a legal basis forPOPs chemical managementunder the Stockholm Con-vention requirements and setup an overall chemical safetysystem
Revision of existing legal acts;identification of gaps; recom-mendations for amendments;stakeholders consultations.
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME, DOC
2005 Pro-posal
75,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
2. Admin-istrativeset-up
Establish a platform for highpolitical commitment, furtherchemical safety policy devel-opment, coordination and su-pervision of POPs related ac-tivities.
Amendment of the statute ofthe National Committee on En-vironmental Policy; study tour
MERN, otherrelevantministries,public bod-ies, acade-mia, NGOs
2005 Pro-posal
50,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
Table of Actions
54
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
Coordinate and manageMoldovan international oblig-ations under the Basel,Stockholm, LRTAP andAarhus Protocol (and poten-tially the Rotterdam Conven-tion) and to manage the NIPimplementation.
Nomination of the National Fo-cal Point for the StockholmConvention within the MERN,exchange of information ac-cording to the provisions of theConvention and the initial ac-tions of the Parties.Develop the project and createthe Center for Chemicals Man-agement (CCM); establish con-sulting support to CCM; im-prove the skills and managerialcapacity of CCM staff; developterms of reference and scope ofits work for the implementationof the Basel, Stockholm, LR-TAP and Aarhus Protocol; de-tailed design and tuning of NIPactivities
MENR 2004-2009
Pro-posal
600,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Improve data managementand reporting in the field ofchemicals.
Establish an information sys-tem, procure hardware andsoftware, train staff; set up sta-tistical and reporting proce-dures (identification of informa-tion sources, setting reportingformats and information chan-nels); establish PRTR
MERN, to-gether withline min-istries, AS,DSS
2005-2009
Pro-posal
350,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
3. Develop-ment of re-gulatorymecha-nisms
Transfer the POPs related le-gal provisions into practicaland management tools.
Draft regulations; stakeholdersconsultations
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME, DOC
2004-2006
Pro-posal
75,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
4. Draftingof guide-lines andhand-books
Support the legal and regula-tory framework by opera-tional guides
Needs assessment; develop-ment of guidelines; consulta-tions with operations staff
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME, DOC,AS
2004-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Capacity Building
5. Increa-se capaci-ty for bet-ter mana-gement ofprohibitedpesticides
Upgrade the capacity of localauthorities for safe and envi-ronmentally sound manage-ment of stockpiles
Design training curricula, train-ing courses for 32 districts’ andvillages’ authorities (to be re-peated every 2 years), supplyequipment
MENR,MOH, MAFI
2004,2006,2008(to berepea-
tedevery 2years)
Pro-posal
60,000 GRM
Facilitate implementation ofrepackaging and transporta-tion in an environmentallysound manner
Preparation of environmentaloperational handbook forrepackaging and transportation
MENR,MAFI, MOH,MOD, DES
2004-2005
Pro-posal
30,000 GRM
Train MOD and DES for envi-ronmentally safe and efficientrepackaging and transporta-tion
Design training curricula, train-ing of trainers, training of MODand DES staff
MOD, DES 2004-2005
Pro-posal
35,000 GRM
55
7. Invento-ry ofPCBs inelectricalpowerequip-ment
Identify PCBs presence inpower equipment
Sampling and assessment ofPCBs presence on-site (by sim-plified kits), labeling, hot-spot(risk) assessment, reporting
ME, all ener-gy enterpris-es
2005-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Energyenter-prises,GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
Identify PCBs concentrationin power equipment
Planning, sampling, analysis(laboratory control), reporting
ME, all ener-gy enterpris-es
2005-2007
Pro-posal
costs willdepend
on the re-sults of re-connais-sance in-ventory
Energyenter-prises,GRM
8. Widen-ing ofPCBs in-ventory toother thanenergysectors
Increase the knowledgeabout PCBs concerns at na-tional scale
Preparation of check-lists andinstructions for self-identificationof PCBs in equipment, prod-ucts, articles; familiarization of awide spectrum of agencies withinventory needs; analysis of re-sponses; preparation of a na-tional screening plan for furtherhot-spot detailed assessment
MENR, MOI,MOH, MAFI,AS
2006-2007
Pro-posal
100,000 GRM,interna-tionaldonors
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
Improve planning and co-or-dination of repackaging andtransportation procedures atdistrict level
Implementation of rapid feasibil-ity study for 32 districts, prepa-ration of 32 District Repackag-ing Plans, consultations withstakeholders and local authori-ties
MOD, DES,MENR,MAFI, MOH,local authori-ties
2005 Underprepa-rationby NA-
TO
100,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors,Ecologi-cal Fund
Evaluate environmental, so-cial and economic impacts ofrepackaging and transporta-tion activities
Conducting an EnvironmentalImpact Assessment at nationalscale and in one typical district(as a pilot activity)
MENR,MOH,MAFI2005
Pro-posal
75K-100K,includ-
ingtechni-cal as-
sis-tance
Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
6. In-crease ca-pacity ofenergysector forPCBsidentifica-tion inpowerequip-ment
Familiarize technical andmanagerial staff with sam-pling, identification and label-ing procedures, and reportingrequirements
Preparation of the training man-ual, specification of sampling/analytical kits, training coursesfor all energy enterprises,preparation of a practical hand-book (PCBs identification, label-ing, equipment hot-spot as-sessment and safety manage-ment, reporting), consultationwith stakeholders
ME, all ener-gy enterpris-es, major en-ergy con-sumers
2005-2006
Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,energyenter-prises
Increase preparedness forPCBs identification
Preparation and coordination ofreconnaissance inventory plansfor all energy enterprises, pur-chasing and distribution of sam-pling/analytical kits
ME, all ener-gy enterpris-es, majorenergy con-sumers
2005 Propo-sal
30,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,energyenter-prises
56
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
9. Increas-ing ofPOPsmonitor-ing na-tional ca-pacities
Tailor POPs monitoring at na-tional scale
Formulate monitoring strategiestailored for different groups ofPOPs, sources and media; de-sign monitoring programs andsampling requirements; definelaboratories’ responsibilities,create a platform for data ex-change.
