Project Description

Full Project Title: 

Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

 

Project number:

GF/PER/10/001

Starting date:

June 2010

Duration:

4 years

Total Project Budget:

2,580,000 USD

 

Project Description

 

      The project will create fundamental capacities within the government and major PCB owners for complying with the PCB-related obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The project will enhance the regulatory infrastructure and strengthen institutions at national and local levels to manage PCB-containing equipment and wastes in an environmentally sound manner. Targeted public information and awareness activities are planned to disseminate PCB-related information to PCB-owners and risk groups. Compliance to the PCB-related legislations will be assured by building capacity in local laboratories for PCB analysis and by undertaking targeted inspections at PCB-owners. Technology will be transferred and adopted for dechlorination of PCB-containing mineral oils and for decontaminating transformer carcases. By building capacity for local PCB treatment and elimination, the project will reduce the current disposal prices by at least 30%, which is expected to boost the phase-out of PCBs. The project will demonstrate the feasibility and viability of these technologies through the disposal of 1,000 tons of PCB-containing equipment and wastes. Environmentally sound PCB management practices will be put in place at PCB-owners, reducing releases of PCBs to the environment and avoid the risk to human health.

 

 Immediate Objective:

      The immediate objectives of the project are to: 1. Strengthen the legal and regulatory framework to assure the sound management of PCBs and their gradual phase-out and elimination before 2025 and 2028 respectively; 2. Inventory and label 10,000 pieces of oil-containing electrical equipment; 3. Strengthen capacity for PCBs waste management and domestic treatment through implementing best available techniques (BAT) and BEP; 4. Decontaminate PCB oils in in-service transformers; 5. Disposal of 1,000 tons of PCB-containing equipment and wastes in an environmentally sound manner; and 6. Improve occupational safety measures and distribute general knowledge concerning PCBs.