Further Developments in IPEP Are Described Below

IPEP Update

October 2005

IPEP has completed or is currently conducting 230 activities in 54 countries: Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Yemen.

New projects this period include:guidelines for Stockholm Convention implementation in Belarus; cement kilns and POPs in Belarus; using an expert team to explore brominated flame retardants in Belarus; public awareness-raising on POPs in a mining area of Guinea; an examination of zero waste opportunities in Hungary and the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines; awareness-raising on POPs for students and teachers in India; use of an expert team to build POPs awareness and NGO participation in the NIP in Mexico; a series of four projects in Nigeria including identification of POPs hotspots; awareness-raising for NGOs and civil society on POPs in Paraguay and Togo; and country situation reports in Togo and Turkey.

During this period Hubs began calculating substantial in-kind co-finance contributions to IPEP after 18 months of operation. In two regions that have completed calculations, the NGO cash and in-kind co-financing contributions to IPEP totalled $127,365 and $165,747 for a total of $293,112.

Further developments in IPEP are described below.

WORK IN THE REGIONS

Anglophone Africa

Agenda for Environment and Responsible Development (Tanzania)

Silvani Mnganya

This period, we finalised four PAMs and elaborated activities with Nigerian NGOs after discussion with the respective NGOs. The discussion was heldduringa workshop ofAnglophone Africa ASP (Africa Stockpiles Programme) Phase I countries that include Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 17 - 19 October 2005.Also discussion was held withSouth Africa NGOson thefinalisation of reports and follow up activities.

The Hub Coordinator participated inthe UNEP Sub-regionalWorkshop for SADC (Southern African Development Community)member Countries to conclude their PCB Inventory Project and training on PCB action plans. The workshop was held in Arusha, Tanzania from 26-28 October 2005. TheCoordinator represented NGOs and presented NGOs perspective on environmentally sound PCB management in the SADC Region in reference to the IPEP. Ten out of 14 member countries participated and promised to work closely with NGOs on all POPs related activities. The two sides (NGOs and governments) with support of UNEP agreed to make follow up with the NGOs involvement especiallyon issues of awareness raising and monitoring which all countries admitted lacking or inadequate in the region, as well as participation of NGOs in the NIPs.

Central and Eastern Europe

Arnika (Czech Republic)

Jindrich Petrlik

The Romanian NGO, EEA, printed both the English and Romanian versions of their Country Situation Report and hot spot report on medical waste incineration. The Hub helped them to prepare lay out.

The Hub team was working further on outreach to new groups working on IPEP, which brought NGOs from two new countries interested in participation in the project: from Albania and Latvia. We have finished new PAMs for raising awareness campaign on POPs in Turkey and for the Country Situation Report on Turkey (this will be done by activists from Boomerang in cooperation with Arnika).

Belarussian NGO, FRI, prepared three new PAMs in cooperation with the Hub.

The first project will be focused on writing "guidelines" for implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Belarus; the second will be a project on burning of the waste in cement kilns; and the third will include sampling, analysis and interpretation of brominated flame-retardants.

HuMuSz, a Hungarian NGO will focus its new project on zero waste practices as alternative option to waste incineration. Their report will be used for regional one and as basis for BAT/BEP Guidelines of the Stockholm Convention discussion.

There was also ongoing preparation of new PAM with Bulgarian NGO Ecoglasnost focused on lindane in the country. The same NGO will finish Country Situation Report instead of Green Justice, which started but failed to complete the project. Part of the Country Situation Report about UPOPs will be written by Za Zemiata, another NGO from Bulgaria.

The Hub team developed also two PAM templates: one on raising awareness campaigns about POPs in wastes and another one about zero waste as alternative to waste incineration.

There was press conference about hazardous waste incineration as potential source of POPs organized in Slovakia by Friends of the Earth among their project under IPEP. Two persons from the Hub core team presented IPEP at the meeting of the Transatlantic Initiative on Environmental Justice in Budapest at the end of October. This meeting brought also new groups potentially interested to cooperate on POPs campaigns and projects. The global bio-monitoring project that resulted in The Egg Report as a result was presented at the meeting.

Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia Countries

Eco Accord (Russia)

Olga Speranskaya

• Eco-Accord is currently working with responsible NGOs on the following projects:
• Evaluation of POPs contamination of food products in four regions of Russia – initiated by Environment, Health, Risk NGP, Russia;
• Health Status of Residents, particular Children, of the Impact Zone of Karabash copper enterprise, Cheliabinsk region, and Tobolsk oil and chemical enterprise, Tumen region – initiated by Iskorka NGO, Russia;
• Living Earth – initiated by the Women Network in the Urals, Russia;
• Identification of Sources of Dioxins, Furans, PCBs and the Campaign against POPs Pollution inCentral Asia” – initiated by NGO "For Civil Society", the Kyrgyz Republic, "For Environmentally Clean Fergana", Uzbekistan

Currently Eco-Accord has finalized its work on three final reports for the following projects:

• “The role of intersectoral partnership in development of regional and local PRTR according to the Stockholm convention” initiated by Volgograd-Eco-Press NGO;
• “Reproductive health effects associated with exposure to PCB among natives of the Russian Arctic”, initiated by the North-West Public Health Research Centre, Russia.
• Development of an action plan for reducing the exposure to POPs among natives ofthe Russian Arctic, initiated by the North-West Public HealthResearch Centre, Russia.

