Final report. Consultant: Teresita Romero Torres Ph.D.

Transcription

1 Final report Technical assistance to facilitate action on the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - Obsolete POPs Pesticides - Consultant: Teresita Romero Torres Ph.D. January

2 Executive Summary The purpose of this work was to propose a strategy to complete the Mexican obsolete pesticide inventory 2007 with particular interest in those that are toxic, persist in the environment for long periods of time, and biomagnify as they move up through the food chain POPs pesticides-; to describe the technologies for their destruction and provide criteria and requirements to select the most suitable technology. The tasks carried out in this work are part of the strategic activities of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to support the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which establishes as one of the responsibilities of the Parties to develop an inventory of stockpiles of obsolete pesticides and take appropriate measures to destruct them in an environmentally sound manner. Moreover, these tasks are also included in the Action Plan on Pesticides of the National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention (NIP). The manufacture, use, import and commercialisation of POPs pesticides were forbidden in Mexico before it signed the Convention; therefore the POPs pesticide stockpiles in the country are obsolete and must be treated as hazardous substances. During the elaboration of the NIP an obsolete pesticide inventory was created in 2007; however, due to the short time invested in its development, it included a very limited number of potential holders of obsolete pesticides, hence it is necessary to complete its information. The strategy proposed in this study to complete the inventory is focused on the identification of those holders that were not included in the previous inventory this work presents a database of these holders- and the application of a survey to gather the information from the identified holders; the proposal of a list of forum and media in which the survey can be applied, people can be informed about the inventory and the risks of the obsolete pesticide stockpiles and their participation in the development of the inventory can be promoted; a recommendation to create an agreement among the Agencies of Health (Ssa), Environment (Semarnat) and Agriculture (Sagarpa) to cooperate and exchange information for the elaboration of the inventory and its subsequent updating. The strategy also considers an evaluation of the viability to transfer the current database of the inventory to an Oracle platform as this platform offers major possibilities to manage data and also to assure the compatibility with other national database related to POPs. In order to describe the available technologies for the destruction of POPs different studies and documents published by the United Nations Environment Programme, Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, the International HCH and Pesticides Association (IHPA), among others, were revised. Additionally some technology suppliers were contacted to update the information presented in the documents revised. 2

3 As a result of the revision eleven technologies for the destruction of POPs were identified. Five commercialised technologies with considerable experience to treat pesticide stockpiles were recognized: Hazardous Waste Incineration; Cement Kiln Co-Processing; GeoMelt s ex situ process; Plasma Arc ((Plascon TM ) and Gas Phase Chemical Reduction (GPCR). Three commercialised technologies have enough experience in the treatment of POPs but they do not have expertise in the destruction of POPs pesticides; however, some authors mentioned their suitability to eliminate them but there are no experimental data available to support their opinion. These technologies are: Base Catalysed Decomposition (BCD), Mechanochemical Dehalogenation (MCD) and Super-Critical Water Oxidation (SCWO). Other technologies are still in bench or pilot scale but they show potential to treat pesticide stockpiles, these are: Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation (CerOx ), Self- Propagating High Temperature Dehalogenation (SPHTG) and Alkali Metal reduction. The description of the destruction process, contaminants treated, throughputs, destruction efficiencies, power requirements, characteristics of the out flowing streams and residues, pre-treatment requirements; risks, costs; current status of the technology along with its limitations, and the name and contacts of the technologies suppliers are provided for almost all the technologies. The technologies described, excluding the Hazardous Waste Incineration and Cement Kiln Co-Processing, imply a chemical treatment that does not include any combustion process. Finally, a set of basic criteria and requirements to evaluate and select POPs waste technologies are included in this work, which have been published by PNUMA and other organisations for the destruction of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. These criteria and requirements can be considered by Semarnat to define a strategy to destruct the stockpiles identified in the inventory. 3