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME, AS
2005-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Upgrade instrumentation oflaboratories for POPs moni-toring
Identification of laboratories’needs, specification and pur-chasing of equipment, supplies,reagents and standards, settingQA/QC procedures and trainingthe staff
MENR, MOH 2005-2009
Pro-posal
700,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
10. Capac-ity build-ing for un-intendedPOPs
Increase knowledge aboutunintended POPs sources atnational scale
Preparation of questionnaire,analysis of replies, estimation ofemissions, risk evaluation,sources prioritization
MENR, AS 2005-2006
Pro-posal
50,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
Investigate the extent of pol-lution by unintended POPs ina pilot (priority) area
Selection of a pilot area and de-sign of the sampling program,sampling and analysis (in EUlaboratory), interpretation of re-sults and formulating recom-mendations
MENR 2006 Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
11. BATand BEPknowl-edgetransfer
Increase the knowledge inusing BAT and BEP technol-ogy for POPs managementand formulate affordable op-tions for Moldova
Formulate courses curricula,implement seminars, study tour,formulate and discuss optionsfor Moldova
MENR, ASand otherpartners
2006 Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors
12. Devel-oping anaction planaddress-ing the is-sue of un-intendedPOPs
Identify, characterize and ad-dress the release of uninten-ded POPs and facilitate im-plementation of practicalmeasures that can achieve asignificant level of release re-duction and source elimina-tion
Develop strategies for reductionof unintended POPs releasesand promotion of BAT and BEPtechnologies
MENR, MOI 2005-2006
Pro-posal
50,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
13. Increa-sing pre-parednessfor conta-minatedsites man-agement
Develop appropriate tools foridentification of contaminatedsites
Preparation of methodology forrisk assessment, formulation ofcontaminated sites criteria, con-sultations with stakeholders
MENR,MOH, AS,MAFI, ME
2005 Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Preliminary mapping of cont-aminated sites
Preparation of contaminatedsites assessment plan; collec-tion of relevant information;consultations with local authori-ties, population, businesses;description/mapping of sitesidentified; incipient analyticalworks
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME, local au-thorities
2005-2007
Pro-posal
150,000 GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors,local au-thorities
57
Preparation of district de-posits for concentration ofobsolete pesticides
Selection of district deposits,preparation of rehabilitationplans, approval of selected dis-trict deposits by environmentaland health authorities, small re-habilitation, commissioning
Local (dis-trict) author-ities, MENR,MOH, MAFI
2004-2005
Partlyimple-ment-ed
Can notbe deter-mined be-fore reha-bilita-tionplans areprepared
GRM,Ecologi-cal Fund
Implement repackaging andcentralization of pesticides inan environmentally soundmanner
Repackaging and centralizationof obsolete dry and liquid pesti-cides, and contaminated pack-aging materials at 32 districtsdeposits
MOD, DES,MENR,MOH, MAFI
2004-2006
Partlyimple-ment-ed byMODandDES
Can notbe deter-mined be-fore RFS(task 5)
GRM, in-terna-tionaldonors
16. Low-cost, com-munitybased ur-gent ac-tions foraban-doned de-posits
Reduce impacts to humansand local environment
Preparation of low-cost urgentremediation plans for the aban-doned pesticides deposits, ap-proval and coordination ofplans, fencing, safety/precau-tion symbols installation, block-ing of doors and windows
Local au-thorities,MOH,MENR, MAFI
2004-2006
Pro-posal
Can notbe deter-mined be-fore reme-diationplans areprepared
Local,GRM,Ecologi-cal Fund
ProblemArea
ProposedAction
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
Know-how transfer of low-cost remediation options forcontaminated sites
Preparation of know-how trans-fer program, conducting ofseminars, study tour, low-costremediation measures develop-ment
MENR,MOH, MAFI,ME
2005-2007
Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors
14. Pro-motion ofresearchand deve-lopment
Increase awareness andstimulate the scientific com-munity in needs oriented re-search and development; fa-cilitate cooperation schemes
Organize international/regionalconferences, include POPs re-search in GRM programsDevelopment of non-pollutiontechnologies
AS, MENR
AS, MENR
2004-2009
2005-2009
Pro-posa
100,000
200,000
Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Investigation and quantifica-tion of POPs impacts on theenvironment and publichealth
Determination of POPs concen-trations in environment com-partments, including migrationand transformation. Epidemio-logical studies on vulnerableand exposed population groups
MH, MENR 2006-2009
Pro-posal
250,000 GRM,Ecologi-cal Fund
Remediation measures
15. Repa-ckagingand cen-tralizationof obso-lete pesti-cides
Provision of UN acceptedpackaging materials, protec-tion clothes, equipment, ex-press analytical kits
Detailed needs assessment,specification, purchasing, deliv-ery
MAFI, MOD,DES, MOH,MENR
2004-2006
imple-ment-ed byMAFI(finan-ced byGRMandtheEco-logicalFund)
To be de-terminedafter RFS(task 5)
Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Ecologi-cal Fund
Objectives
58
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
Implement incentive mecha-nisms so that 32 rural com-munities are ready to imple-ment other chemical safetyprojects
Selection of the “best” ruralcommunity per district, prepara-tion of grant proposals
MENR 2005-2006
Pro-posal
25,000 forimplemen-tation ofvillagecompeti-tion, totalgrantamount is75,000
GRM,Ecologi-cal Fund
17. Re-move oldDDTstocksfromhouse-holds
Collect old persistent pesti-cides (including DDT) storedin the private households,and transport them to the dis-trict deposits
Selection of implementationagency, training and provisionof equipment for selected im-plementation agency, negotia-tions with commercial compa-nies, activities at village level
MAFI, localauthorities
2005-2009
Pro-posal
200,000,includingtraining,equip-ment, sitevisits
Interna-tionaldonors,Ecologi-cal Fund,GRM
18. Asses-sment offinal solu-tion forobsoletepesticidesand aban-donedstockpiles
Finalize assessment and in-vestment project preparationfor the final solution regard-ing obsolete pesticides stock-piles
Feasibility study, investmentproject preparation, negotia-tions with donors
MENR,MOH, MAFI
2005-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Finalize assessment and in-vestment project preparationfor the final solution regard-ing abandoned and out-of-use deposits (buildings, ru-ins)
Feasibility study, investmentproject preparation, negotia-tions with donors
MOH,MENR, Localauthorities,MOH
2005-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
19. Reme-diation ofCismichioipesticidedump
Ensure safe storage ofdumped pesticides
Fencing of territory, renovationof drainage and run-off collectionsystems, covering of the sitewith a new protection layer, rou-tine monitoring of soil and water
MAFI, AS,MENR,MOH, Localauthorities
2005-2009
Pro-posal
To be de-terminedafter addi-tional in-vestigation
Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Local
20. (op-tion1) Fea-sibilitystudy forVulcanestistock ofout-of-usecapacitors
Finalize assessment and in-vestment project preparationfor the final solution regard-ing out-of-use capacitors re-mediation measures
Feasibility study, investmentproject preparation, negotia-tions with donors
MOE, MENR,MOH
2004-2006
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
20. (option2) Reme-diationmeasuresfor Vul-canestistock ofout-of-usecapacitors
Ensure environmentallysound remediation of out-of-use electrical capacitors
Hiring of a foreign company forfull elimination of electrical ca-pacitors shipping abroad
ME 2005-2006
Pro-posal
1200,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
59
25. Train-ing ofgeneralpublic
Wide range of POPs playersare trained in environmentalsound management andchemical safety issues
Organizing 5 training seminarsper year for various targetgroups, one Olympiad for differ-ent age groups in POPs alter-natives every year, develop-ment and introduction of train-ing packages in POPs for cur-rent and future (students) publicservants, family doctors, busi-ness managers and developers
MENR, REC,MOH, NGO
2005-2009
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Ecologi-cal fund
26. Educa-tion
Education programs includePOPs issues and chemicalsafety elements
Development and dissemina-tion of educational packages forspecific groups (local and cen-tral authorities, pupils, students,vulnerable groups, etc.)
Ministry ofEducation,MENR, NGO
2005-2009
Pro-posal
150,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRMEcologi-cal Fund
Note: The co-financing or contribution of the Government, National Ecological Fund or other internal sources will be indicated duringthe development or negotiation of the projects
ProblemArea Objectives Proposed
Action
Lead andImplement-ing Agen-
cies
Time-frame Status Cost,*
US$
Poten-tial
Sourcesof Fi-
nancing
21. Coun-try-widehandlingof PCB-contami-nated anddamagedequip-ment
Ensure environmentallysound remediation of PCB-contaminated, damaged,leaking and risky powerequipment
Centralization of abandonedequipment, provision of safetycontainers, identification oftechnology for PCBs and PCB-contaminated equipment elimi-nation
MOE, MENR,MOH
2005-2008
Pro-posal
Can notbe deter-mined atthis mo-ment
Interna-tionaldonors,GRM
Public awareness, training and education22. Im-prove-ment ofcommuni-cation
Ensure effective communica-tion on POPs related issuesand provision of communica-tion knowledge and skills fordecision makers, profession-als and public
10 short-term courses per year,manual, establishment of acommunication framework,adaptation of existing communi-cation channels for POPs is-sues, development of commu-nication procedures
MENR, REC,NGO
2005-2009
Pro-posal
100,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Ecologi-cal fund
23. Build-ing upparticipa-toryprocess
POPs participatory processis effective
2 interdisciplinary meetings/ fo-rums per year, 5 group meetingsand seminars on exposure risksper year, development of proces-ses and procedures for participa-tory solution of POPs problems
MENR, REC,NGO
2005-2009
Pro-posal
600,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Ecologi-cal fund
24. Ex-change ofinforma-tion atcountryand inter-nationallevels
National society is awareabout POPs issues, risks,consequences and mitigationmeasures required
Development and dissemina-tion of POPs- related informa-tion in mass media and acces-sible publications, including vi-sual publicity (at least 10 eventsper year), one interactive dialogper year, one POPs caravanper year, preparation of oneagricultural and industrial non-POPs „oasis” for demonstrationeach year, participation at inter-national forums
MENR, REC,MOH, ME,NGO, AS
2005-2009
Pro-posal
300,000 Interna-tionaldonors,GRM,Ecologi-cal fund
* The costs were estimated within the WB/GEF Project. This column was excluded from the final version of the document, approvedby the Government.
he NIP is an operational documentproviding a framework for the imple-mentation of the Stockholm Conven-tion in Moldova. The current NIP is
only a first step in meeting the obligations arisingfrom the Stockholm Convention and is orientedmainly to the short-term current POPs priorities,covering a five-year implementation period. TheNIP implementation is based on the following.
