PCB Fair: Launch of the report on progress towards elimination of PCBs

BRS Executive Secretary Rolph Payet opened the PCB Fair on Wednesday, 3 May. Over the next three days, participants will have the opportunity to participate in a range of side events and activities focused on “Accelerating action: Targets for the sound management of chemicals and waste.”

With major deadlines for elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) looming, the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS) Secretariat kicked off the event by presenting a report on progress toward eliminating PCBs (UNEP/POPS/COP.11/INF/11), prepared in consultation with a small intersessional working group (SIWG).

Agustín Harte, BRS Secretariat, lauded the progress made so far in eliminating PCBs, but underscored that further work is needed to meet the targets under the Stockholm Convention. These include eliminating the use of PCBs in equipment by 2025 and ensuring the environmentally sound waste management of liquids containing PCBs and equipment contaminated with PCBs by 2028. Explaining that the report is based on information provided by parties reporting under the Stockholm and Basel Conventions, Harte noted low reporting rates and said that only a few countries have reported on complete inventories of PCB waste. He further noted that information submitted by parties on transboundary movements of hazardous waste under the Basel Convention was useful for validating and completing information reported under the Stockholm Convention. He underscored that lack of information about the amount of PCB waste in use and in storage is “one of the biggest challenges,” because “if we don’t know how much is left out there we cannot prioritize action.”

Edwin Camelo Martínez (Colombia), Chair of the SIWG on PCBs, highlighted work to improve the reporting process with the aim of increasing submission rates. He further noted that some countries have built capacity to destroy PCBs locally, but export remains the only viable option for many others. He called for updating national inventories, raising public awareness of these issues to promote greater feedback and input, and enhancing synergies between the Basel and Stockholm Conventions to improve consistency in information.

Chizuru Aoki, Global Environment Facility (GEF), outlined the GEF’s work to support PCB elimination, including 82 projects in 115 countries. Noting the fast approaching deadlines under the Stockholm Convention, she highlighted a new strategy with a menu of activities that can be supported by the GEF, such as inventories, capacity building, storage of PCBs, and treatment and disposal of PCB waste. Aoki further emphasized the need to engage with the owners of equipment contaminated with PCBs, including utilities and the private sector, noting that they might not be aware of the upcoming deadlines. She emphasized that GEF resources could be used for disposal and management of PCBs, while larger-scale financing packages could be pulled together by development banks, industry, and others.

In response to a question about capacity building in developing countries, Harte noted that local destruction facilities for PCBs could be scaled up to deal with other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) waste. He cautioned that it can be difficult to set up technologies in countries with no experience, legislation, or operational capacity, and said it is important to evaluate best available technologies and best environmental practices on a case-by-case basis. Another audience member called for providing more “technical backstopping” for industry, saying sometimes they are willing to act but do not know how to start.

In concluding remarks, Harte announced that the BRS Secretariat, working in collaboration with the SIWG, has prepared a document on sustainable funding for PCB elimination (UNEP/POPS/COP.11/INF/30). He emphasized that huge investment is needed to fund replacement of contaminated equipment, saying donor money will not be enough and other partners will be needed.