POPs waste disposal under the Stockholm Convention Key elements David Piper Task Manager (POPs enabling activities) UNEP DGEF

Convention provisions relating to wastes Article 3 measures to reduce/eliminate releases from intentional production and use Article 5 measures to reduce/eliminate releases from unintentional production Article 6 measures to reduce/eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes

Article 3: Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from intentional production and use Restricts trade of POPs chemicals to: purposes/uses permitted under registered specific exemptions/acceptable purpose environmentally sound disposal (paragraph 1d of Art 6)

Article 5 & Annex C: Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional production Preventing POPs waste arising Develop action plans Promote available, feasible and practical measures to achieve realistic and meaningful levels of release reduction or source elimination substitute products and processes the use of BAT/BEP BAT required for new Part II sources 4 years after entry into force

Reducing releases “…promote available, feasible, practical measures…” Improved waste management Treatment of residuals and wastes Improved flue-gas cleaning Low-waste technologies Recovery and recycling of wastes Good housekeeping Improved product quality Avoiding use & generation of elemental Cl Less hazardous raw materials Process changes – e.g. closed systems Process modification – e.g. to improve combustion

Waste-related source categories Annex C Part II Waste incinerators, including co-incineration of municipal, hazardous or medical waste or of sewage sludge Cement kilns firing hazardous waste Secondary copper, aluminium and zinc production Annex C Part III Open burning of waste, including burning of landfill sites Crematoria and destruction of animal carcasses Shredder plants for treatment of vehicles Smouldering of copper cables Waste oil refineries

Article 6: Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes Contaminated sites Linkage to Basel Convention

Stockpiles Article 6 Paragraph 1 (a), (b), (c) Develop strategies to identify POPs stockpiles, & products in use Identify POPs stockpiles & products in use Manage POPs stockpiles in an environmentally sound manner

Wastes (& products and articles upon becoming wastes) No identify here but implied in the next point Article 6 Paragraph 1 (a), (d) Develop strategies to identify POPs wastes Handle, collect, transport & store wastes in an environmentally sound manner Dispose so that POPs content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed In an environmentally sound manner if destruction not preferred in a way that does not lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation, or reuse of POPs Transport POPs wastes across international boundaries according to international rules Article 6 Paragraph 1 (e); Contaminated sites Develop strategies to identify contaminated sites (and ensure that remediation is performed in environmentally sound manner) Art 5

Wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with POPs Is the content of the waste arising known? Municipal, industrial or hazardous wastes Conduct analyses & report No Yes Does the waste Include products or articles consisting of, containing or contaminated with POPs? Dispose as appropriate for waste, noting obligations under Article 5 & Annex C re unintentional production of POPs byproducts Yes No Are sources of POPs wastes known? Identify sources of wastes & seek to minimize or eliminate, then … No Yes Are POPs wastes separated? Develop strategy, allowing waste separation & appropriate management compatible with Article 6.1.a,d, then… No 1.Prepare management plans to such that wastes are handled, collected, transported and stored in an environmentally sound manner 2. Dispose of wastes so that POPs content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed Or dispose in ESM where destruction is Not environmentally preferred, or POPs content is low (Article 6.1.a,d) Note obligations under Article 5 & Annex C Yes POPs waste Are wastes To be exported? No Yes Export of POPs waste for environmentally sound disposal ? Prepare management plans compatible with international rules, standards & guidelines Yes No Prohibit unacceptable trade

Paragraph 2 of Article 6 Stockholm COPs to cooperate closely with Basel COP to: Establish levels of destruction and irreversible transformation to ensure that POPs characteristics are not exhibited Determine what methods constitute environmentally sound disposal Define “low POPs content” for purposes of environmentally sound disposal

Waste guidelines Stockholm Convention Secretariat is requested: Developed through Basel OEWG subgroup Adopted by Basel Convention COP October 2004 Stockholm Convention Secretariat is requested: to prepare a report on such guidelines relating to POPs as may be adopted by the CoP to the Basel Convention, analyse the implications of those guidelines for the Stockholm Convention indicate elements that might be considered suitable for adoption under paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention.

