Regionally Based
Assessment of Persistent
Toxic Substances
GEF
MEDITERRANEAN REGION
First Regional Workshop
on
Assessment of PTS sources and concentrations in the environment
4-6 February 2002
Athens (Greece)
´
Dear colleague,
Please find enclosed herewith preliminary information and organizational details of the 1st
Technical Workshop of the UNEP/GEF Project "Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent
Toxic Substances (RBA PTS)" where you are invited to participate.
This is a major step forward to the global assessment of PTS, which will lead to the
identification of priorities for future GEF intervention to control, reduce or eliminate releases
of PTS, at national, regional or global levels, and stimulate research through the
identification of data gaps.
This Technical Workshop will be devoted to the evaluation of the sources of persistent toxic
substances in the Mediterranean region, and to their levels in the environment, both in biotic
and abiotic compartments, including humans.
The Workshop is not a scientific meeting in the classical sense, the Workshop will combine
individual presentations with working group sessions for discussion of major issues (hot
spots, trends, scoring of chemicals,...) and delineation of the Regional report (structure enclosed).
A closing plenary session is intended for making recommendations and identifying priorities
for future action.
Thus, I am kindly asking to take with you all the information you may have (reprints and
copies of articles, unpublished data, etc.) for contributing to the assessment and to the success
of the Workshop.
I thank you very much for your cooperation and look forward to meeting you in Athens.
Sincerely,
J. Albaigés
Regional Coordinator
Department of Environmental Chemistry (CSIC)
E-mail:albqam@cid.csic.es
Jordi Girona Salgado, 18-26
Fax:+34-93-2045904
08034-Barcelona, Spain
Tel: +34-93-4006152.
Organizational details
Accomodation and Workshop venue
All participants will be lodged at:
DIVANI ACROPOLIS PALACE Hotel
19-25, Parthenonos str.
11742 Athens
Tel: +301-9280100, Fax: +301-9214993
This 5* Hotel is located in the center of Athens, in the Makrygianni area, near Plaka and
Acropolis.
The Workshop will take place at the same hotel.
Travel and accommodation arrangements
You can order your fly ticket (economy class) and ask your travel agency to send the invoice
directly to me. Alternatively, I may also transfer the amount directly to your bank account,
after sending the used tickets.
In any case, I need to know the dates of your arrival and departure as soon as possible for
the final booking of hotel rooms.
The hotel room, breakfasts, lunches as well as one dinner will be covered by the
organization. Moreover, you will receive a small lump sum for other expenses.
Presentations
Overheads will be preferred, but if you need another system please let me know.
In order to facilitate the summary of all data for the report I guess it will be adequate to use a
general map of the region and localize there the basic information we are dealing with (study
areas, hot spots, case studies, etc....). A copy is attached. If you have a better one please
circulate it.
I recommend to bring with you additional material to assist in the preparation of the
Workshop report. A copy of relevant material of your presentation for the rest of participants
will also be particularly appreciated.
Recommendations
The Workshop is not simply intended for presentation of original work carried out by each
one of the participants, but for reviewing the existing data in the different countries of the
region, allowing the preparation of the UNEP Regional report on PTS.
As indicated in the attached Agenda, the fist part of the Workshop will be devoted to general
overviews by chemicals, compartments and countries. Then, major issues to be discussed in
working sessions will be hot spots, spatial and temporal trends, scoring of chemicals, etc. and
the delineation of the Regional report. You are kindly requested to be prepared to this end.
Tentative Agenda of 1st TW
Sunday, February 03, 2002
Afternoon or
Arrival, accommodation
Hotel Holiday Inn - Athens
evening
Monday, February 04, 2002
09.00 - 10.25
Opening address 10 min
Overview of GEF RBA PTS Project
The Mediterranean Region.
J. Albaigés 45 min.
Project Status report
The MEDPOL data base
G. Gabrielides and F. Abousamra
10.25 - 11.00
Coffee break
11.00 - 11.35
Introduction of background documents
11.35 13.00
Overview of the region regarding sources
J. Bruno and A. Iacomelli
Discussion
13.00 - 14.30
Lunch
14.30 - 16.00
Overview of the region regarding levels
Atmosphere: M. Chevreuil, A.M. Mastral
Soils and vegetation: J.F. Narbonne
Marine environment: J. Albaigés
Aquatic biota: S. Foccardi
Food: M.J. Gonzalez, B. Krauthacker
Humans: E. de Felip
16.00 - 16.30
Coffee break
16.30 - 18.00
Case studies:
Dioxins and PCBs: J. Diaz
Alkylphenols: U. Zoller
Organometallic compounds: G. Gabrielides
The Balkan Task Force on PTS: M. Vojinovic
Monitoring programs: J.P. Villeneuve
Tuesday, February 05, 2002
09.00 - 10.30
Country studies:
Portugal (C. Vale)
France (J.F. Narbonne, D. Cossa)
Italy (S. Galassi)
Greece (T. Albanis)
10.30 - 11.00
Coffee break
11.00 - 13.00
Country studies (cont.):
Egypt (A. Barakat)
Turkey (D. Kolankaya)
Morocco (K. Ben Abess)
Croatia (M. Picer)
Yugoslavia (M. Vojinovic)
13.00 - 14.30
Lunch
14.30 - 16.00
Working groups. The participants will be broken into two groups to analyse
the presentations and make recommendations to plenary regarding sources
and environmental concentrations priority PTS and key data gaps
16.00 - 16.30
Coffee break
16.30 - 18.00
Working group 1 (chairs - )
Air, deposition,
water/sediments
Working group 2 (chairs - )
Soils, biota, food
19.30 - ....