4 CONTENT Executive Summary Chapter I. Introduction 1 Objectives 4 Chapter II. Proposal to complete the obsolete pesticide inventory 5 Chapter III. Technologies for the Destruction of obsolete pesticides Incineration of Hazardous Waste 17 Gas Phase Chemical Reduction -GPCR 19 Plasma Arc (PLASCON TM ) 23 Base Catalyzed Decomposition (BCD) 26 Cement Kiln Co-Processing (High Temperature 29 Treatment) Geomelt TM 32 Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) and Subcritical 34 Water Oxidation (SBWO) Mechanochemical Dehalogenation MCD 36 Electrochemical Oxidation (CerOx TM ) 37 Alkali-metal Reduction 38 Self-Propagating High-Temperature Dehalogenation Chapter IV. Criteria for the selection of the most appropriate technology 43 Chapter V. Conclusions 46 Annex A (electronic file) Annex B 51 4

5 Chapter I Introduction 1.1 The Stockholm Convention and the obsolete pesticide inventory In 1997 the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Security (IFCS) presented to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) recommendations to take immediate actions on twelve persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which provided the foundations for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Stockholm Convention was adopted in 2001 by 127 countries, including Mexico. This agreement entered into force in 2004 and to date 152 countries (Mexico included) have ratified it. The international concern about POPs is based on the following characteristics: i) toxicity and ecotoxicity -POPs have the potential to affect human health and ecosystems-; (ii) persistence -due to their chlorine content POPs are usually resistant to light (photolysis), chemical and biological degradation-; (iii) bioaccumulation -POPs have a high lipid solubility, which facilitates their accumulation in fatty tissue; and (iv) ability to travel great distances -some POPs are semi-volatile and are capable to evaporate and travel long distances from their original source. The twelve POPs included in the Stockholm Convention include nine pesticides: Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Mirex, DDT, Chlordane, Toxaphene and Hexachlorobenzene 1, two industrial substances: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) 2, and unintentionally generated by-products: Dioxins (PCDD), Furans (PCDF), PCBs and HCB. Particularly, Article 3 of the Convention sets out the obligation of the Parties to eliminate the production, use, import and export of the substances listed in Annex A, which includes the pesticides abovementioned, with exception of DDT, and PCB. DDT is included in Annex B, its production and use is limited to malaria vector control 3. Additionally, in Article 6 the Parties are required to develop both an inventory and a comprehensive management plan for stockpiles of unused pesticides and other POPs in order to destruct them in an environmentally sound manner. This Article also states that recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct reuse or alternative uses of POPs 1 Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Mirex, Toxaphene and Chlordane are pesticides that have been used for control of insects in agricultural fields and for crop protection in corn, potato and vegetables, as well as to protect wood structures from termites. DDT has been used mainly in malaria vector control, although it has also been used extensively as pesticide in agricultural fields. HCB is a fungicide used for seed treatment, especially to control wheat decay, and industrially generated HCB is a secondary product in the manufacture of chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and pentachlorobenzene. 2 This substance can be used both as pesticide and industrial product. 3 It is important to mention that the Parties can ask for exemption for the gradual elimination of the uses of these substances. 5

6 are not allowed, and that transboundary transportation of POPs must be carried out according to the relevant international rules, standards and guidelines. Since import, manufacture, formulation, commercialization and use of POPs included in the Convention are already prohibited in Mexico, their stockpiles are considered obsolete and thus they should be managed as hazardous materials. As part of the activities included in the elaboration of the National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention (NIP), an inventory of obsolete pesticide stockpiles was carried out through the application of a survey to the potential holders. In this inventory, 101, kg of DDT, 5 liter of Chlordane, 100 kg of Heptachlor (in addition to other pesticides) were identified. However, this inventory needs to be completed since a limited number of holders were contacted as the period of time to apply the surveys was too short (three months) and the volume of stockpiles registered is considered no representative of the volume of pesticides used in Mexico. The precision of the inventory is essential to define a management plan for their destruction, including the most suitable technology to eliminate them considering their type and volume. 1.2 Elimination of POPs The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Obsolete Pesticides Programme (started in 1994), is acknowledged as the lead organization in matters related to the prevention and disposal of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. FAO was a pioneer in creating obsolete pesticides inventories based on an extensive programme of data collection in Africa, Near East and Latin America. FAO has published guidelines on prevention and management of obsolete pesticides in developing countries and has advised and promoted disposal projects in many countries, mainly in Africa. The activities of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to support the disposal of POPs through an environmental sound management are also remarkable. Since the early 90s, UNIDO had been promoting projects for PCBs destruction in developing countries, including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, being incineration the technology used for their elimination. Usually, incineration is used to destroy POPs in industrialised countries along with alternative combustion processes in cement kilns and boilers. Europe has a solid market in POPs incineration. Since incineration leads to the transformation of POPs in new POPs such as Dioxins and Furans, new technologies have being developed to destroy POPs, which have great technical potential and social acceptance. UNEP and UNIDO are the main promoters of the use of these technologies for POPs destruction. In 2001 the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) sponsored the project: Demonstration of Viability and Removal of Barriers that Impede Adoption and Effective Implementation of Available, Non-combustion Technologies for Destroying Persistent Organic Pollutants, being UNIDO the agency in charge of their execution. 6

