Locations
POPs Project
Environmentally sound management of persistent organic pollutants in the industrial and waste management sectors in BiH
The project aims to support the elimination and reduction of the release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment, the United Nations Member States signed the Stockholm Convention in 2001. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) ratified this Convention in 2010, thus, the country should meet its requirements, which include avoiding the use of hazardous POPs by shifting to safer alternatives and removing old supplies and equipment containing these substances.
POPs Project objective
Reduce risk for people’s health and the environment through the prevention of unintentional POPs (U-POPs) releases, shifting from POPs toward non-POPs chemicals in the plastic industry, and sound destruction of at least 50 tons of POPs waste.
Project components
- Capacity building and mainstreaming of POPs related legislation into the process of harmonization of the environmental legislation in the country.
- Prevention and monitoring of U-POPs generation and of release of POPs through minimization, segregation and environmentally sound management of selected hazardous waste stream.
- Implementation of green chemistry principles in plastic and other manufacturing, to prevent the use of and release of new POPs.
- Management and disposal of PCBs and/or other POPs from abandoned industrial premises.
- Monitoring, learning, adaptive feedback and evaluation.
- Development of inventory of cooling equipment.
- Responsible management of potentially infectious waste in relation to COVID-19 public health crisis (Covid waste component).
Results
- Completed Gap Analysis of Institutional and Legal Readiness to Implement the Stockholm Convention with Roadmap in BiH,
- Technical assistance provided in the development of 17 legal acts in the field of Stockholm Convention implementation,
- Developed supplemented inventory of POPs substances, available in GIS format,
- Delivered Remediation and Recultivation Project Design for two locations contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): INCEL industrial zone in Banja Luka and HAK1 site in Tuzla,
- Developed prioritization report for POPs waste management,
- Procured specialized equipment for two public laboratories in Bosnia and Herzegovina, valued at USD 250,000,
- Prepared initial inventory of Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) within cooling equipment,
- Developed a software platform for monitoring air conditioning, heating, and cooling (HVAC) equipment containing ozone-depleting substances,
- Prepared and unrolled training program for civil servants on POPs related topics,
- Developed Manual on enforcement of the Stockholm Convention for customs officers,
- Developed Feasibility Study on Implementation of Container Management System (WCMS) in BiH,
- Program for development of the Pesticide Container Management System 2025-2029,
- Properly collected and disposed 35,5 t of pesticide containers,
- Developed and presented Manual on Application of Green Chemistry Principles in Industry,
- Implemented 20 green chemistry measures in 9 partner industries,
- Signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina and five technical faculties in BiH on the provision of services in the field of green business,
- Organized 2 green chemistry schools for 40 technical science students at 4 universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
- Procured and distributed nine sterilizers for treatment and management of infectious waste,
- Trained 286 healthcare professionals in 25 healthcare facilities on proper management of medical waste,
- Completed rapid assessment on management of infectious waste for six hospitals and 20 outpatient clinics severely affected by COVID-19 pandemic,
- Held 19 educational seminars and events with 500 participants,
- Organized 5 study visits to countries in the region to exchange information and knowledge on hazardous and industrial waste management, and remediation of contaminated sites.
Duration:
2019 - 2025
Donor:
Value:
EUR 6 million
Main partners:
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Spatial Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology of Republika Srpska, Department of Spatial Planning and Property Affairs of the Brčko District BiH.