Common dinner
Wednesday, February 06, 2002
09.00 - 10.30
Working group 1 (chairs - )
Air, deposition,
water/sediments
Working group 2 (chairs - )
Soils, biota, food
10.30 - 11.00
Coffee break
11.00 - 13.00
Working groups
13.00 - 14.30
Lunch
14.30 - 16.00
Plenary session
Areas of major concern, hot
overview of working group results
spots, trends
16.00 - 16.30
Coffee break
16.30 - 18.00
Plenary session
Scoring of chemicals
overview of working group results
(see Annex 2)
18.00 - 18.30
Final recommendations
Regional network of experts
and Closing address
Thursday, February 07, 2002
09.00 - 13.00
Meeting of the Regional Team in UNEP
Review of the First Draft of the
Office (not for the participants)
Report, identification of gaps
and assignment of new
responsibilities
13.00 - 14.30
Lunch
List of participants (tentative)
Mr. Paul WHYLIE
Project manager
UNEP Chemicals
Geneve, Switzerland
Prof. Joan ALBAIGES
CID-CSIC
Barcelona, Spain
Dr. Fouad ABOUSAMRA
UNEP/MAP
Athens, Greece
Dr. Elena DE FELIP
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Rome, Italy
Prof. Jean-François NARBONNE
University of Bordeaux I
Talence, France
Dr. Mladen PICER
Institute Rudjer Boskovic
Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. Jean-Pierre VILLENEUVE
IAEA-MEL/MESL
Monaco
Dr. Aldo IACOMELLI
Ministry of Environment
Rome, Italy
Prof. Jordi BRUNO
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Barcelona, Spain
Dr. Jordi DIAZ
Institut Quimic de Sarria
Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Assem BARAKAT
University of Alexandria
Alexandria, Egypt
Dr. Gabriel GABRIELIDES
Ministry of Environment
Cyprus
Prof. Marc CHEVREUIL
Univ. P. et M. Curie
Paris, France
Prof. Michael O. ANGELIDIS
University of the Aegean
Mytilene, Greece
Dr. Ana M. MASTRAL
CSIC
Zaragoza, Spain
Prof. Silvano FOCCARDI
University of Siena
Siena, Italy
Dr. Maria J. GONZALEZ
CSIC
Madrid, Spain
Dr. B. KRAUTHACKER
Inst. Public Health
Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. Carlos VALE
IPIMAR
Lisbon, Portugal
Dr. Daniel COSSA
IFREMER
Brest, France
Prof. Triantafyllos ALBANIS
University of Ioannina
Ioannina, Greece
Dr. Durdane KOLANKAYA
University of Hacettepe
Ankara, Turkey
Ing. Karim BEN ABESS
Ministry of Environment
Morocco
Dr. Silvana GALASSI
University of Milano-Bicocca
Milan, Italy
Prof. Uri ZOLLER
University of Haifa
Tivon, Israel
Dr. M. VOJINOVIC
University of Novi Sad
Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
Preliminary structure of the Regional report:
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. SOURCE CHARACTERISATION
2.1.
PRODUCTION AND USE DATA FOR PERSISTENT PESTICIDES *
2.1.1. General situation in the Region
2.1.2. Present situation in each country of the Region
2.1.2.1. Use and manufacturers
2.1.2.2. Production and stocks
2.1.2.3. Importation and Exportation
2.2. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL PERISTENT TOXIC CHEMICALS *
2.2.1. General situation in the Region
2.2.2. Present situation in each country of the Region
2.2.2.1. Use and manufacturers
2.2.2.2. Production and stocks
2.2.2.3. Importation and Exportation
2.3. SOURCES OF UNINTENTIONAL PERISTENT TOXIC BY-PRODUCTS *
2.3.1. General situation in the Region
2.3.2. Present situation in each country of the Region
2.3.2.1. Main sources and wastes
2.4. OTHER PTS OF CONCERN IN THE REGION *
2.4.1.1. Use and manufacturers
2.4.1.2. Production and stocks
2.4.1.3. Importation and Exportation
2.5. SUMMARY OF MOST SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL PTS SOURCES, STOCKS
AND RESERVOIRS
2.6. DATA GAPS
* See Annex 1
3. ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS
3.1. CONCENTRATIONS OF PTS IN ABIOTIC COMPARTMENTS
3.1.1. Levels (hot spots)
3.1.1.1. Pesticides *
Atmosphere
Fresh waters and soils
Seawater
Sediments
3.1.1.2. Industrial Compounds *
3.1.1.3. Unintended by-products *
3.1.1.4. Regional Specifics *
3.1.2. Trends
3.1.3. Monitoring programs & case studies
3.1.3.1. The Balkans Task Force for PTS pollution assessement
3.1.3.2. The Venice Lagoon contamination
3.2. CONCENTRATIONS OF PTS IN BIOTA, INCLUDING HUMANS
3.2.1. Levels in biota
3.2.1.1. Terrestrial biota: vegetation and animals
3.2.1.2. Freshwater environment: fish and aquatic birds
3.2.1.3. Marine environment: bivalves, fish and marine mammals
3.2.1.4. Food
3.2.2. Levels in humans
3.2.3. Trends
3.2.4. Monitoring programs & case studies
3.2.4.1. The French coastal monitoring network
3.2.4.2. DDTs and PCBs in the Adriatic Sea
3.2.4.3. The Lago Magiore DDT spill
* See Annex 1.