The NIP has been developed through an exten-sive stakeholder consultation process and passed allnational co-ordination procedures. Involving allstakeholders in NIP implementation is one of thepre-conditions for obtaining the expected results.Clear sharing of responsibilities and tasks is a keyelement of the NIP implementation, and this willcall for a close inter-ministerial and inter-sectoralcoordination and cooperation.
The overall operational coordination of NIP im-plementation will be the responsibility of theMENR. The supervision and evaluation of the NIPimplementation will be effected by the NationalCommittee for Environmental Policy, which will de-cide on its revision or updating, if necessary. TheCommittee will ensure an effective and efficient in-ter-ministerial coordination and cooperation and willpromote the incorporation of the NIP requirementsinto other national strategies, policies and plans.
The MENR will create the Center for Chemi-cals Management (CCM), thus bringing various re-lated international Conventions’ focal points underone umbrella. The CCM will act as the executivebody to deal with day-to-day activities in this fieldand coordinate and manage Moldovan internationalobligations under the Basel, Stockholm, LRTAPand Aarhus Protocol (and potentially RotterdamConvention), thus gaining synergies and improvingand increasing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, trans-parency, accountability and cross-fertilization.
The NIP will complement on-going national ac-tivities in this area, specifically activities conductedby the MENR, MAFI, MOD and DES for the col-lecting and safe storage of obsolete pesticides, aswell as the MOE activities on PCBs detailed inven-tory and safe storage. It will build synergy with oth-er IDA projects, and particularly with Rural Invest-ment and Services Project 2, whichwill focus alsoon improved pest management for crops; and Ener-gy II project, which includes several activities withregard to identification and safe storage of PCBs inenergy sector. The NIP might also be linked withthe World Bank-supported Moldova Trade andCustoms project, particularly in supporting devel-opment of DOC capabilities related to monitorPOPs import/export, transportation, identificationand reporting activities.
Some of NIP actions will be very costly. Ade-quate support from national and internationalsources is therefore a crucial pre-condition for suc-cessful NIP implementation, for both technical as-sistance and investments.
The GRM seeks technical assistance in the fol-lowing areas:� Improvement, increasing coherence and harmo-
nization of national and international POPs-re-lated legal framework, and designing of innova-tive financial mechanisms (e.g. “debt-for-na-ture-swaps,” HIPC25, etc.);
� Support for implementing the NIP, evaluating andreporting on the NIP and related Conventions andProtocols progress, and coordinating with relevantMFI and bilaterally financed projects;
� Establishment of a national information system(a database of comprehensive, accurate and reg-ularly updated aggregated information on POPs,similar to OECD “Pollutant Release and Trans-fer Register”26), and increasing capacity of CCMfor data management and presentation.
60
25 World Bank-IMF Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative (Moldova is also eligible to borrow from IMF underthe Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.)
26 On May 21, 2003 Moldova signed the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the 1998 AarhusConvention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmen-tal Matters, ratified by Moldova on August 9, 1999.
7. IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION ANDUPDATING
T
� Strengthening environmental and health monito-ring, including analytical and reporting capabilities.
� Support to the energy sector in PCBs identifica-tion in power equipment and further PCBselimination measures.
� Training of professional staff.� Support in identification, management and re-
mediation of contaminated sites.� Feasibility studies for planned on-ground mea-
sures.� Designing and implementing public training
and awareness programs, based on the “commu-nity-right-to-know and participate”.International financial support for implementa-
tion of on-ground remediation measures will beneeded for:� Providing of UN-accepted repackaging materi-
als for obsolete pesticides. � Precaution and rehabilitation measures for
Ciºmichioi pesticides dump;� Elimination of obsolete pesticides;� Elimination of PCB oils, PCB-contaminated
equipment (e.g. capacitors) and wastes;� Contaminated sites remediation.
GRM launched discussions with IFIs and bilat-eral donors (GEF, France, Sweden, UK, USA, Den-mark, Turkey, EU, NATO, etc.) regarding invest-ment and technical assistance.
Evaluation of implementation progress is an im-portant component of the NIP. In will allow for as-sessing whether and to what extent the NIP objec-tives are being met and what are the NIP compo-nents in need of updating. Performance evaluationwill be done in a transparent way, through a partici-patory process, involving all stakeholders. Their re-sults will be made available to the general public.
The NIP includes a set of evaluation criteria al-lowing the assessment of the implementationprogress, efficiency and problems. The MENR willbe responsible for collecting relevant information,evaluating the performance indicators, assessingthe implementation needs, progress and troubles.The MENR will periodically report on its findingsto the Conference of Pariecs and the NationalCommittee on Environmental Policy. Reportingprocedures should be developed and all involvedparties should be trained accordingly.
Ministries and other state bodies will be respon-sible for NIP monitoring and evaluation withintheir sectors. The results shall be part of the deci-sion-making process. Local authorities will havemonitoring and evaluation responsibilities in theareas of their jurisdiction. The implementation
units of the individual projects will be responsiblefor their monitoring and for reporting.
The goal of evaluation indicators is to assesshow NIP activities effect the direction of change inenvironmental quality and to measure the magni-tude of that change. While most NIP indicators willallow quantitative evaluation of the implementa-tion process and impacts of various activities, manyindicators will seek to measure qualitative aspects,e.g., monitoring of the evolution of public attitudestowards POPs problems being addressed throughopinion polls and surveys. Furthermore, as the NIPseek to address many institutional issues, which areas much about quality as they are about quantity,both numerical indicators and qualitative assess-ment will be employed. The range of verifiable in-dicators of the NIP implementation may include,but not necessarily be limited to, the following:� National legal and regulatory framework
amended to meet requirements of the Stock-holm Convention;
� Specific guidelines/handbooks supporting legaland regulatory framework developed;
� POPs information system established and fullyoperational;
� PRTR established;� No. of trained specialists;� Amount (% from total) of obsolete pesticides re-
packed and transported to new storage places;
61
� Each barrel with obsolete pesticides must be inventoried.
� No. (% from total) of conserved old pesticidesdepots awaiting decontamination;
� Amount of obsolete pesticides collected fromprivate households;
� Cismichioi pesticide dump remediation mea-sures implemented;
� No. (% from total) of energy equipmentchecked for PCBs content and labeled;
� No. of compliance checks by SEI at energy en-terprises;
� Elimination of old capacitors from the Vul-canesti electric station implemented;
� No. (% from total) of out-of-use capacitorsstored under controlled conditions;
� No. of sites investigated for POPs contamination;� No. of public awareness, information and educa-
tion activities;� No. of environmental samples for POPs analysis;� No. of epidemiological studies undertaken;� No. of organizations participating in information
exchange and reporting.The verification of indicators will be done
through assessment of reports provided by theMENR. The evaluation results: (i) will provide forupdating the NIP, as well as chemical safety poli-cies and strategies; and (ii) will bring more trans-parency into policy development in this field. Theywill be disseminated to the public authorities (atvarious levels), private sector, external donors, massmedia and the general public. This will be donethrough the annual State of the Environment Re-ports and the MENR website.
