Plant protection experts and government representatives from across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia launched a multilateral workshop today to share best practices about eliminating dangerous pesticides in a safe and environmentally sustainable way.

The three-day workshop, held at the Centre for Ecology and Health in Smolevichi, Belarus, was organized by FAO in partnership with the European Union and the International HCH and Pesticides Association (IHPA). As part of the continuing joint project “Improved Pesticide and Chemicals Management in the former Soviet Union,” the workshop will help countries strengthen their capacity to manage hazardous waste.

Obsolete pesticides (OPs) and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are highly toxic, highly dangerous substances that pose a direct threat to human health. They constitute a serious environmental hazard through their persistence and accumulation in the food chain posing important long-term risks to individual species and to ecosystems. OPs and POPs chemicals may cause cancer and disorders in the reproductive and immune systems as well as in the developmental process.

They constitute a particular risk to infants and children who may be exposed to high levels through breast-milk and food. In the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia regions alone it is estimated that 175,000 tons of OPs are slowly being released into the soil, air and water.

In order to reduce the risks, there is a need to strengthen national legislation, establish Action Plans for the disposal of obsolete pesticides and take measures to prevent their future re-accumulation; and identify the funding needs for implementing all these actions.

The organizers believe that the workshop will be of great interest for these countries, as the results of three major studies on the options for elimination of Obsolete Pesticides waste and the remediation of contaminated soils will be summarized in the so called “The Road Map to sustainable Elimination of hazardous waste” and published by the end of 2014.

The remediation of toxic contamination sites will be one of the important topics for discussion at the workshop. International organization Blacksmith Institute will lead a session on assessment and remediation of toxic contamination sites in the region. This will allow increasing attendees’ ability to effectively manage and direct programs to address pesticide contamination sites.

About the project

FAO GCP/RER/040/EC: Improving capacities to eliminate and prevent recurrence of obsolete pesticides as a model for tackling unused hazardous chemicals in the former Soviet Union

The project covers twelve countries in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia regions, and has a total budget in excess of EUR 7 million, EUR 6 million of which is provided by the European Union. The project is implemented by FAO in partnership with a range of development partners including international NGOs (Blacksmith Institute, Green Cross Belarus and Switzerland, Milieukontakt International, Pesticide Action Network UK, the International HCH and Pesticide Association and the Secretariat of Rotterdam Convention).

The European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations aim to assist countries to foster an environment of information sharing and capacity development to promote a sustainable solution of the problems facing these countries from the mismanagement of obsolete pesticides and pesticides used during food production.

27 October 2014, Minsk, Belarus