7 The project was implemented initially in Philippines and Slovakia and focused on the treatment of PCBs using an alternative technology. It is important to highlight the encouragement of GEF for the preparation of so-called demonstration projects that evaluate the viability and effectiveness of specific phaseout measures, and transfer environmentally sound technologies through successful implementation. 1.3 The National Implementation Plan of the Stockholm Convention and the Action Plan on the Elimination of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. In 2004, GEF supported a project in Mexico to develop the National Implementation Plan (NIP), which included the participation of a diverse number of stakeholders. GEF s support was granted in 2006 and in 2007 the NIP was finished and published. The core section of the NIP is constituted by the action plans, which were elaborated in fulfilment with the statements of the Convention. Particularly, the objective of the Action Plan on the elimination of obsolete pesticide stockpiles is to eliminate the stockpiles, avoid the generation of obsolete pesticides and prevent or minimise the risks to human health and the environment generated by contaminated sites with POPs. With the aim to achieve this objective, five strategies were proposed: Definition of a national policy on pesticides and the strengthening of its legal framework Development of an updated inventory Design and application of a management plan for their destruction Selection of a suitable technology for their management and destruction Risk reduction of contaminated sites In order to provide the basis for the implementation of the second and fourth strategies, this study has the following objectives. 1.4 Objectives o o o To propose a strategy to complete the obsolete pesticide inventory in Mexico To describe the available technologies for the destruction of POPs pesticides To provide a set of criteria for the selection of the most suitable technology for the destruction of POPs pesticide stockpiles This study is composed of four chapters. This chapter introduced the Stockholm Convention and highlighted the importance to develop a reliable inventory on POPs pesticide stockpiles and their elimination in an environmentally sound manner. The 7

8 second chapter shows a strategy to complete the POPs pesticide inventory. A description of the technologies for POPs destruction available world-wide is presented in chapter three. Finally, chapter four contains the criteria to select the most appropriate technology to eliminate the stockpiles. 8

9 Chapter II Proposal to complete the obsolete pesticide stockpiles inventory 2.1 The 2007-Obsolete Pesticides Stockpiles Inventory During the elaboration of the NIP a study was carried out to update the Mexican obsolete pesticide stockpiles inventory. The methodology used included the formulation of a survey that was applied to stakeholders, which, considering their activities not necessarily related to the use of pesticides may be in possession of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. The survey was adapted from a FAO proposal and a format used in 2001 by the Mexican Association of the Phytosanitary Industry (AMIFAC for its name in Spanish) to develop its own inventory. The survey was applied to members of the AMIFAC, the National Association of the Chemical Industry of Mexico (ANIQ) and the Mexican Union of Manufacturers and Formulators of Agrichemicals (UMFFAAC), and to officials from local and central offices of the following agencies: the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), the Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS), the National Centre of Epidemiological Surveillance and Disease Control (CENAVECE), the National Service of Health, Food Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA), the Secretariat for Social Development (SEDESOL), the Secretariat of National Defence (SEDENA), and the National Customs Office of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) 4. The industrial associations sent the surveys directly to their members and COFEPRIS applied the survey to pesticide trade companies that were verified during the development of the study. Due to time limitations, there were differences in the way in which stakeholders answered the survey and in the disposition to provide information. Some of them did not answer the surveys or provided incomplete information. In this study, 283 surveys were received, which summarized 551 data of obsolete pesticide products, which included pesticides that are no POPs. A total of 26, litres, 147, kilograms and 50 m 3 of obsolete pesticides were registered 5,6. The stockpiles are distributed in 29 States and are in liquid and solid presentation. 4 In order to promote the participation of governmental institutions and industrial associations, a poster was designed to advertise the project. In addition, a leaflet was created to inform about the safety measures to handle stored pesticides. Both documents were presented at national and state level and distributed among the stakeholders. These documents can be found within the final report at 5 From the 551 registries, 16 reported that the pesticide products are stored in deteriorated containers, 32 are stored in damaged containers (16 reported leaks), 380 pesticides are in their original package and 59 were repacked, 24 products were reported without label and 20 with illegible label. 6 The 500m 3 reported are a mixture of Lindane, Malathion, water and soil located in the Vivero de Coyoacan in Mexico City, which were reported by SEMARNAT. 9