It has to be stated that the NIP is not a rigiddocument and will be subject to revisions and up-dating on regular basis, e.g. every 5 years. Obvious-ly, this will be linked to the performance evaluationprocess. The main responsibility for NIP perfor-mance evaluation and updating lies with the Na-tional Committee on Environmental Policy andMENR.
62
� Short-term actions will be focused on “Moldelectrica” stations.
� Safe storage of capacitors will prevent releases.
Annex 1: Legal, Regulatory andInstitutional Activities
These include actions for the modernisation ofcurrent legislation specifically related to the Stock-holm Convention and incorporation of provisionsfor establishing a broader chemical safety approachin the country. It also includes the drafting of spe-cific regulatory acts and the supporting of opera-tional guidelines/handbooks for practical applica-tion. The important element is the creation of ade-quate institutional arrangements for the co-ordina-tion of POPs related activities country-wide, andfurther dissemination of the experience gained foroverall chemical safety aspects.
TASK 1. Modification of legal framework� The national legislation should contain legal
provisions for the administration of the chemicalsafety management system in Moldova, clearly
define responsibilities, specifically prohibit pro-duction and use of POPs chemicals and regulatetheir export/import, as well as provide a legal ba-sis for reduction/elimination of releases fromunintentional production. The legal provisionsshould also cover POPs contaminated site man-agement issues, define responsibility for POPscontaminated sites, incorporate POPs monitor-ing and reporting, regulate assessment of newchemicals meeting POPs criteria, promote BATand BEP for new and existing sources, as well asrequirements for modified materials, productsand processes. The objective is to provide a le-gal basis for POPs chemical management underthe Stockholm Convention requirements and toset up an overall chemical safety system inMoldova. The leading agency is MENR, whichshould work closely with other stakeholders(MOH, MAFI, MOE, DOC, etc.). The expertsshould revise existing legal acts, identify rele-vant gaps and propose modification of legal doc-
63
ANNEXES
� Legal provosions will define responsability for POPs contaminated sites.
uments accordingly. The results should be dis-cussed with the stakeholders and relevantamendments should be agreed. The plannedduration of the project is 12 months.TASK 2. Administration set-up
� The administration system should create theplatform for high political commitment, furtherchemical safety policy development, bettermanagement of chemical safety issues and co-ordination of POPs related activities, evaluationof results obtained, fine-tuning of Action Plan,and reporting, as well as for further planning ofmeasures required by the Stockholm Conven-tion. The implementation of the StockholmConvention requirements will be coordinatedby the National Committee for EnvironmentalPolicy, created in July 2002, which brings to-gether senior officials from the key ministries.
� To support activities of the National Committeefor Environmental Policy in the field of chemi-cal safety, the GRM and MENR will consider tobring various related international Conventions’focal points under one umbrella, transformingthe existing POPs PIU into a separate legal enti-ty (Center for Chemicals Management - CCM),in order to coordinate and manage Moldovan in-ternational obligations under the Basel, Stock-holm, LRTAP and Aarhus Protocol (and poten-tially the Rotterdam Convention). This will gain
synergies and improve and increase efficiency,cost-effectiveness, transparency, accountabilityand cross-fertilization. The proposed CCMshould take management responsibility for im-plementing ongoing programs and assume day-to-day responsibility for implementing thePOPs NIP. The capacity of the CCM should begreatly enhanced, if it is assisted, during the firstfew years, by an international environmentalconsulting company with relevant expertise.
� To be effective in management issues, theCCM should be supported by a relevant infor-mation system. The objective is to create a cen-tral information unit for POPs chemicals, to befurther enlarged for other chemical safety is-sues. It is required to (i) design the informationsystem, including database and GIS applica-tions, (ii) install required hardware and softwareand train the staff for operation, and (iii) test theinformation system performance.
� Establishing a national reporting framework andprocedures will first require the amendment ofrelevant legislation. Then an Instruction forPOPs Statistical and Informational Reportsshould be created to transfer the legal provisionsinto a more practical document. A set of specificreporting sheets and formats should be pre-pared. The sources of information should beidentified and delivery formats should be pro-
64
� Developed Guidelines will cover remediation measures for the destroyed warehouses.
posed. The responsible agency is CCM, in asso-ciation with other interested parties. The CCMshould be the key recipient of statistical dataand should be capable to process and evaluatethe data obtained, and to maintain the informa-tion system. The to-be-created informationalsystem would serve as a basis for setting-up thePollution Releases and Transfer Register. TheGRM will ensure that annual statistical datafrom relevant agencies (MAFI, DOC, etc), arefurnished to the CCM on a regular basis.
TASK 3. Development of regulatory mecha-nisms� The new legal provisions should be sustained
by specific regulations. The objective is totransfer the POPs related legal provisions intopractical and management tools. Regulationsshould cover at least the following issues: (1)management of district storage facilities for ob-solete pesticides and wastes; (2) management ofabandoned storehouses and contaminated sites;(3) import/export and transboundary transporta-tion of obsolete pesticides and PCBs; (4) proce-dures for assessment of new pesticides and pes-ticides currently in use against POPs criteria; (5)regulation on statistical reporting on POPs pes-ticides and PCBs wastes, products, installationsand PCB-contaminated sites; (6) instruction for
management of PCB-contaminated powerequipment; (6) instruction for storage and man-agement of PCBs wastes; (7) recommendationsfor safe usage of PCBs materials; (8) instruction
65
� Most of the out-of-use transformers were produced in the ex-USSR
� Leakages of oil from the transformer
for field and laboratory identification of PCBscontent in dielectric oils and other materials; (9)guide on performing PCBs inventory and hotspot identification; (10) instruction for trans-portation of oils, equipment and other PCB-con-taminated materials; (11) instruction for disposalof PCB-contaminated oils and PCB-contaminat-ed power equipment; (12) instruction for retro-filling the power equipment; (13) instruction forlabelling PCB-containing equipment; (14) regu-lation on POPs management control. The lead-ing implementation agency is MENR, in part-nership with MOE, MAFI, DOC, MOH. Ex-perts in environmental sciences, chemistry,health, risk assessment and legislation will draftrelevant regulations and discuss findings withstakeholders. The duration of the project is 2-3years and should be phased in, starting with pri-ority regulations needs.
TASK 4: Drafting of practical guidelines andhandbooks for POPs chemicals management� The improved legal framework will provide the
general frame for POPs management in Moldo-va, and regulations will establish relevant rulesand procedures. To be efficient, the legal actsand regulations should be clearly understood bythe involved parties and should be supported byrelevant operational and methodological guides.Several operational handbooks and guidelinesare to be produced, describing methods, man-agement options and operational aspects in rele-vant areas of the POPs chemical management.The activity is foreseen for the next 2-3 years,after completion of legal and regulatory amend-ments. The needs for specific guidelines andhandbooks would be assessed and a detailedplan would be prepared. The responsibleagency is MENR in close co-operation with rel-evant parties.
Annex 2: Capacity Building
It includes prioritised actions related to trainingof professionals and decision makers, widening anddeepening of inventories for POPs chemicals, hot-spot identification, reporting, capacity building ele-ments for monitoring and control, further studiesand methodology development.
TASK 5. Increasing national capacity for bettermanagement of prohibited pesticides, includingPOPs� The managerial capacity of local authorities
should be upgraded. For this purposes country-wide training should be organised for districtand local rural authorities regarding safe and ef-ficient management of obsolete pesticidesstockpiles. Training will involve primarily au-thorities from the settlements where temporarystorage of obsolete pesticides is foreseen. Train-ing curricula should include stockpiles manage-ment options, related risks and their minimisa-tion, building relations with the local public, re-porting and other issues. Training should be or-ganised under the MENR umbrella. The activi-ty may take 4 months, including the preparationphase, and should be repeated every 2 years.
