Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic compounds that used to be produced worldwide but are now banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), a global treaty aiming to eliminate or restrict the production, use and trade of chemicals that are recognized as persistent, bio-accumulative and harmful to human and environmental health.
Before they were banned, PCBs had been widely used owing to a set of properties prized by industry, notably non-flammability and resistance to degradation under elevated temperatures. These chemicals had been used as heat exchange fluids in electrical transformers and capacitors, and as additives in paints, sealants and carbon paper. Their allure faded when science eventually established their harmful nature. They were listed as POPs under the Stockholm Convention in 2001.
PCBs can enter the environment in many ways, including improper disposal, leaks or spills from electrical equipment. In addition to harming wildlife and ecosystems, exposure to these pollutants is linked to a grim collection of ailments in humans. The UNEP-GEF MedProgramme is currently supporting to nine Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye) in a regional endeavor to address the PCBs toxic legacy and its impacts.
Here are three facts about what the MedProgramme is doing for a PCB-free Mediterranean:
- Two MedProgramme Child Projects are targeting PCBs
Child Project 1.1 on “Reducing Pollution from Harmful Chemicals and Wastes in Mediterranean Hotspots and Measuring Progress to Impacts” (executed by UNEP/MAP), and Child Project 1.3 “Financing Advanced Environmental Technologies in the Mediterranean Sea Region for Water Systems and Clean Coasts” (ENVITECC, implemented by the EBRD), include the identification of equipment and substances containing PCBs and support for their labelling, packaging, transportation, shipment and sound disposal.
Through these projects, the MedProgramme is supporting national institutions to accelerate the implementation of the Stockholm Convention’s time-bound objectives, notably the elimination of the use of PCBs in equipment by 2025, and the establishment of environmentally sound waste management of substances and equipment contaminated with PCB as soon as possible but no later than 2028.
- Evidence is guiding action to eliminate PCBs
Under the Stockholm Convention, the development of National Implementation Plans is a first step towards the assessment of the quantities of PCBs in substances and equipment (both phased-out and in use). These assessments are usually based on literature or preliminary stakeholder consultation and seldom include verification through PCB-screening and laboratory analysis.
To bridge the gap, the MedProgramme is supporting PCB-screening activities and laboratory analysis in partner countries. Thus, 451 tons of PCB-containing waste were verified in Algeria, and 271 tons in Lebanon. This evidence-based approach ensures effective disposal, in line with obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Under Child Project 1.3, grants for the safe removal and disposal of POPs contaminated equipment (in-use and/or stockpiled) and eligible replacement technology are offered alongside EBRD financing for private and public sector clients of the bank.
- The MedProgramme is fostering synergies in the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements
The MedProgramme activities address national obligations arising from the relevant international conventions—namely the Stockholm, Basel, Rotterdam (BRS) and the Minamata Convention—, as well as the Barcelona Convention and its Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol).
On PCBs, the MedProgramme aligns its work with the requirements of both the Stockholm Convention and the Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS) Protocol to the Barcelona Convention. While the Stockholm Convention addresses the management and elimination of PCB waste, the LBS Protocol identifies PCBs as a category of substances and a source of pollution to be considered in the preparation of national and regional actions and measures.
Reflecting this synergetic approach, the MedProgramme Child Project 1.1 (titled “Reducing Pollution from Harmful Chemicals and Wastes in Mediterranean Hotspots and Measuring Progress to Impacts”) will convene a regional meeting on 19-20 September 2023 focusing on the disposal of PCBs and mercury, which is addressed by the Minamata Convention. The Meeting will see the participation of representatives of national institutions from Algeria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia.