Annex 1. List of chemicals to be assessed
Pesticides
Dieldrin and Aldrin
Endrin
Chlordane and Heptachlor
DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
Toxaphene (Polychlorobornanes and camphenes)
Mirex
Hexachlorobenzene
Industrial Compounds
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Unintended by-products
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs)
Regional Specifics
Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH)
Chlorinated Paraffins (CPs)
Chlorophenols
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and biphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Phthalates
Nonylphenols(NPs) and tert-octylphenol (t-OP)
Organotin compounds (OTs)
Organomercury compounds
Annex 2. Scoring for Prioritising PTS for Sources, Environmental Levels and Effects
Mediterranean Region
Chemical
Sources
Environ.
Ecotox.
Human
Total
Levels
Effects
Effects
Dieldrin and Aldrin
Endrin
Chlordane
Heptachlor
DDT
Toxaphene
Mirex
Hexachlorobenzene
PCBs
Dioxins and Furans
HCH
Endosulfan
Chlorinated Paraffins
PCP
PBBs and PBDEs
PAHs
Phthalates
Alkylphenols
Org. Tin Compds.
Org. Mercury Compds.
Others?
Scores:
Score = 0 chemical is of no concern
Score = 1 chemical has slight concern
Score = 2 chemical has moderate concern
Score = 3 chemical has major concern
Note: The guidelines attached provide a qualitative measure for scores.
Scores of 2 or 3 imply regional significance.
Guidelines for Scoring Issues Associated with Each Chemical
Issue
Score 0 =
Score 1 =
Score 2 =
Score 3 =
No concern
Slight concern
moderate concern
major concern
· No evidence of
· Evidence of
· Historical
· Major production
Sources of the production or product limited production
production evident and of chemical for local
Chemical
contamination
production for local
and export use.
· Presence of small
use ongoing. Present
· No evidence of air sources with possible
·
as contaminant in
Chemical evident
emissions
emissions (e.g.,small
other chemical
as contaminant in
incineration plants or
large scale production
· No evidence of
production
bleached kraft/pulp
of other chemicals
emissions from solid
mills using chlorine);
· Presence of major
residues
combustion related
· Known emission
· Some limited
of chemical from large
· No evidence of
sources e.g large
evidence of releases
scale incinerators or
chemical stockpiled
municipal or industrial
but on a small scale
incinerators or large
chlorine bleaching of
· No evidence of
invoking local
bleached kraft pulp
pulp or other related
chemical being
concerns
mills
combustion facilities
contaminant in
· Some use of the
· Evidence of
production of other
· Evidence of
chemical in small
leakage from major
chemicals
stockpiles of the
areas
chemical
stockpiles of the
· No evidence of
chemical poorly
· Some limited
use of the chemical
· Use of chemical
packaged
evidence of releases
in agriculture or
· No evidence of
but on a small scale
·
industry sub-
Large-scale use of
release from liquid
invoking local
regionally
the chemical
effluent
concerns
throughout the region
· No known or
· Chemical
· Chemical
· Chemical
Environmental historical levels of
contaminants are
contaminants are
contaminant is
Levels of the
chemical contaminant
detectable in the
found in the
analysed repeatedly
chemical
in the environment
environment but below environment
well above threshold
except background
threshold limits
marginally above
limits in the
levels of naturally
defined for the country threshold limits
environment defined
occurring substances
or region
defined for the country for the country or
or region
region
· No available data
· Chemical
to quantify evidence of contaminants are
· Limited data
Known contamination
the chemical found in
detectable from fish,
available to support
of fish, wildlife,
fish, wildlife animal or
wildlife, foodstuff or
chemical existing
foodstuff or humans at
human tissue
human samples but
within fish, wildlife,
levels far exceeding
below threshold limits
foodstuff or human
the threshold
established for the
tissue at marginal
established for the
country or region
levels above threshold country or region
standards for the
country or region