Locations
Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal of PCBs in Nigeria
Summary
The project is intended to assist Nigeria to implement a sound management system for Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCBs) and other Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). As part of this project the Federal Government of Nigeria will upgrade the regulatory requirements to identify, use, manage and properly decontaminate or dispose PCBs contaminated equipment still in use or as waste. Additionally, the project will also establish three collection centres where PCB wastes from surrounding areas will be collected and prepared for subsequent decontamination or disposal.
One of these collection centres will house an environmentally friendly decontamination system where solid materials from transformers, capacitors and other equipment contaminated with PCBs will be properly decontaminated. These centres will also temporarily house a mobile dichlorination system that will be used to selectively destroy PCBs from transformer mineral oil allowing the efficient and economically attractive decontamination of the dielectric fluid and its use as PCB-free oil in electrical transformers.
Background
The project intends to decontaminate 1500 metric tons of PCB-contaminated electrical equipment and to dispose of 200 metric tons of pure PCB from transformers and capacitors.The establishment of state-of-the-art analytical laboratories in Nigeria and the acquisition of the decontamination and dichlorination systems will allow PCB owners to complete the identification and proper treatment and disposal of the PCBs that will remain in the country beyond the duration of the project.
The identification and proper management of PCB-containing equipment and wastes, in addition to the increased people’s awareness
of health and environmental risks of these toxic compounds will prevent accidental releases of PCBs, thereby protecting the health of employees, government officials and public in general and preventing the global spread of these chlorinated wastes to other locations.Project Outcomes
Institutional capacity and training on PCBs.
Inventory of PCBs in twenty-two states of Nigeria not previously covered by other inventories.
Establishment of PCB collection and treatment center.
Environmentally sound disposal of identified PCBs, and
Monitoring, Learning, Adaptive Feedback and Evaluation