� The MOD and DES are responsible for therepackaging and concentration of obsolete pes-ticides at the selected district deposits. To im-prove their capabilities to implement thesetasks in an environmentally sound and safemanner, a specific operational handbook de-scribing all required procedures (planning, pre-liminary assessment of storage facilities, prepa-ration of re-packaging/transportation schedule,preparing of MOD and DES staff for fieldworks, procedures for express identification ofunknown substances, labelling, packaging in-structions, loading, transportation and re-load-ing procedures, registration, log-booking andwork commissioning) should be produced by ateam of national experts. The leading agency isMENR, with partners from MOD, DES, MAFIand MOH. This activity is a top priority, asMOD and DES already started re-packaging ina few districts. The duration of the project is 1-2months. International expertise may be re-quired in the final stage to revise the handbookfor ensuring that all internationally acceptedsafety and environmental protection elementsare incorporated.
� After drafting the handbook, training of MODand DES staff will be required, in order to en-sure that all operation elements are in place,staff is prepared and understands all require-ments. The training should include also a“training of trainers” component, so that MODand DES officers may replicate training courseswith new recruits if necessary. The leadingagencies are MOD and DES. The total duration
66
of training courses is about 1 month, includingpreparation of training materials.
� In parallel with the above mentioned projects, aRapid Feasibility Study for each district is ur-gently needed. The study should be finalisedby the preparation of a District Re-packagingPlan, which includes following elements: shar-ing of responsibilities between parties involved,timetable for re-packaging and order of trans-portation, assessment of needs for packagingmaterial, personal protection equipment, ex-press analytical kits, etc. The responsibleagency is MOD, in co-ordination with DES,MENR, MAFI and MOH. Activities can be fi-nanced from the NATO project, which is cur-rently in the pre-feasibility phase. The total du-ration is 3 months.
� In parallel with the Rapid Feasibility Study, theEnvironmental Impact Assessment for repack-aging and centralising of obsolete pesticidesshould be started. Two inter-related documentswill have to be produced. The first one shouldtreat the process of repackaging and centralisingat national scale and should mainly follow themethodology for Strategic Environmental As-sessment. The second document should be pro-duced in more detail (as a demonstration for onetypical district). It should follow the methodolo-gy of full Environmental Impact and Risk As-
sessment. Both documents should consider dif-ferent alternatives in respect to their environ-ment, health, social and economic impacts. Thetotal duration is 3 months. The responsible min-istry is MENR, with assistance from MOH andMAFI. International expertise is highly re-quired, as well as external financial support. Itwill be an advantage if the RFS and EIA pro-jects will be linked under the NATO umbrella.
TASK 6. Increasing the national capacity of theenergy sector for identification of PCBs inequipment� The training for the energy sector on PCBs
identification in power equipment has to be im-plemented at national scale. The responsibleagency is MOE. The objective is to train man-agerial and technical staff from all energy enter-prises (private and public) in uniform samplingand analytical procedures, registration of data,labelling, hot spot identification and reporting.The duration of the activity is 4 months. Tech-nical assistance will be sought for this activity. Itshould include: international and local expertisefor the preparation of a training manual and thetraining schedule, identification and specifica-tion of sampling/analytical equipment afford-able for Moldova (both for rapid reconnaissanceand analytical PCBs identification), provision of
67
� PCBs identification in transformers – a task at national scale.
sampling and simplified field kits for trainingpurposes, practical training courses for differenttypes of equipment (transformers, capacitors,circuit breakers, etc.), demonstration of la-belling procedures and development of report-ing sheets. One of the project outputs is to pre-pare and distribute among energy enterprises apractical handbook for first identification, la-belling, equipment risk assessment, safety man-agement of equipment in use and PCBs report-ing in power equipment.
� The next step is the preparation of an inventoryplan for each energy enterprise and the purchas-ing of the required number of sampling/analyti-cal kits. All energy enterprises should prepare aplan for testing the inventory by simple analyti-cal kits, indicating the time-schedule, the num-ber of sampling points, the testing equipmentneeds, and the reporting schedule. The plansshould be co-ordinated by the MOE. The MOEwill be responsible for the purchasing of the re-quired amount of sampling/analytical kits andits distribution to the energy enterprises. It willlead to a reduction of the unit price, uniformityof methods and better co-ordination of actions.
Each energy enterprise should allocate requiredfunds for the preparation of the testing-plan andcover equipment-purchasing expenses. The du-ration is about 12 months.
TASK 7. Inventory of PCBs content in powerequipment in the energy sector� Following the new legal provisions and regula-
tions and supported by practical handbooks,trained staff and delivered equipment, the re-sponsible persons from each energy enterpriseshould implement a reconnaissance assessment(by simplified kits) of PCBs content in ownedequipment, and label it accordingly. The costsof sampling, analytical determination, produc-tion and installation of required labels and re-porting should be covered by electrical compa-nies. Each electrical enterprise should report tothe MOE on a yearly basis and submit updatedplans for the next year. The report should alsocontain information on the risks identified foreach installation, hot-spot assessment and de-scription of safety management options appliedor planned. The MOE should provide the data
68
� Detailed inventory of PCBs in transformers.
to be introduced in the central POPs database.The total duration of the project can be 2 years.
� Having the preliminary information obtained af-ter the first inventory phase, the electrical com-panies should carefully determine the PCBsconcentrations by analytical methods. Each en-ergy company should prepare a plan, includingthe time-frame, the identification of laboratoryfor analytical control, and the reporting schedule.The plan should be co-ordinated with the MOE,which has the overall responsibility for invento-ry. The costs should be covered by the electricenterprises. The costs and duration will entirelydepend on the results of the first phase of PCBsassessment. The time necessary to accomplishthe task may be roughly assessed at 2 years. TheMOE should collect reports and ensure the sup-ply of data to the central POPs database.
TASK 8. Widening the PCBs inventory to othereconomic sectors, products and articles� A number of potential PCBs sources (out of the
energy sector) should be inventoried for thepurposes of PCBs identification under the lead-ership of MENR. The following actions areplanned: (1) preparation of check-lists for PCBssource owners regarding self-identification ofequipment, products and articles potentiallycontaining PCBs. (2) preparation of a reportingoutline for the description of the technical/man-agement status of equipment, products and arti-cles and associated potential risks for humanhealth and environment, (3) distribution ofcheck-lists and outlines for report to various en-terprises and agencies with clear instructions,(4) analysis of responses and (5) preparation of anation-wide screening plan for further imple-mentation. The screening plan should pay spe-cial attention to the reported damaged and leak-ing equipment, presence of equipment in areasassociated with food and feed production/pro-cessing and in populated areas (schools, hospi-tals). The project should be implemented byMENR during 2004-2008.
TASK 9. Increasing POPs monitoring capacityof environmental and health authorities� The specific monitoring strategies should be
tailored for POPs groups (as pesticides, PCBs,PCDD/PCDF), for different purposes (e.g.,source, ambient and impacts monitoring) andfor various media and components (water, soil,sediments, biota, agricultural and food produc-
tion, and humans). The objective is to draft in-ter-related monitoring networks, define thesampling schedule and formulate responsibili-ties for national laboratories (SEI, MOH, Hy-drometeorological Service) as well as create aplatform for data management and exchange.The monitoring system should be tested (e.g.,in pilot regions) and modified if required. Theduration of activity is about 12 months.