PCBs – Annex A Part II Cease production of new PCBs immediately New PCB = waste Eliminate use of in-place PCB equipment by 2025 Achieve environmentally sound disposal of PCB wastes as soon as possible and not later than 2028

PCB objectives Ensuring that PCBs in use remain in responsible hands Orderly removal from use an integral part of business planning & capital investment Government an important owner of PCBs Environmentally sound destruction Prevention of further contamination

Go to decision tree 5 (Stocks of POPs) Go to decision tree 8 (wastes) PCBs Party possess …… ..obsolete equipment contaminated with PCBs? ..equipment with PCBs ..PCB liquids and liquids contaminated ..other materials Go to decision tree 11 (equipment and obsolete equipment contaminated with PCBs) 1. Manage these materials in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 6 2. In lieu of note (ii) in Part I of Annex A, endeavour to identify other articles containing more than 0.005 % PCBs (e.g. cable-sheaths, cured caulk and painted objects) 3. Provide a report every five years on progress in eliminating PCBs and submit it to the CoP Go to decision tree 5 (Stocks of POPs) 1. Classify as waste 2. Make determined efforts designed to lead to environmentally sound waste management of liquids contaminated with PCBs having a PCB content above 50 ppm as soon as possible but no later than 2028 Go to decision tree 8 (wastes) Decision tree: PCBs

PCB Equipment and offline or decommissioned equipment contaminated with PCBs Go to decision tree 8 (wastes) Party possesses equipment contaminated with PCBs Does the Party use equipment contaminated with PCBs? Yes No Is the PCB-contaminated equipment de- commissioned? is the equipment maintained for reuse? Go to decision tree 12 (use of PCB equipment) Party possess decommissioned or offline equipment contaminated Except for maintenance and servicing operations, not allow recovery for the purpose of reuse in other equipment of liquids with PCBs content above 0.005 % Note: Any PCB-containing equipment imported after becoming Party to the Convention has to be defined as waste 1. Define as waste 2. Make determined efforts designed to lead to environmentally sound waste management of equipment contaminated with PCBs having a PCB content above 50 ppm as soon as possible but no later than 2028 3. Provide a report every five years on progress in eliminating PCBs and submit it to the Conference of the Parties

Use of equipment contaminated with PCBs Does equipment in use contain greater than 10 % PCBs and volumes greater than 5 litres? No Use of equipment contaminated with PCBs Go to decision tree 13 Make determined efforts to identify, label and remove from use by 2025, then…. contain greater than 0.05 % PCBs contain greater than 0.005 % PCBs than 0.05 litres? Yes Does the analysis of equipment in use show a PCB content less than 0.005 % ? Regarded as PCB-free under the SC Make determined efforts to identify, label and remove from use by 2025, then… Endeavour to identify and remove from use by 2025, then… Reanalyze and reclassify PCB-containing equipment From decision tree 13 1st priority 2nd priority 3rd priority Priorities related to volume and concentration of PCBs

Use of equipment contaminated with PCBs From decision tree 12 Provide a report every five years on progress in eliminating PCBs and submit it to the Conference of the Parties Is the equipment intact and non-leaking? No Take measure to improve condition of the equipment or decommission Yes used in areas where the risk from environmental release can be minimised and quickly remedied ? Is the equipment used in areas associated with the production or processing of food and feed ? Take measure to remove from use the equipment used in populated areas, including schools and hospitals? Take all reasonable measures to protect from electrical failure which could result in a fire, and regular inspection of equipment for leaks Go back to decision tree 12 to next lower priority and Take measure to reduce risk of environmental release and assure that releases can be quickly remedied Priorities related to risk posed by equipment

Air, liquid & solid waste treatment technologies Extraction, pre-treatment technologies thermal desorption draining/ solvent washing Dismantling, shredding ‘opening’ + solvent wash other Transfer (drums/bulk) unserviceable equipment Decontaminated metals for recycling Soils, sediments, rubble etc. soil, rubble PCB oils contaminated wood, paper, clothing, cables etc Release monitoring POPs?  YES YES  No Air, liquid & solid waste treatment technologies Release to air, water, landfill Destruction technologies Incineration/ co-incineration Other oxidising process Chemical reduction process Other Release to hazardous waste site PCB maintenance Unserviceable? Maintenance, refilling etc If ‘extraction’ and destruction on same site, transfer may be direct, otherwise drummed & shipped according to Basel requirements Servicing wastes mineral oils + solvents

Thank You David Piper Task Manager (POPs enabling activities) UNEP DGEF dpiper@chemicals.unep.ch

Industrial waste systems Waste minimisation, IPPC, BAT Production Hazardous Separated Waste Re-use & recycling Treatment Special landfill Incineration Governments + Inert Storage Landfill Municipalities & contractors Industry

Municipal solid waste systems Sorting Source separation Mixed collection Delivery Home composting Separate collection Composting Re-use & recycling Treatment Landfill Incineration Compaction, transfer Returns to industry Municipalities & contractors Governments + Individuals