Background
To minimize releases of persistent organic pollutants from unintentional production, Parties shall promote in some cases and require in others the use of best available techniques (BAT) and promote application of best environmental practices (BEP). When applying BAT and BEP Parties should take into consideration the guidelines developed under the Stockholm Convention and adopted by decision SC-3/5 of the Conference of the Parties. In accordance with decisions SC-1/20, SC-3/5 and SC-4/6 the Secretariat is undertaking awareness raising activities on the guidelines at regional and sub-regional levels to promote their understanding and use.
In its decisions SC-3/7 and SC-4/8, the Parties to the Stockholm Convention requested the Secretariat to undertake training and other capacity building activities to assist developing countries and countries with economies in transition in implementing the Basel Convention technical guidelines on POPs waste. In response to this request, the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention has developed an electronic training tool on the POPs wastes guidelines and provides direct assistance to Parties through regional workshops on the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of PCBs and POPs waste.
Workshop outcomes
• Knowledge on Party obligations pertaining to unintentional releases of POPs, environmentally sound management of PCBs and POPs wastes under the Stockholm Convention is increased;
• Understanding of concepts, principles and standards presented in the guidelines on BAP&BEP and on POPs wastes is increased in order to facilitate their effective implementation at national level;
• Experiences and lessons learned have been exchanged among the relevant stakeholders, in addressing unintentional releases of POPs and environmentally sound management of PCBs and POPs wastes, including delivery of technical assistance and transfer of technologies and knowledge;
• Information has been received by the Secretariat on the experience from Parties in using the various guidelines and training tools as well as their usefulness.
Workshop Outline
Day 1: Opening remarks, introduction to the Convention, presentations on country experiences.
Day 2: Training on the practical use of the Guidelines on BAT and BEP.
Day 3: Training on the ESM of PCBs and POPs wastes.
Day 4: Practical training at relevant BAT and BEP, PCBs and POPs waste sites in China.
Day 5: Assessment of the field work and consideration of projects for the implementation of the Convention.
Participants
National experts on the BAT and BEP and ESM of PCBs and POPs wastes respectively from each of the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Kiribati, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.