10 The distribution of obsolete pesticide stockpiles in Mexico, according to the results of this study, is shown in the following box: General distribution of obsolete pesticide stockpiles by State State Litre Kilogram m 3 Aguascalientes , Baja California Baja California Sur Campeche , Coahuila 1, , Colima -- 14, Chiapas , Chihuahua , Distrito Federal Durango 1, , Guanajuato Guerrero 4, Hidalgo 1, , Jalisco 1, , México 2, , Michoacán 3, , Morelos -- 1, Nayarit , Nuevo León , Oaxaca , Puebla Querétaro Quintana Roo , San Luis Potosí Sinaloa -- 1, Sonora 5, Tabasco 2, , Tamaulipas Tlaxcala Veracruz , Yucatán Zacatecas 1, Total 26, ,

11 Only three POPs pesticides were reported: DDT, Chlordane and Heptachlor. DDT is widely distributed in the country and currently is managed by the health sector. The DDT stockpiles will be destroyed shortly through a project supported by GEF. The other two POPs pesticides were reported in the Municipality of Angel R. Cabada in Veracruz, which are 5 kg of Chlordane and 100 kg of Heptachlor, which belong to the same trade company. Stockpiles of obsolete pesticides Pesticide Stock Aldrin 0.00 Dieldrin 0.00 DDT 101, kg Chlordane 5.00 lt Endrin 0.00 Heptachlor kg Hexachlorobenzene 0.00 Mirex 0.00 Toxaphene 0.00 Lindane lt Paration metil lt Paration metil kg Malathion 11, lt Lindane-Malathion m 3 The DDT stockpiles are distributed in the country according to the next box: DDT stockpiles by State State Kilograms Aguascalientes 1, Baja California -- Baja California Sur Campeche 10, Coahuila Colima 13, Chiapas 4, Chihuahua Distrito Federal -- Durango 2, Guanajuato Guerrero Hidalgo 3, Jalisco 1, México 1, Michoacán 10, Morelos 1, Nayarit 1,

12 State Kilograms Nuevo León 2, Oaxaca 9, Puebla -- Querétaro Quintana Roo 1, San Luis Potosí -- Sinaloa 1, Sonora Tabasco Tamaulipas Tlaxcala -- Veracruz 30, Yucatán -- Zacatecas The author of this study recognized the limitations of the inventory, identifying as the main reasons to reach a very limited number of potential holders the period given for the application of the survey (three months) and the scarce resources available to carry out the activities. In addition, the author stressed the lack of participation of SAGARPA and the National Customs Office of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) 7, which might have significant stockpiles of obsolete pesticides and did not answer the surveys that were sent to them. Consequently, the inventory must be further developed to increase the quantity and quality of the information, since the findings of this study can be considered as preliminary due to the following aspects: The current inventory includes the information of 51 trade companies, which represent approximately 4% of the trade companies registered in the Phytosanitary Database of SAGARPA (3,500 trade companies are currently registered by SAGARPA). In addition, this inventory includes the information of one company that produces or formulates pesticides, whereas SAGARPA reports 170 pesticide manufacturers and formulators in Mexico. Furthermore, only 4 companies that applied pesticides were surveyed, but SAGARPA indicates the existence of 100 companies that apply pesticides for agricultural use. Also, the Health Secretariat has a database of manufacturers, formulators, applicators of pesticides for urban use, and importers of pesticides, which must be taken in account to estimate the total number of potential holders that were not included in this inventory. There is a lack of information from SAGARPA and SHCP, which, according to their functions and responsibilities, might have significant stockpiles of obsolete pesticides. 7 The designation of a contact person was officially requested. Later, information of the project and the questionnaire were sent and technical support was requested. There were no answers to these requests. 12

