Initial inventory of persistent organic pollutants in Region 3, Region 4 and National Capital Region by the Environmental Management Bureau

• Main Author: Factora, Kathrene B.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2003
• Subjects: Persistent pollutants—Philippines; Pollutants—Reporting—Philippines; Environmental Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6632; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=13604&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This practicum project aims to assist in the conduct of an initial national inventory of POPs under the Philippine Enabling Activity: Initial Assistance to the Philippines to Meet its Obligations under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Among the specific objectives of the project are: (1) identify production, unintentional sources, distribution, use, import and export of POPs; (2) identify obsolete POPs stocks; (3) identify POPs contaminated sites, and POPs releases to the environment; (4) conduct an initial assessment of opportunities for disposal of obsolete stocks; and (5) review existing POPs country specific exemptions and recommend termination. Initial activities undertaken in this project comprised of review on the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), its advantages and provisions. The characteristics of the different POPs chemicals were also reviewed, as well as their health and environmental impacts. Evaluation of the sources and usage of POPs, and existing government policies relevant to the management of these chemicals was also completed. Previous studies involving inventory of POPs were also studied. At the onset, government contacts and experts were identified through the Technical Working Group (TWG) on POPs which is headed by the DENR-EMB. Target stakeholders such as the industry associations, farmer’s associations, NGOs, and universities from the private and institutional sector were also identified as target stakeholders. These stakeholders helped in the identification of facilities to be prioritized in the inventory-taking. Prior to the conduct of the initial inventory, survey questionnaires and inventory forms were developed. Three sets of questionnaires were designed for the three categories of POPs: pesticides, industrial chemicals (PCBs) and unintentional sources (dioxins and furans). The methodology describes two modes of data gathering, self-reporting and physical inventory. The results gathered from the self-reporting method and actual physical inventory are also discussed in detail. This paper also discusses five different destruction technologies that may be employed for the treatment of POPs. Three of the technologies presented are already commercially available, while the remaining two are still in the research and development stage. The results of the initial inventory taking aims to establish a procedure for reporting and inventory for POPs, and identify feasible options for destruction or disposal of these chemicals in the Philippines to meet its obligations to the Stockholm Convention.