Download POPS in Eastern Europe and ECCA countries and children`s exposure

POPS in Eastern Europe and children's exposure
By Olga Speranskaya, head of Program on Chemical Safety, Eco-Accord
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), environmental factors account for about 25-30% of
"contributions" into human health problems. Taking into account complicated problems of environmental
contamination by extremely hazardous and toxic chemicals in the region of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and
Central Asia (EECCA), as well as intentions of governmental facilities and members of the general public
to improve the situation, many environmental NGOs of the EECCA countries started to participate
actively in addressing problems, associated with environmental contamination with persistent organic
pollutants. In the course of their activities, many NGOs have managed to focus on addressing priority
problems and attracting attention of governmental agencies, international organisations and local
residents. Since may 2004 70 projects have been implemented in the EECCA with a particular focus on
persistent organic pollutants.
Persistent organic pollutants or POPs in short are long-lived chemicals that build up in the food chain
poisoning animals and people, causing irreversible damage to immune, endocrine and nervous systems.
Even in very small doses POPs are very toxic and pose high risk to humans and animals. POPs act as
hormone-imitators, they suppress production of natural hormones and disrupt hormone-regulated
processes such as spermatogenesis, ovulation and sexual development. Due to its solubility in fat, POPS
easily crosses the planetary barrier and intensely accumulates in a foetus or in an infant's body.
POPs travel thousands of miles and enter the soil, oceans, rivers, plants, and animals far from where they
are produced or used. POPs are found in such remote areas as Arctic and Antarctica where they have
never been produced or used. Indigenous peoples can be heavily exposed to POPs from their traditional
food.
12 POPs are regulated by the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutant. The Dirty Dozen is
the minimal set of toxic substances that endanger security of all countries. According to the Convention,
these substances should be prohibited for application, their production should be banned and all stockpiles
should be eliminated - moreover these substances are prohibited for transfrontier movement between
Parties of the Convention. The list of chemicals is open for incorporation of other chemicals, however, the
new candidates, similarly to the initial listed chemicals, should be categorised as "persistent organic
pollutants", i.e. they should be:
1. Toxic. It is worth to note that all candidate substances for incorporation into the Stockholm list should
be highly toxic, like 12 initial POPs;
2. Persistent. In other words, these substances should be durable in environmental media, causing their
accumulation in natural components and living organisms;
3. Prone to bio-accumulation, i.e. prone to accumulation in food chains.
4. Prone to long-range transfer and accumulation in environmental media.
The most well-known examples of POPs are DDT (a pesticide), PCBs (transformer fluids), and dioxins,
unintentionally produced chemicals during different manufacturing processes such as waste incineration,
pulp and paper mills, metallurgical facilities. Dioxins are well known as one of the most toxic man-made
substances.
It is important to mention that there are many chemicals with POP-like characteristics which need priority
consideration. Currently, countries have nominated the following chemicals for consideration by the
POPs Review Committee.under the Stockholm Convention on POPs:
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Pentabromodiphenyl ether
Chlordecone
Hexabromobiphenyl
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Lindane
Perfluorooctane sulfonate
Short chain chlorinated paraffins
It must be said that children in the EECCA like other children in the world are at risk from environmental
threats. They are more vulnerable than the adults to environmental contaminants including POPs in air,
food, water, soil, and in consumer products. For ferus and babies chemical exposure can result in delayed,
permanent or lifelong health impacts. Some children in the EECCA are at greater risk than others from
environmental threats. There is a strong and clear connection between poverty, chemical exposure and its
consequences. Poor people have weaker immune system and thus they are more vulnerable to diseases
caused by toxic substances; they lack knowledge and information on side effects of dangerous chemicals;
poor living conditions often leave them exposed to toxic hazards indoor and outdoor.
Children have greater vulnerability to some substances such as DDT and PCBs. Many health impacts of
concern can result from low-level exposures to toxicants. Increased risks for a variety of different health
outcomes such as asthma and other respiratory conditions, neurodevelopmental delays and impairment,
cancer, immune system effects and reproductive and developmental effects have been associated with
exposure to various environmental contaminants. Data on many of these diseases and conditions among
children in the EECCA are notably limited. At the same time POPs such as dioxins, PCBs, DDT have all
been found in the bodies of children and adults in places in the EECCA where biological testing has been
carried out.