13 Information from agricultural and livestock associations, which may have obsolete pesticide stockpiles, was not considered. The inventory did not include information from universities and technical/investigation centres with agriculture-related courses or pesticiderelated investigations that may have obsolete pesticide stockpiles. Since the survey was sent through industrial associations and through the central offices of governmental institutions, there was no an appropriate control and tracking of the reception and application of the survey. It may be possible that the author has a registration of this information, but it was not included in his final report. Some participants did not send back the surveys on time. It was mentioned that COFEPRIS applied the survey to the trade companies that were verified during the time in which the inventory was carried out; however, in spite of the effort of COFEPRIS there are many trade companies that were not surveyed and also some local offices provided less precise information, so it is necessary to complete and homogenise the information from COFEPRIS. It is also necessary to verify that all CONAFOR regions answered the survey. 2.2 Strategy Under this context, the following strategy is proposed to complete and improve the national obsolete pesticide stockpiles inventory: I. To identify precisely the potential holders of obsolete pesticide stockpiles and to build up a database that includes the necessary information to identify them (name, address, type of company or activity carried out, level of use, volume of production and distribution of pesticides). These potential holders are: a) SAGARPA Local Health Plant Committees (OASVs for their name in Spanish). The OASVs are organisations of agricultural and forestry producers that collaborate with SAGARPA to implement Health Plant and Food Safety Programmes, among other functions. OASVs can be classified in Local and State Committees. Local Committees implement Health Plant Programmes and are coordinated by both State Committees and SAGARPA through the respective Rural Development District. According to SAGARPA, these organisms may have significant amounts of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. Currently, 31 State Committees are operating in Mexico. SAGARPA has three database (Phytosanitary Registries) containing a list of the companies that produce, formulate, import, use or commercialize pesticides, which are potential sources of obsolete pesticide stockpiles: 13

14 o Database of companies that formulate, import and produce agricultural pesticides. o Database of companies that apply pesticides using aircrafts. o Database of trade pesticide companies. Due to the great amount of companies listed, it would be necessary to give priority to the companies that handle significant volumes of pesticides and define a specialised strategy to reach to the small companies. SAGARPA s database are presented in Annex 1. SAGARPA s State Offices. Formerly, State offices had the responsibility to buy pesticides to attend health plant emergencies. Although they do not have more this responsibility they may still have stockpiles of obsolete products. Agricultural and livestock associations. These associations are also considered potential holders of obsolete pesticide stockpiles. Each SAGARPA s State Office has a list of the state agricultural and livestock associations. The National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research. As a research centre, it is probable that it may have stockpiles used in its investigations and experimental practices. b) Customs Office of the SHCP It is probable that some pesticides had been confiscated and stored by the Customs Office, thus it would be feasible to find obsolete pesticides in its store rooms. According to the SHCP, currently 48 customs offices are distributed in Mexico as shown in the following box: State City State City Aguascalientes Aguascalientes Michoacán Lázaro Cárdenas Baja California Ensenada, Mexicali, Tecate, Tijuana Nuevo León Colombia, Monterrey Baja California Sur La Paz Oaxaca Salina Cruz Campeche Coahuila Ciudad del Carmen Puebla Ciudad Acuña, Piedras Negras, Torreón Querétaro Colima Manzanillo Quintana Roo Puebla Querétaro Chiapas Ciudad Hidalgo Sinaloa Mazatlán Chihuahua Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Ojinaga, Puerto Palomas Sonora Cancún, Subteniente López Agua Prieta, Guaymas, Naco, Nogales, San Luis Río Colorado, 14