� The laboratories of SEI, MOH and Hydromete-orological Service need upgrading of their in-strumentation for POPs detection in differentmedia. Besides, the SEI, as environmental en-forcement agency, needs to be strengthened inview of PCBs controls in equipment. The objec-tive is increasing the analytical capacities ofthree laboratories to fulfil country responsibili-ties and obligations under the Stockholm Con-vention. The Technical Assistance would in-clude: identification of equipment needs, speci-fication of instruments for sampling and analy-sis, provision of methodology, standards, sup-plies, setting up QA/QC procedures, as well asthe training of staff. The leading agency isMENR, in coordination with MOH. The dura-tion is estimated as 24 months.
TASK 10. Capacity building element for unin-tended POPs release sources� A further widening of unintended POPs sources
inventory would be required. The objective isto provide better understanding of current andprojected releases of unintended POPs for par-ticular sources under the following categories:power generation, heating facilities, waste incin-eration, and uncontrolled waste combustion.The responsible agency is MENR, whichshould prepare a questionnaire and distribute itamong relevant enterprises, agencies and enti-ties. On the basis of replies the current and pro-jected emissions should be calculated, the riskpreliminarily evaluated, priorities establishedand information introduced into the databaseand mapped. The time frame for the project is 6months.
� A analytical investigation of PCDD/PCDF con-tent in the priority environment compartmentsof Moldova is required for a better understand-ing of pollution treats and severity of the prob-lem. The objective is to investigate the contami-nation of environment components (air, water,soil and wastes, in the vicinity of one or two pri-ority sources. The duration of the project is 8-12
69
months. The responsible agency is MENR. In-ternational technical assistance is essential. Aninternational expert, supported by local monitor-ing staff, should develop the monitoring strategyand design the sampling program. Local special-ists have to be trained in sampling. Collectedsamples should be transported to a selected EUlaboratory for analysis. A local laboratory manag-er and 1-2 specialists have to be trained at theEU laboratory premises. International financialassistance is necessary to cover project expenses.
TASK 11. BAT and BEP knowledge transfer� Currently the knowledge on BAT and BEP is
limited in the country, specifically at the level ofbusinesses. The NIP is proposing to organiseBAT and BEP knowledge transfer for a broadrange of stakeholders and interested parties.The objective is to increase the knowledge ofenvironmental authorities and industry in usingBAT and BEP for POPs management. A num-ber of specific courses for a range of local stake-holders should be implemented, associated witha study tour to a country having experience inthis field. The responsible agency is MENR,with relevant partners. The planned duration ofthe project is 6-12 months. International assis-tance is the key to the project success. A foreignconsultant company should be hired to organisethe courses and the study tour, as well as to for-mulate BAT and BEP options for Moldova.
TASK 12. Developing an action plan addressingthe issue of unintended POPs� The objective of the project is to identify, charac-
terize and address the release of unintendedPOPs and facilitate implementation of practicalmeasures that can achieve a significant level ofrelease reduction and source elimination. The re-sults of the wider inventory of unintended POPswill allow the developing of strategies for reduc-tion of their releases and the promotion of BATand BEP technologies. The responsible agency isMENR, with assistance from MOI. The plannedduration of the project is 12 months. Internation-al technical assistance is required.
TASK 13. Increasing country’s preparedness foridentification of contaminated sites� The level of preparedness for managing the
contaminated sites should be upgraded. Criteriafor identification of contaminated sites shouldbe developed and agreed by stakeholders. A
methodology for risk assessment of contaminat-ed sites should be prepared, including aspects ofland use, access of population and animals to thesite, spreading of pollution to other natural me-dia, toxicity and environmental fate of differentPOPs. The duration of the project is 6 months.The responsible agency is MENR. Internation-al know-how and knowledge transfer is an im-portant element for project implementation.
� Preliminary data collection regarding potentialcontaminated sites should be started, based onavailable information. The areas potentiallycontaminated by POPs are expected to includeterritories nearby pesticides storage facilities,places for pesticides solutions preparation,places where significant PCBs leakage had oc-curred, known places of POPs pesticides andPCBs operational failures, etc. A relevant infor-mation should be collected by the SEI in con-sultation with local authorities, population, andbusinesses, and should be presented on mapswith site description. A limited number ofanalyses is foreseen as well. The general respon-sibility lies within the MENR.
� Currently, there is no experience in the countryfor wide application of remediation measuresspecified for POPs contaminated sites. As a firststep to increase specific knowledge, the study ofvarious options implicated in other countries isproposed. An international expert should pre-pare a review of available options and conductbasic training for local experts, decision makersand the public, and organise a study tour. As a re-sult, low-cost mitigation measures, specificallydesignated for POPs pesticides, PCBs and diox-in/furans, should be developed with the partici-pation of local experts. The duration of the pro-ject is 6 months under supervision from MENR.Funding from international sources is requested.
TASK 14. Promotion of research and develop-ment
Considering that the objective of research is toobtain scientific knowledge on POPs and their im-pacts in order to develop mitigation options, theNIP foresees promoting research and developmentefforts. The program of investigations will have tobe targeted and phased, showing a high degree offlexibility, in order to be easily adapted as new dataand information will be gathered. � In the field of pesticides, research should be
mainly focused on developing recommendationsfor total elimination of obsolete pesticides. This
70
is considered necessary in order to investigatecost-effective solutions for elimination consider-ing at least the following options: (i) incineration,(ii) chemical destruction, (iii) natural long-termdegradation under controlled conditions.
� PCDDs/PCDFs, HCB and PCBs researchshould focus on investigations of social and eco-nomic effects, evaluation of risk, environmentalfate, ecotoxicological effects, study of transportand transfer processes, degradation mecha-nisms, bioaccumulation and biomagnification,destruction.
� Other major directions of POPs research inMoldova are: assessment of candidate chemicalsunder consideration for inclusion in the Con-vention; technologies for elimination/remedia-tion of POPs in the environment; specific stud-ies on the impact on population groups in heav-ily contaminated areas; studies to increase theunderstanding of POPs impacts on wildlife; andstudies to explore social and economic implica-tions of POPs and their alternatives.
� Future research in the framework of interna-tional cooperation on POPs may include: trans-boundary impacts of POPs and its significance;development of analytical methods for deter-mining new types of POPs and their metabo-lites; study of emission, deposition, transforma-tion and bioavailability of POPs in terrestrialecosystems, soil, sediments, and ground water atregional scale; and environmental behaviour ofPOPs under various climatic conditions.
� The NIP foresees the organization of an inter-national/regional research conference on “newaspects of POPs management in the countries oftransition”, seeking to support the creation ofregional co-operation schemes for researchersand developers.
Annex 3: On-ground RemediationMeasures
Most of the actions described under this chapterrefer to the remediation of obsolete pesticidesproblems, as they are a recognised high priority.The actions include re-packaging and centralisa-tion of obsolete pesticides at the district deposits asan intermediate solution, identification of a mostappropriated final solution, low-cost measures tominimise impacts from abandoned storehouses,DDT specific actions at household level, and re-
mediation measures for the pesticides dump in Cis-michioi and stockpiles of out-of-use capacitors inVulcanesti and other places.
TASK 15. Re-packaging and centralization ofobsolete pesticides� The procurement of UN-accepted packaging
materials (bags and cans), individual protectionclothes, equipment, small engineering tools andexpress analytical kits (for preliminary identifi-cation of unknown chemical substances in thefield) should be started. The leading agency isMAFI, in co-ordination with MOD, DES,MENR, and MOH. An international expert,supported by local specialists, should identifythe amount of items needed for the implemen-tation of works at national level, prepare thespecification and tendering documentation,evaluate proposals and monitor delivery. Thetotal duration is about 8-10 months. Costs formaterials and equipment may be determinedonly after the completion of a feasibility study.International financial support is highly and ur-gently needed. NATO may facilitate finding offinancial support.
� At the same time, preparation of district storagefacilities for centralising the obsolete pesticidesshould be started. On the basis of national safe-ty standards, the district authorities should se-lect an appropriate facility. Required costs formaterials and civil works have to be estimated.The lead agency is MENR, which should pro-vide consultation and advice to district authori-ties and supervise compliance with safety andenvironmental requirements, as well as theoverall implementation. On the basis of pre-pared documentation, the district authoritiesshould implement the repair works.
