Preparation Of A National Environmentally Sound Management Plan For Pcbs And Pcb Contaminated Equipment In The Context Of The Implementation Of The Basel Convention

"This training manual has been developed to assist with the preparation of a national environmentally sound management plan for polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and PCB contaminated equipment. It is designed in the context of The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which entered into force in 1992."--Publisher's description.

The first Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was carried out in 2002. This second review intends to measure the progress made by the country in managing its environment and in addressing upcoming environmental challenges since the first EPR. To fight its difficult economic situation, after gaining its independence in 1991, the government carried out regulatory and structural reforms in order to correct its macroeconomic instability and facilitate the transition to a market economy. It pursued a range of economic reforms which were aimed at stimulating economic growth and improving the living standards of the population through development of the private sector, improvement of the investment climate and greater job creation.

The guide provides an explanation of the Environmental Contaminants Act, PCB regulations under the act, and their enforcement. It also describes the non-regulatory programs administered by Environment Canada, such as the PCB inventory, and the equipment labelling program. Basic information on the health and environmental effects of PCBs is included along with instructions for PCB equipment identification, allowable servicing and maintenance procedures and proper methods of transport for equipment and wastes. Recommendations are made for the safe storage and disposal of PCBs and the owners' responsibilities in this regard are outlined.

Following the Saint-Basile-le-Grand fire in August 1988, an action plan was announced to destroy PCBs in use or stored at federal facilities across Canada. This report investigates and evaluates the technologies available for the treatment or destruction of PCB-containing equipment, askarel, and PCB-contaminated mineral oil, and develops options for the destruction or decontamination of PCBs and PCB-contaminated equipment.

This Guidance Manual includes detailed explanations on how to implement the OECD Decision on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Recoverable Wastes.

The purpose of this study is to estimate environmental costs for the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the European Union. The result of the estimate is that these costs in the EU of 25 members, will be at least EUR 15 billion (British milliards) 1971-2018. The estimate is based on information on costs in Sweden for the remediation of buildings, soil and waste, for administration, research and other related costs and on data about PCB production up to 1984 in the five largest of the EC Member States. The study confirms that early action in order to avoid chemicals pollution gives considerable environmental benefits to society. This is of particular interest to the future legislation on chemicals placed on the market of the European Community and the proposal of the European Commission to introduce a system for the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (The REACH system). One main aim is to prevent missteps similar to the case of PCB. EC Member States will avoid huge costs in the future if missteps of this kind could be prevented by the new legislation.