Processes/Procedures     

Harmonized framework for elaboration of comparable release inventories of Annex C chemicals

Pollutants release inventories are necessary to identify, characterize and quantify sources of these releases; set priorities; elaborate strategies and action plans to reduce these releases; and to evaluate effectiveness of these strategies by establishing release trends through inventory updates.

Release inventories should be:

  • Complete (no important source category should be omitted)
  • Transparent (use of particular activity data and emission factors should be clearly described, justified and referenced)
  • Reliable (best available scientifically sound information should be used)
  • Comparable between countries and
  • Consistent over time

The Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases (Toolkit) provides a harmonized framework for elaboration of release inventories under the Stockholm Convention, fulfilling the above attributes.

POPs team of UNEP DTIE Chemicals branch initiated development of the Toolkit since 1999. First draft was produced in 2001, 1st edition in 2003 and second edition in 2005. Training and capacity building of countries in use of the Toolkit followed as well as pilot projects to elaborate PCDD/PCDF release inventories.

The Toolkit consists of a manual and an EXCEL database. It is designed as a simple and standardized methodology containing default emission factors for use by countries that do not have their own measured PCDD/PCDF data from their sources. However, this Toolkit is also applicable to countries that wish to apply their own measured data and emission factors.

At its second meeting, the Conference of the Parties, in its decision SC-2/5, among other things, welcomed the second edition of the Toolkit and noted the requests from the Parties and others to verify emission factors and address gaps and otherwise to improve the usefulness of the Toolkit and for training in the use of the Toolkit.

The Conference requested the Secretariat to initiate an open, transparent process, in cooperation with the Chemicals Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP Chemicals) and in consultation with users and specialized experts in the field of emission factors and measurements related to releases of Annex C persistent organic pollutants, to develop further the Toolkit.

A Toolkit expert Roster has been established comprising of experts nominated by Parties and NGOs.

A process for ongoing review and updating of the Toolkit has been proposed by the Toolkit expert meeting held in December 2006 and adopted by the Conference of the parties by its decision SC-3/6.

By its decision SC-4/7 the Conference of the Parties decided to continue the Toolkit review and updating process as adopted at its third session.

The Toolkit     

Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases


Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases

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Toolkit
Emission Factors 

(revised in 2011)

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Main elements of the toolkit review and updating process
    

General tasks

Verifying of emission factors;
Filling in the gaps still existing in the Toolkit, in particular:

    • Improving emission factors for technologies typically used in developing countries;
    • Filling in emission factors for hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB);

Improving the overall usefulness and user friendliness of the Toolkit, particularly for developing countries and countries with economies in transition;
Providing training in the use of the Toolkit.

Stakeholders

All experts nominated by Parties and others, included in the Toolkit Expert Roster (Toolkit experts), will be involved in the Toolkit review and updating process at least by electronic means
Toolkit expert meetings should be open to observers.

Procedures, activities, and specific tasks

The Toolkit review and updating process should be driven by Parties. Expert panels focusing on a specific source category or task will be established within the Toolkit Expert Roster, lead by volunteering Parties.

The Secretariat, in cooperation with UNEP Chemicals, will organize and facilitate this process as outlined below.
Parties and others will be invited to generate relevant data and information on Annex C chemicals to assist in the ongoing Toolkit review and updating process, and to provide that information to the Secretariat.

    • On regular bases information will be collected, summarized and provided for consideration of the Toolkit experts.

The Toolkit experts should perform the following tasks and activities, among others:

    • Analyse and evaluate the information before them including the current Toolkit edition;
    • Identify still existing shortcomings and gaps, agree on priorities, and propose activities for improvement;
    • Identify possible activities for improving the overall usefulness and user friendliness of the Toolkit, particularly for developing countries and countries with economies in transition;
    • Elaborate a detailed workplan and timetable for the Toolkit revision and updating process for the forthcoming period, based on the above;
    • Set up the necessary organizational structure (expert panels);
    • Agree on data quality criteria for validation of data/information, in order to ensure that only scientifically sound information is included in the Toolkit;
    • Validate information and data to be included in the Toolkit according to the agreed data quality criteria and prepare revised/new Toolkit texts;
    • Assess training and capacity-building needs for Parties to evaluate current and projected releases and develop release estimates and trends with respect to Article 5 Annex C persistent organic pollutants.

Toolkit expert meetings will be organized to facilitate implementation of the activities and tasks outlined above.

Toolkit chapters, revised/elaborated by the expert panels, will be circulated to all Toolkit experts for review and comments and afterwards made available through the clearing-house mechanism. Parties and others will be invited to peruse them and provide comments and suggestions.

The following activities will be further promoted:

  • Sharing and exchanging information via the clearing-house mechanism;
  • Local initiatives for data generation and collection;
  • Joint activities and projects between developed and developing countries;
  • Synergies between activities related to Article 5 and Annex C (release inventories and BAT/BEP).

Periodicity

The Conference of the Parties recognizes that the Toolkit should be a living document and defines in its decision SC-2/5 the Toolkit review and updating process as “ongoing”.

The Toolkit expert meetings should be organized on a yearly basis, at least up to the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. However, work should be continued intersessionally by electronic means, organized by the expert panel leaders, and facilitated by the Secretariat.

Revised and agreed Toolkit chapters will be shared via the clearing-house mechanism (see paragraph 17 above). The next full revision of the Toolkit will be presented for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting.

The Conference of the Parties will decide at its fourth meeting whether the Toolkit review and updating process should continue as outlined above, or on any amendments to it.