� Re-packaging and transportation of obsoletepesticides should be continued. The objectiveis to implement these actions in an environmen-tally safe manner. The responsible agencies areMOD and DES. Supervision of all works shouldbe ensured by local representatives of MAFI,MENR and MOH. Together with the local au-thorities, they should sign the commissioningreport. The reports should be presented to theMENR, and information should be introducedinto the central POPs database. It is expectedthat re-packaging and concentration of obsoletepesticides will be finished during 3-4 years; theactivity is highly depending from re-packagingmaterials delivery.
71
TASK 16. Low cost and community based ur-gent actions for reduction of impacts fromabandoned storehouses� Taking into consideration that re-packaging of
obsolete pesticides and their centralisation maytake 3-4 years, and that emptied old storage de-posits may not be quickly decontaminated orremedied, the NIP proposes the local communi-ties to implement urgent, but simple and low-cost actions for minimising pesticides releasesand for the protection of local environment andpublic health. The low-cost urgent measuresmay include, but not necessarily be limited to,the following: (i) all facilities (or their ruins if it isthe case), either if they still contain obsolete pes-ticides or not anymore, should be labeled withvisible safety/precaution symbols, (ii) fencesaround facilities (or their ruins) should be builtto limit access of population and grazing domes-tic animals, (iii) existing pesticides or theirwastes should be covered with plastic, if deposithas a damaged roof, (iv) after the evacuation ofold pesticides the windows and doors should beblocked by bricks. The responsibility falls on thelocal authorities, which should work closely withthe MENR. The mayoralties should assess thecurrent status of the facilities and prepare an im-plementation schedule and financial plan forlow-cost measures. The plans should be agreedby the MENR. On the basis of the agreed planthe mayoralty should mobilise local resourcesand implement necessary actions. The localcommunity should be involved in the discussionand implementation of measures.
� Incentives should be foreseen for the rural com-munities that have implemented the urgentlow-cost measures in a safe and efficient way. Itis proposed that at least one “best” rural com-munity per district should be endowed by theEcological Fund. The grant should be foreseenfor the implementation of chemical safety relat-ed projects to be initiated by the community it-self. The “best” community should be selectedby a district commission, formed by representa-tives of local government, public, environmen-tal, health authorities, and NGOs, on a competi-tive base with clearly stated criteria. The re-sponsible agency is MENR.
TASK 17. Collecting old DDT stocks fromhouseholds� The objective is to persuade local villagers to re-
turn stored in the private households amounts of
old pesticides, particularly DDT and other per-sistent chemicals. The MENR should select, ona competitive base, an agency (company orNGO), which will implement the activities. Theagency should have agrochemical, health and en-vironmental safety experience. The staff shouldbe trained for safety management of pesticides,repackaging and transportation procedures andshould be equipped with protective, packagingand other equipment, including transport. It willbe an advantage if commercial companies, dis-tributing in Moldova agricultural chemical or bi-ological preparations for plant protection, wouldbe able to contribute to the project by coveringthe operational expenses. Commercial compa-nies may also propose to the farmers, in ex-change to returned obsolete pesticides, anamount of their products with instructions fortheir safe utilisation. The GRM and MENR mayallocate the necessary financial resources for pur-chasing the commercial products at a discountprice, to be used as compensation for farmers. Anintense awareness campaign should be part ofthe project. Local authorities will have a criticalrole for the success of this action.
72
� All obsolete pesticides stocks must be repackaged.
TASK 18. Assessment of final solution optionsfor obsolete pesticides and abandoned store-houses� The centralisation of obsolete pesticides at the
district facilities is only an intermediary solu-tion. Further, a final disposal/liquidation solu-tion for obsolete pesticides, wastes and contam-inated packing materials should be identifiedwith a clear understanding of technical, eco-nomic, environmental and financial elements.The NIP proposes as a priority for the plannedperiod to fulfil the assessment of available op-tions, to estimate the potential environmentalimpacts, social and economic benefits, and con-sequently to select the most appropriate alterna-tive(s). For the selected alternative(s) a feasibil-ity study should be implemented. The respon-sible agency is MENR. The feasibility studymay take about 12 months. International exper-tise and technical assistance is highly necessary.
� Abandoned and vacated storehouses (and theirruins) are sources of pollution and human healthimpacts, even if low-cost urgent measures willbe implemented as described above. Several op-tions exist for dealing with these facilities: theymay be decontaminated and used for storingnew chemicals, or for other purposes, or disas-sembled. The demolished materials may beused for other constructions, or construction ma-terials may be treated as a toxic waste. The NIPstates the need to study various alternatives and
their impacts on the environment, health, socialand economic life at national scale, prior to anyfurther actions. The results and recommenda-tions obtained will provide a sound base for finaldecision about out-of-use storehouses. The re-sponsible agency is MENR. The study may bescheduled for 12 months. International exper-tise and external financing are required.
TASK 19. Remediation measures at the Cismi-chioi pesticide dump� The last study, implemented under a Tacis pro-
ject, indicated pollution of soils and shallowgroundwater following the landscape gradient.In line with this, precaution measures are pro-posed such as: fencing the territory, renovatingthe drainage and runoff collection systems, cov-ering the site with a new protection layer, envi-ronmental monitoring, annual inspection andmaintenance, etc. All these recommendationsshould be implemented during 2004-2008. Theresponsible agency is MENR or MAFI.
TASK 20. Feasibility study for the Vulcanestistock of out-of-use capacitors (option 1) or Re-mediation measures at the Vulcanesti stock ofout-of-use capacitors (option 2)� (option 1) A feasibility study and EIA are re-
quired for the Vulcanesti site hosting about12,000 old capacitors. Feasibility study and EIAshould include: (1) an assessment of the current
73
� Additional precaution measures will improve the safety of the pesticides landfill.
status of capacitors and of the management op-tions applied, (2) the identification of current en-vironmental and health impacts, (3) the elabora-tion of technical options for the elimination ofcapacitors, (4) an evaluation of related economic,social and environmental concerns. Clear envi-ronmentally sound alternatives to reduce releas-es from the Vulcanesti site should be formulated,and financial requirements should be identified.The responsible agency is MOE. The durationof the project is 12 months. International exper-tise and international financing is necessary.
� (option 2) The Vulcanesti site is hosting about12,000 capacitors, which are out-of-use andleaking. It is proposed to hire an internationallyaccepted and experienced company, which willtake the full responsibility for remediation mea-sures, including the evacuation of capacitorsfrom Moldova. The responsible agency is MOE.The activity may take about 1- 1.5 years. Arough estimate indicates the total eliminationcosts at US$ 1.0-1.2 million.
TASK 21. Country-wide handling of PCB-conta-minated equipment� Safe storage of capacitors and other out-of-use,
contaminated or damaged equipment awaitingdestruction is required. International financialsupport will be required for the centralisation ofcapacitors and other equipment identified ashot spots at the disposal place(s), provision of
safety containers, and identification of technolo-gies for PCBs and PCB-contaminated equip-ment elimination. Development of an effectivemonitoring system for temporary storage placeswould be of major importance. The owners ofequipment should be prepared to purchase newPCB-free equipment. The cost for new equip-ment should be covered by the equipment own-ers. The total duration of the project is 1-2 years.
Annex 4: Public Awareness,Training and Education
This chapter responds to the most urgent needsto be met in the short to medium term in the follow-ing areas: raising public awareness on the dangers as-sociated with POPs, training on POPs risks for mostexposed (target) groups, as well as incorporation ofPOPs issues in the educational programmes.