In the Russian Arctic research studies revealed substantial levels of DDT in blood of pregnant women representatives of indigenous peoples. In many cases, levels of DDT substantially exceeded
recommended WHO limits.
In Russian industrialised cities such as Marnetogorsk, Karabash, Cheliabinsk DDT and dioxins in breast
milk have been identified.
In Azerbaijan official documents confirm application of DDT in 1989. DDT traces were found in
groundwater aquifers even at depth of 80 m., while DDT level in irrigation channels sometimes exceeded
applicable standards in more than 10 times. There are some available statistical data on a high incidence
of children diseases in the country (respiratory diseases, nervous, gastric-intestine, immune disorders,
etc.), associated with DDT contamination of breast milk, groundwater sources of drinking water, air, soil
and some food products. POPs circulation in the country is almost out of control. Being inadequately
aware of associated risks, local residents take pesticides from abandoned storage facilities, use pesticide
packaging for household needs and apply obsolete POPs in their subsistence agriculture. Available
research findings suggest that pesticide-contaminated soils in Azerbaijan represent man-made
geochemical anomalies of permanent adverse health impacts on local residents. These areas demonstrate
higher levels of general population morbidity, higher incidence of birth defects, physical and intellectual
development retardation.
These and other examples of POPs adverse effect on human health were collected by NGOs in the frame
of the International POPs Elimination Project or IPEP in short (May 2004 – May, 2006) implemented in
the EECCA region. IPEP was initiated by the International POPs Elimination Network which is a broad
NGO network of more than 400 organisations all over the world. The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
provided core funding for the project.
What can we do to reduce risk of POPs exposure?
POPs are already everywhere. They pollute our food, water and soil. They cause harm to our bodies and
the bodies of our children. They seriously undermine the healthy future of the coming generations. But it
does not mean that we have already lost the battle against POPs. Here are some tips suggested by NGOs
including the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), EECCA POPs Network, World Wild
Fund (WWF), Pesticide Action Network (PAN), Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF), The
Collaborative on Health and the Environment, Health and Environment Alliance, the Swedish Society for
Nature Conservation, individual public organizations and experts to reduce human exposure to POPs.
They are the following:
 Try to avoid fats in your diet.
POPs accumulate in fat tissues. If fats in diet are reduced it will reduce lifetime accumulation of POPs
which is especially relevant for children.
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Try to buy organic products.
Organic production does not permit the use of pesticides, which reduces the possibility that the
food has pesticide residues.
 Try to buy children’s clothing made of ecological textiles
This will help to avoid contact of dangerous substances with the skin of your children
 Try to avoid PVC plastics and if it is impossible be sure that you never burn them
Burning of plastics generate POPs by-products such as dioxins and furans.
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Choose unbleached paper products (including personal hygiene products) or those bleached
without the use of chlorine. Chlorine bleaching processes unintentionally also generate POPs byproducts.
 Do not reuse pesticides from obsolete and banned pesticide stockpiles
These pesticides may contain POPs and other toxic substances which are extremely harmful for humans
 Do not use pesticide containers or pesticide packaging for household needs.
They may contain pesticide residues including the residues of pesticide-POPs
 Avoid using weed killers containing POPs chemicals.
Check the label for the active ingredient 2,4-D; they may contain dioxins
and other POPs by-products. Integrated approach for disease vector control is the best solution. It includes
promotion of DDT alternatives which have to be effective, environmentally safe and economically
acceptable; epidemiological control to identify cases of disease as early as possible, improve living
conditions and sanitary; bring mosquito under control; use mosquito nets treated with environmentally
safe alternatives; improve medication of malaria and other diseases caused by insects.
 Do not burn waste
Open burning of waste is one of key sources of POPs. Be sure that waste is regularly removed from
your residential place to avoid spontaneous firing. Strongly protest against any decisions to construct
waste incinerators. Remember: there are no safe waste incinerators so far. They all can be regarded as
the key POPs sources.
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Request your local authorities to conduct tests of soil and locally produced raw food and
food products contamination with POPs to take preventive measures if necessary.
Some NGO projects implements in the frame of IPEP have already collected data of soil and food
contamination with pesticide residues such as DDT and HCCH. This work will have to be continued.
 Further develop educational materials for identifying and preventing
environmental health risks in different settings, such as child care and
recreational facilities;
 Disseminate educational resources through key organizations involved in
promoting the health of children including school-based parent groups,
environmental and community groups and health-care practitioners.
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Join activist groups to help eliminate POPs worldwide