Currently these reports are under the translation.

• Eco-Accord has finalised the translation of the working materials for the workshop “Environmental impact of chemicals: Russian and the EU perspectives” to be held in November, 14-15, 2005. These materials were disseminated among the workshop participants for information and further comments. Currently Eco-Accord is working on the presentations according to the workshop agenda.

Francophone Africa

PAN Africa (Senegal)

Henry Diouf

During this month of October, the activities performed consisted in finalizing 4 PAMs. The one is for a Guinean Women NGO called AFEME (Association of Women Mines and Environment). This NGO will work on a project titled “Awareness, information and education project for the management of POPs, POPs-Dioxins, Furansin the mining areas in Guinea”. The objective of the project is: To inform, sensitise, and educate women, children, workers and the big public living in the mining areas on the risks due to dioxins and furans gas releases so as to contribute to the Stockholm Convention implementation in Guinea; and to inform the populations on the hazards they are exposed to, especially those who live in the near-by surrounding areas where these gas releases come from (rubbish dumps, exhaust pipes, burnt tires, etc.). The second PAM is for COMET (Consortium des ONGs et Associations en Matière d’Environnement au TOGO) a Togolese NGO that will work on aprojet titled “Togolese NGO and Civil Society Awareness-Raising and Information Project on the Stockholm Convention and POPs”. This project aims to inform and raise awareness of the Stockholm Convention and of POPs among Togolese NGO, association and the Civil Society leaders so that they could participate in implementing the aforementioned convention and the national-related policy. The third PAM is for another Togolese NGO so-called ANCE Togo that will make a description of the situation of Togo related to POPs.

Latin America

RAPAM (Mexico)

Fernando Bejarano

PDF files in English and Spanish on each chapter of the Citizen´s Guide to the Stockholm Convention have been finished and will be uploaded to the IPEP website.

One new PAM has been finalized and delivered for funding that utilizes an expert team to build POPs awareness and NGO participation in the NIP in Mexico. The project will include the production of educational materials and a national workshop for NGOs with a focus on alternatives to open burning and cement kiln tire incineration, with the co-financing of The Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives (GAIA). PAMs with NGOs from Paraguay, Colombia and Venezuela are in progress. The Hub coordinator has been working in the report of co-finance of IPEP projects in the region.

Middle East

Day Hospital/WIT (Egypt)

Mohamed El Banna

This month there was follow up with ArabNGOs & officials who promised to deliver messages to their native NGOs to enhance their participation in the IPEP project, notably Syria, Oman, Tunisia , Sudan Algeria, and Libya. There was some progress with Syria as we are engaged with them to present PAMs. Also there is some progress with Lebanon and Tunis. We had a meeting with Cedareand decided to write a proposal together for international funding for a Training workshop for Arab NGOs. We are also exploring a strategic project for the Arab region on POPs following the guideline, which we got from Uygar Ozesmi of the UNDP – GEF Small Grants Programme but it will take sometime. We also supplied all Arab NGOs who confirmed that they would attend nextDubai UNEP Civil Society meeting in Dubai with Glenn Wiser’s papers to be a guidance background for the meeting. We also received a personalinvitation to attend the ninth special session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environmental Forum of UNEP 7-9 February 2006 taken in consideration that ICCM & the global Civil Society forum will be heldalso in Dubai 4-6 February 2006. We answered accepting the invitation and the personal participation. We also registered to attend the BAT/BEP meeting in Geneva 28/11 -3/12/ 05 and will take Dr. Saad Hassan , a chemists and dioxin expert to attend the meeting.

South Asia

Toxics Link (India)

Upasana Choudhry

The major activity at the Hub level has been seeking confirmations and drawing up the agenda for the South Asia Regional Capacity Building Workshop on POPs, planned for November in New Delhi, India. The workshop aims to bring together the various stakeholders namely the NGOs, government officials, UN representatives and the industry with the sole aim of facilitating discussions and information exchange regarding issues concerning POPs. We believe that these discussions will build and strengthen the capacities of the various stakeholders so that they can contribute effectively to the whole process.This activity now becomes even more relevant sincethe Cabinet has approved the ratification of the Stockholm Convention on POPs by India.