TASK 22. Improvement of communication withinMoldovan society on POPs related issues� The improvement of communication within so-
ciety is envisaged through the establishment ofa communication framework, incorporating thefollowing actions: provision of communicationknowledge and skills to the staff of central andlocal public authorities, environmental andhealth protection agencies, NGOs, public com-
74
� Old capacitors at Vulcanesti station require urgent remediation measures.
panies, research institutes, universities. Estab-lishment of mandatory institutionalized com-munication procedures between agencies and inrelation to the public, providing of high qualitycommunication equipment, creation of periodicinformational releases, accessible to all groups,promotion of a socio-economic environmentfavourable for the personality empowermentand respect to people’s opinion are the key ele-ments of the actions required. The range ofcommunication tools could include all commu-nication techniques, starting with presentationand messages in mass media and general meet-ings of communities, interactive dialogues, mi-cro-seminars between colleagues within andoutside the profession, and ending with prepa-ration and presentation of information throughthe existing communication channels of eachcommunity, such as professional meetings, en-tertainment facilities, local radio, children’s net-works, interest groups sessions, handicraft sit-tings, other accepted ceremonies and media.Provision of communication knowledge andskills could be carried out through a set of shortterm courses in communication with the popu-lation, offered to relevant agencies, organiza-tions and institutions, including the EcologicalInspectorate, the public relations sections of rel-evant ministries, active ecological NGOs, repre-sentatives of the educational institutions withecological or rural profile as well as selected rep-resentatives of the polluting companies. Thetraining in communication of all these groupscould be accomplished through short trainingcourses. The course material could include thefollowing areas: interpersonal communicationskills, sharing of information between agencies,presentation of information to the public, gener-al public relations, facilitation skills, relation-ships with mass media, preparation of accessiblereports on activity. The course material could beaccompanied by a short manual in communica-tion in respect to POPs and other chemicals.
TASK 23. Building up a participatory process inrespect to POPs and chemical safety issues� The POPs related problems have better chance to
get close to their successful resolution in the pres-ence of a large-scale participatory process. TheNIP preparation has already initiated steps forbuilding up the participatory process, including:participatory framework for consultants, periodicevents for exchange of opinions with relevant
state institutions, NGOs, general public, access-ing existing ecological networks for NGOs, cre-ation of a Web site. The efforts of the MENR tomaintain relationships with and to support ecolog-ical NGOs are also a significant step in buildingthe participatory process. Further development ofthe participatory process for its institutionalisationas well as provision of skills in participation, main-taining of participatory processes and tools isplanned. Review of the current responsibilities ofthe state agencies should be carried out, so thatthey would comprise regular affairs to the public,meetings with the concerned groups, open days,official presentations in mass media, maintenanceof interactive tools for complaints and alerts. Theobjective could be achieved through the provisionof training courses for the various groups relevantto POPs problems, including the state agencies,NGOs, educational institutes, business compa-nies, consumers, women, children and least edu-cated target groups.
TASK 24. Ensuring of information exchange atthe country and international levels� National exchange of information in POPs relat-
ed issues is important both for the awareness-building process and for generation of newknowledge. The most important actions wouldbe inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary meetings,meetings of different generations’ representa-tives, access to and use of relevant networks, ac-cess to information about the state of the envi-ronment in each community and within thecountry as a whole. The main tool for the ex-change of information would be a monthly or aquarterly POPs newsletter. Mixed age groupsconferences and symposiums, regular confer-ences between the most relevant actors in thePOPs process, such as: ecological inspectors, re-searchers, representatives of polluting compa-nies, physicians, representatives of agencies re-sponsible for the management of natural re-sources, etc would also serve the purpose. Localand national databases of POPs sources wouldbe developed and made available to the public.
� At international level, information relevant tothe solution of the POPs problem could be ac-cessed internationally with other Parties to theConvention through bilateral and multilateralpartnerships, creation of POPs networks, confer-ences, symposiums, contests, awards for alterna-tives to POPs, projects for solution of specificPOPs related problems. The Republic of Moldo-
75
va could contribute internationally with POPs al-ternatives, BATs and BEPs generated throughnational exchange of information, participatoryindicators for POPs developed by the researchinstitutions and NGOs, demonstration of reme-diated sites and improved POPs decreasing solu-tions in agriculture and in protected areas.
� In order to build awareness in POPs related is-sues in the bulk of the population, the use of par-ticipatory forms of information dissemination isadvised. The feedback tools are also important,due to the wealth of experience existing withinthe population in dealing with the chemicals,both in agriculture and industry. Other meanscould include agricultural and industry non-POPs “oases”, built specifically for gaining expe-rience in POPs substitution with alternatives andfor the dissemination of such experience throughdemonstration. Such actions could be supple-mented with lifestyles and activity patterns col-lected from different zones of Moldova, industrytechnology changes favourable to the environ-ment, collections of best practices in POPs reduc-tion, specific recommendations to representa-tives of different occupations, etc. The aware-ness-building tools with the greatest impactwould include interactive programmes and dia-logues in mass media, video spots and materials,POPs information caravans and excursions tomore affected localities, national contests in POPreduction, visual publicity, such as stickers,leaflets, and posters. At local level, general meet-ings of localities dedicated to POPs topic, POPsreduction campaigns would also be of use.
TASK 25. Training in POPs for the target groups� Training in POPs areas is needed for the repre-
sentatives of all main target groups of occupa-tions and professions relevant for POPs prob-lems, and entities capable of disseminating in-formation to a wider public, such as central andlocal public authorities, physicians, school anduniversity teachers, kindergarten educators, ad-ministrative staff of industries, managers andtrainers of NGOs and professional growth insti-tutions, leaders of political parties, organizationsfor economic and social development, financialand banking structures etc. The training processcould focus on civil servants most closely relatedto the POPs issues, representatives of the con-cerned NGOs and socio-economical factors.This first corps of POPs related informationholders, having access to more detailed and more
specific information than the one offered to thegeneral public through information campaigns,could be treated as promoters of POPs relatedinformation and knowledge and encouraged toshare it with the wider public. The training ofthese groups could include not only the wholerange of information on POPs agents known asof the date of the training and their impact, butalso practices and skills for the extension ofPOPs related information, references to addi-tional information sources, participatory meth-ods of data collection and transfer of information,skills for incorporating POPs related concerns in-to the decision-making process at respective lev-els. Small accessible POPs guides describingPOPs sources in different occupations and inhouseholds, as well as the precautionary actionsneeded in their application, would serve as use-ful props for the training process.
TASK 26. Facilitation of education in POPs � The education in POPs areas is significant not
only through the need to pass the knowledge tothe younger generation, but also through themoral obligation of the current generation tomaximally contribute to the remediation of thedamage done to the environment and to healthof children and young people by the current andpreceding generations. The education processneeds predominantly a creative approach to-wards teaching methodology, involving casestudy, role play, brainstorming, teamwork. Thiseducational framework could be supportedthrough addressing the emotional dimension incases suitable for the knowledge transfer. Alongwith a general overview of the POPs problem,the educational material could include a histori-cal perspective, as well as a clear explanation ofthe real sources of POPs in the country, regionand their own locality, and, importantly, projectwork and practical activity for reduction of POPsamounts and impacts on health and environ-ment, excursions and other visualisation, in-spection and reflection exercises on the bestpractices for POPs reduction and elimination.The young generation’s creativeness could beemployed though practical POP reduction activ-ities under the guidance of relevant adults, suchas ecological inspectors and competent teachers,which is also an effective educational tool. Chil-dren and students could research POPs alterna-tives, BATs and BEPs and contribute to theirdissemination.
76
77
Figure 4. LOAD OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS ON RIVER BASINS
78
Figure 5. LOAD OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS ON LANDSCAPES
79
Figure 6. LOAD OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS ON SOIL REGIONS
Imprimare la Combinatul Poligrafic, str. Mitropolit Petru Movilã, 35;MD-2004, Chiºinãu, Republica Moldova.
Comanda nr.
Related Documents