15 State City State City Sonoyta Aeropuerto Internacional de la Dos Bocas Distrito Federal Ciudad de México, Tabasco México (Pantaco) Estado de México Toluca Tamaulipas Guerrero Acapulco Veracruz Altamira, Ciudad Camargo, Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Ciudad Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Tampico Coatzacoalcos, Tuxpan, Veracruz Jalisco Guadalajara Yucatán Progreso c) SSA State offices of the SSA. It is necessary to verify whether all state offices of the Health Secretary (SSA) have completed the survey and to determine which institutes and health centres in Mexico City have not answered it yet. SSA also has a database of the companies that formulate, produce, import, commercialize and use pesticides. It would be very important to compare both database of SAGARPA and the SSA to avoid duplications in the application of the survey, since these two Secretariats must have similar data. So, it would be necessary to identify what companies have already answered the survey and apply the survey to those that have not completed it yet. It would be essential to compare and complete the database. d) SEMARNAT Regional offices of the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR). Some regional offices have been already surveyed, thus it is required to identify what offices have not completed the survey yet and ask for their answers. CONAFOR is divided in 13 regions. Mexico has a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR), which can be useful to identify other potential holders that have not been included in the database of SAGARPA and SSA, and may use significant volume of pesticides and thus may have obsolete pesticide stockpiles. e) Other governmental institutions Other governmental institutions that use pesticides and may have stockpiles of obsolete products are: the Secretariat of Transport and Communications (SCT) which uses pesticides to control weeds on roads, the Secretariat of National Defence 15

16 (SEDENA), which uses pesticides to destroy illegal crops, and the Secretariat of Tourism, which applied these products to keep in good conditions recreational areas. The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and the Mexican Petroleum Company (PEMEX) may also have obsolete pesticides, as they use these products to control weeds in their facilities. f) Universities and research centres Universities and research centres may be potential holders of obsolete pesticide stockpiles (although in a very much reduced volume) or may constitute sources of information to identify other holders. The National Institute of Ecology has a database of centres and universities carrying out research on POPs, the database includes 27 academic institutions researching on this topic. The universities that may have obsolete pesticides stockpiles are: the University of Chapingo, the Autonomous Agricultural University Antonio Narro of Coahuila and the Autonomous University of Guerrero. However, all universities that provide education on agronomy may have obsolete pesticide stockpiles. Once a reliable and complete list of potential holders has been created it would be possible to contact them directly and applied them the survey, which has been slightly modified from the one used in the inventory 2007 (the survey format is presented in the Annex B). Although it would be highly advisable to ask again for the support of the industrial associations (AMIFAC, ANIQ and UMFFAAC) and the governmental institutions to send and apply the surveys to their members or local offices, as appropriate, having a strict control of the reception and application of the surveys. Companies that are not registered in any association should be contacted directly. The information that potential holders should receive must include a presentation letter explaining the objective and scope of the inventory, the survey (see Annex B), and the leaflet on safety measures to handle stored pesticides. It is essential to maintain an updated registry of the reception and application of the surveys. This information can be sent by postal service, , fax, or distributed directly in forum related to POPs organized by governmental institutions or industrial associations. II. To create an agreement among SEMARNAT, SAGARPA and SSA to formalise the exchange of information and cooperation to develop the inventory and its updating. According to its legal responsibilities, SEMARNAT would be the leader and responsible for the development of the inventory. However, the support of SAGARPA and SSA will be essential considering their legal attributions, their databases and registries, and their experience gained through the direct contact with the potential holders. So, it would be a priority to create this agreement to ensure the adequate development of the inventory and also create a specific group made up by officials from these Secretariats, which would be involved in the elaboration of the inventory and its updating. 16

17 III. To provide training to the staff responsible for the development of the inventory on the identification of obsolete pesticide stockpiles, sound management of POPs stockpiles and on the procedures to develop and update an inventory. IV. During the elaboration of the NIP a National Coordinating Committee was created, which is made up by a diverse number of stakeholders. So, it would be relevant to use this forum to promote the participation of these stakeholders to identify obsolete pesticide stockpiles. V. To advertise the development of the inventory and to promote the participation and answer of the surveys in the following forums and communication media: i. Meetings of industrial associations (AMIFAC, UMFFAAC, ANIQ) ii. Meetings of the Local Health Committees and agriculture and livestock associations. iii. The National Program against Risk derived from Pesticides Use, in which SAGARPA, SSA, STPS, SEMARNAT and AMIFAC are currently participating. iv. Workshops on risk prevention in the management of pesticides for trade companies, which are organised by AMIFAC, SSA and SAGARPA. v. Training courses for companies that apply pesticides using aircrafts, which are also organised by SAGARPA. vi. National Program for Agricultural Workers implemented by SEDESOL. vii. State, educative, cultural, communitarian and indigenous radio stations. viii. The Cultural and Educational Radio and Television Broadcasters Network, C. A. ix. Internet websites of governmental institutions. The communication strategy should: o Provide general information to the public on obsolete pesticides and their risks. o Facilitate regional coordination with other governments and other stakeholders. o Ensure an effective communication between the pesticide inventory working team and stakeholders to define priorities and allocation of resources. o Look for new alliances between governments and public, including local communities, indigenous communities, women associations and private sector. VI. To consider the proposal of the consultant, who developed the 2007-inventory, related to the definition of incentives to promote the participation of the potential holders. The incentives could include that: 17

