Preventing the harmful effects of PCBs
Thứ hai, 19/11/2012
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was adopted on May 22, 2001 and took effect on May 19, 2004. Its overall objective is protecting human health and the environment against 12 POPs which are chemical compounds deriving from carbon emissions from human industrial activities. Vietnam became the 44th out of 154 nations to have ratified the convention.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was adopted on May 22, 2001 and took effect on May 19, 2004. Its overall objective is protecting human health and the environment against 12 POPs which are chemical compounds deriving from carbon emissions from human industrial activities. Vietnam became the 44th out of 154 nations to have ratified the convention.
The National Strategy for Environmental Protection to 2010 with an orientation towards 2020, which was approved by the Prime Minister via Decision 256/2003/QD-TTg dated February 2, 2003 indicates that harmful waste and polluting chemical waste treatment is one of the fields that Vietnam prioritizes. Vietnam does not manufacture Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB), one of the 12 POPs, but has imported many types of equipment and oil products containing PCB such as transformer oils, insulating oils and industrial oils. Vietnam has stopped importing these types of equipment and oil products and currently it has to identify, manage and safely destroy all types of PCB-containing equipment which are in use or have been discarded. Survey results show that thousands of tonnes of PCB-contaminated oils still exist in Vietnam. Due to a lack of information and limited awareness, the management of waste oils, including waste transformer oils at many Vietnamese enterprises and businesses remains ineffective, polluting the environment and harming human health.
A report of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that people who regularly come into contact with PCBs for a long time can suffer from liver diseases, cancer as well as reproductive system diseases, congenital malformation and immune system declines. Notably, PCB-contaminated foods such as fish and meat as well as PCB-contaminated dust are also harmful to human health.
To contribute to protecting the environment and community health against POPs and PCB in particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN), are jointly implementing a project aiming to build Vietnam's national capability of managing and safely storing PCBs in some provinces to prepare for PCB destruction in the future. Funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF), the project helps Vietnam establish a safe PCB management system in order to minimize human health and environmental risks caused by PCB-containing oils and equipment. The project also helps Vietnam build necessary infrastructure for safe PCB storage and improve the management and technical capabilities for those who are engaged in the project from the public and private sectors.
Localities including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Can Tho and Lam Dong have been selected to build 15 pilot models of PCB management. Da Nang will possibly be added to the list of localities if large amounts of PCBs are found in this city. The Pha Lai Thermoelectricity Joint Stock Company with 20 transformers imported from the former Soviet Union has been selected to be the first business to implement the PCB management and disposal demonstration project.
The 'PCB management in Vietnam' project will help Vietnam effectively implement its commitment to the Stockholm Convention and the international community in general, prevent and minimize POP-related environmental pollution, improve the quality of the environment and contribute to protecting the environment in Vietnam, the region and the world.
A report of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that people who regularly come into contact with PCBs for a long time can suffer from liver diseases, cancer as well as reproductive system diseases, congenital malformation and immune system declines. Notably, PCB-contaminated foods such as fish and meat as well as PCB-contaminated dust are also harmful to human health.
To contribute to protecting the environment and community health against POPs and PCB in particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN), are jointly implementing a project aiming to build Vietnam's national capability of managing and safely storing PCBs in some provinces to prepare for PCB destruction in the future. Funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF), the project helps Vietnam establish a safe PCB management system in order to minimize human health and environmental risks caused by PCB-containing oils and equipment. The project also helps Vietnam build necessary infrastructure for safe PCB storage and improve the management and technical capabilities for those who are engaged in the project from the public and private sectors.
Localities including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Can Tho and Lam Dong have been selected to build 15 pilot models of PCB management. Da Nang will possibly be added to the list of localities if large amounts of PCBs are found in this city. The Pha Lai Thermoelectricity Joint Stock Company with 20 transformers imported from the former Soviet Union has been selected to be the first business to implement the PCB management and disposal demonstration project.
The 'PCB management in Vietnam' project will help Vietnam effectively implement its commitment to the Stockholm Convention and the international community in general, prevent and minimize POP-related environmental pollution, improve the quality of the environment and contribute to protecting the environment in Vietnam, the region and the world.