Continual efforts are being made to ensure a good participation of NGO partners from the region. The approval/ clearance from the Ministry of Environment, the request for which was submitted in August is still pending. We are hopeful that we will be able to organise the workshop on the dates planned.

Toxics Link is also trying to secure some additional funding to support the activity through the GEF Small Grants Program, India office.

Toxics Link was also invited to the Regional Workshops on National Chemical Management Profile organised by the Central Pollution Control Board. The draft report was shared with the participants with the aim of seeking inputs. Since the report was not shared in advance, it was not possible for the participants to give their inputs during the workshop itself. The draft is available on the web site at and is open for comments. There of course are some very visible gaps in the report such as lack of public awareness component. Also the profile restricts itself to select categories of chemicals due to the vastness of the issue. There are also data gaps. This is however seen as the first positive step, which would further be built upon.

In addition, at country level, five new PAMs have been finalised/ submitted. These include: Establishing the prevalence of POPs Pesticide residues and creating awareness about their ill-effects proposed by Janhit Foundation, India; School Awareness Activities and Campaign on POPs proposed by Prithvi Innovations, India; Awareness Raising on Unintentional POPs proposed by NEFEJ, Nepal; National Awareness workshop on POPs in Nepal jointly proposed by CEPEHD, SHELGA and Forum for Justice; and National Level Training and Awareness Programme on POPs in Sri Lanka proposed by CEJ. A National level workshop is also being planned in Bangladesh.

There are also ideas shared by other groups. The hub is working with these groups to give it some shape and translate into a PAM.

Reviewing of the three drafts reports i.e. Country situation report on Bangladesh; Hotspot report on Bangladesh; and Country situation report on India, is still pending with the Hub.

Southeast Asia

SEAPEN (Philippines)

Romy Quijano

Manny Calonzo

PAN Philippines participated at the round-table discussion on 14 October 2005 aimed at contributing to the development of the Small Grant Program’s framework and priority setting on POPs. Sampaguita Quijano, Project Officer of PAN Philippines presented a paper on POPs pesticides. PAN Philippines also participated in the regional GHS workshop for ASEAN countries jointly organized by UNITAR, ILO and the Philippine Government in Manila, Philippines last October 17-20. Sampaguita Quijano presented a paper on the “Role of Public Interest NGOs in the Implementation of the GHS”. Dr. Romeo Quijano, representing PAN Philippines, also participated in the workshop entitled “Protecting Children from Established and Uncertain Chemical Threats: Tools and Mechanisms for Information towards Prevention” organized by IPCS, WHO and the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, School of Health and the Environment University of Massachusetts Lowel, held in Geneva, Switzerland from October 17-19.

LAKABA has accelerated its survey activities in relation to its IPEP project on POPs pesticides in watershed area in Southern Philippines now that it has received the second tranche of its funding. Likewise, Fisherfolk Against Toxics is now speeding up its survey activities on POPs pesticides in selected Fisherfolk communities. RESIST has submitted its report on its preliminary activities and is awaiting the second release for it to be able to continue its work. PEAC from China has reported that it has already received the second payment for its IPEP project and is continuing its work. Dr. Rongping, the project director promised to give an update of PEAC’s work soon.

GAIA on 14 October 2005 launched a combined Action Alert in support of a) IPEN Dioxins, PCBs and Waste Working Group’s lobby to the European Commission to reject the recommended limits for “low POPs content,” and the b) Center for Health, Environment and Justice’s appeal to Crabtree & Evelyn to phase out PVC in their personal care products.

GAIA participated in the local preparatory meetings convened by the POPs Technical Working Group on 5 and 20 October 2005 in relation to the upcoming meetings of the BAT/BEP Expert Group and the POPs Review Committee, explaining the expectations and positions of public interest NGOs on these crucial events.

Malaysia. The film “Alice Lives Here,” which documents a community struggle against a proposed municipal waste incinerator, continues to make waves locally and internationally. The film was screened at the Malaysia Nature Society on 15 October 2005 and covered by KakiSeni, an arts online portal. It was also shown at the recent “Human Security and Gender Workshop” in Tokyo and the 10th AWID International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development in Bangkok. The team has further managed to stream a 5-minute cut of the film in malaysiakini.com (malaysiakini.tv), an online independent media. Plans are underway to have it screened at a Women Film Festival in Manila this November.

Philippines. Twenty one leaders of the Cavite Green Coalition and the EcoWaste Coalition lobbied the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) not to renew the “permit to operate” of the IWMI Thermal Oxidation Plant, which incinerates medical waste, due to its failure to submit the required dioxin and furan test results, and its failure to replace its equipment with a cleaner and safer non-burn technology. The EMB has ordered the company to cease and desist from operating the said facility.