18 All holders that report obsolete pesticide stockpiles may receive technical support to manage these products by SEMARNAT, SSA, SAGARPA or other agencies. Holders may receive financial support to manage obsolete pesticides if Mexico received support from the GEF to destroy the obsolete pesticide stockpiles. Public recognition should be granted to the institutions, associations and all those that participate in managing and disposing obsolete pesticides. Obsolete pesticide holders that refuse to provide information should be subject to a kind of fine determined by the competent authorities. However, it would be better to promote the voluntary participation for the development of the inventory creating awareness in the society. VII. To transfer the current database of the inventory to an Oracle platform to make the management of the data more flexible and easy and to take advantage of the benefits of this platform to apply programmes for risk identification and management. A new pesticide database built up in Oracle environment may be optimal considering that a Unified Information System on POPs (SISCOP for its name in Spanish) will be created and be based on this environment. VIII. To specify the inventory s updating frequency and to determine the updating mechanism. IX. Finally, it is important to recognize the limitations of the inventories taking in account the difficulties to reach all holders of obsolete pesticides and the complications to ensure the reliability of the information provided by them. However, a suitable communication strategy and specialised training would help to improve the precision, quality and representativeness of the inventory. 18

19 Chapter III Technologies for the Destruction of obsolete pesticides Considering the risks that POPs pesticide stockpiles, and in general all POPs, represent for human health and ecosystems, and the obligations set out in the Basel and Stockholm Conventions to dispose hazardous waste, a diverse number of technologies for POPs destruction have been developed. According to the technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) technical directives for the environmental sound management of POPs developed in the framework of the Basel Convention (PNUMA, 2005), the following disposal operations permitted to destroy POPs are: Physico-chemical treatment Incineration on land Use as a fuel (other than in direct incineration) or other means to generate energy Recycling/reclamation of organic substances which are not used as solvents, but restricted to waste-to-gas conversion Recycling/reclamation of metals and metal compounds, but restricted to activities of primary and secondary metallurgy The technologies for destruction, included in the operations listed above, show different destruction efficiency (DE), which is defined as the total mass of a chemical into a process, minus the mass of the chemical in all products, or by-products and environmental releases (including water and air emissions), divided by the input mass. DE is expressed as a percentage. Destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) is other measure commonly used. DRE only takes into account stack emissions, with no regard for other releases and residues. In this chapter, the available technologies for POPs pesticide destruction (in fulfilment with the Basel Convention statements) are described. The information provided includes data on POPs pesticides treated and their respective DE and DRE, power requirements, capacity, description of the destruction process, secondary waste and emissions, costs and risks (when available), and the status of the technology, since there are some technologies that are in bench or pilot scale but show high potential to destroy POPs pesticides. This information is the result of a bibliographical review and from the direct contact with trade companies by . 19

20 3.1 Technologies at commercial scale Incineration of hazardous waste Incineration is capable of treating wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with any POP. Incinerators can be designed to accept wastes in any concentration or any physical form (i.e., gases, liquids, solids, sludge and slurries). Process description. Incineration uses controlled flame combustion to destroy organic contaminants mainly in rotary kilns. Typically a process for treatment involves heating to a temperature greater than 850 C or, if the chlorine content is above 1%, greater than 1,100 C, with a residence time greater than 2 seconds, under conditions that assure appropriate mixing. Incinerators are available in a number of configurations including rotary kiln incinerators and static ovens (for liquids only). High-efficiency boilers and light-weight aggregate kilns are also used for the co-incineration of hazardous wastes. The maximum concentration of chlorides or halogens in the waste should be 10%. Pre-treatment. Depending upon the configuration, pre-treatment requirements may include blending, dewatering, screening and shredding of wastes. Process diagram Source: IHPA (2006) Power requirements. Depending upon waste composition and calorific value of waste. 20