Disposal in Central and Eastern Europe 

A major conference on obsolete pesticides in Central and Eastern Europe is to be held in Kiev in June this year(1), to call for concerted international action. It is not yet widely recognised that this problem is posing a major hazard from the former East Germany in the west to the Central Asian Countries bordering China. John Vijgen, of the International HCH and Pesticides Association, reports.

This former lindane production site is one of the most polluted in Albania. Photo: Alexsander Kolaci, Head of the Plant Protection Institute, Albania

The African Stockpile Project, recently voted US$25 million(2) to dispose of over 50,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticide waste, has been regularly covered in PN. The health of people, wildlife and the environment is also at risk from dumped chemicals in Central and Eastern Europe, where there are both large and small sites and where controls are non-existent. 
    Data on the extent of the problem is inaccessible and variable, and it is hoped that an inventory can be compiled as part of the work of the Global Environment Facility Enabling Facilities, and the subsequent National Implementation Plans.
    There are thousands of relatively small stocks with amounts that can vary from some kilograms to up to several hundreds of tonnes. Estimates for the region vary from 100,000 to at least 250,000 tonnes. In Poland, for example, numbers diverge widely from the official Polish government statement of 18,000 tonnes to 60,000 or even 65,000 tonnes. 
    On the other hand there are a small number of former production sites, mainly related to the lindane production, contaminated with huge amounts of so-called HCH [hexachlorocyclohexane] residual breakdown products. These are also found at former landfills. The total number is still unknown, but some figures have emerged:

• former Eastern Germany: several hundred thousands of tonnes
• Poland: up to 160,000 tonnes at former production sites
• Macedonia: 33,000 to 38,000 tonnes at a former production site
• Czech Republic: a waste dump with around 100,000 tonnes

The International HCH and Pesticides Association (IHPA) has for many years been working to raise international awareness and bring political attention to obsolete pesticides. They have received support from many organisations about establishing an Obsolete POPs/Pesticides Stockpile Fund for Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), and for the New Independent States (NIS).
    At the conference in June in Kiev (the 7th International HCH and Pesticides Forum), a roundtable discussion will be held, and the aim is to establish an Ad Hoc Working Group to organise multi-stakeholder involvement in the preparation of the CEEC/NIS Stockpile Fund. 
    At the last Forum, in May 2001 in Poznan, the participants already called for the implementation of plans to relieve the CEEC region of its obsolete pesticides problems. The IHPA has taken this signal very seriously and has had discussions with the various members of the European Parliament, who showed a unanimous strong commitment to sustainable solutions. The Parliament sent letters to all Accession countries in July 2001, requesting information on the obsolete pesticide problem with proposed strategies to solve it. 
    In May 2002, when ecological (organic)food was contaminated during temporary storage in a former pesticides storage facility in former East Germany, the costs of non-action in the obsolete pesticides field, including food contamination, became obvious to the German government, the European Parliament and the Commission. So in July that year the same year Members of the Parliament again asked Commissioner Wallström to tackle the problem. Subsequently at a Stakeholders’ Conference on the Development of a Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. Ms Wallström promised to address the issue in her Cabinet.
    European politicians have increased the pressure on the Commission to act: a recent letter to the governments of the 10 Accession Countries was signed by no fewer than 28 Members of the Parliament. IHPA Forum has gained increasing support from the Ukrainian government: Vice Premier Minister Mr Kurilenko will give the opening speech to the conference, and it has been included in the government’s official plan of activities. 

The 2003 conference
Presentations at the conference will include:

• new data on obsolete pesticides stocks, contaminated land and water resources
• monitoring and risk assessment of stocks, and pesticides in soil, plants, groundwater and in human bodies
• latest technical developments and experiences of solutions, and non-incineration technologies
• the problem and solutions in Ukraine
• phytoremediation of pesticide-contaminated soils
• a follow-up of the recommendations at the last Forum
• a roundtable on the establishment of an Obsolete POPs/Pesticides Stockpile Fund for Central and Eastern European Countries and New Independent States

There will also be poster sessions and a field trip. Stakeholders in the field of obsolete pesticides should consider taking part in the conference.

References
1. 7th International HCH and Pesticides Forum, 
5-7 June 2003, at the National Agricultural University Kiev, Ukraine: information from at pidlis@carrier.kiev.ua, Valentyna Pidlisnyuk, National Agricultural University, Agroecology Department, Geroev Oboronu 17, Kyiv, 03040, Ukraine or International HCH & Pesticides Association, Elmevej 14, DK-2840 Holte, www.hchforum.com, www.ipha.info
2. PN 58, $25 million pesticide clean up, page 23.

John Vijgen works for the International HCH and Pesticides Association, john.vijgen@get2net.dk

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 59, March 2003, page 19]