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Current and Prospective International POPs Activities Implemented and/or Funded by United States Government Agencies
Released March 20, 2000 by the U.S. Delegation to the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) for an International Legally Binding Instrument for Implementing International Action on Certain Persistent Organic Pollutants, Bonn, Germany, March 20-25, 2000
Revision released April 13, 2000
The United States is firmly committed to the successful negotiation of a global Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Convention. In that regard, the U.S. looks forward to substantial progress at INC-4 in addressing issues of technical and financial assistance related to implementation of the future instrument.
The U.S. recognizes that some developing countries and countries with economies in transition may need assistance in building their capacity to control POPs, accessing the appropriate techniques to implement controls, and financing some of the related costs, and in understanding the availability of and requirements for accessing these resources.
As such, the U.S. reaffirms its commitment to building on the substantial existing assistance through various mechanisms (UN, multilateral financial institution, and bilateral) to help developing countries meet their obligations under the treaty.
The U.S. has been rendering significant technical and financial assistance on POPs for some time, and fully plans to continue these activities. Attached is a more complete exposition of the ongoing efforts made by U.S. Government agencies through bilateral and multilateral fora to assist in the global effort to deal with POPs. Excluding our contributions to the UNEP Environment Fund, these efforts, mostly undertaken since 1997, amount to over $19.0 million U.S. dollars in assistance.
The United States looks forward to working with all Parties at INC-4 to develop articles that effectively build on these ongoing activities to assist in implementation of the POPs Convention.
CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE INTERNATIONAL POPS ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED AND/OR FUNDED BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
U.S. Government Contributions to UNEP Activities on Persistent Organic Pollutants - 1997 to 2000
In addition to U.S. direct contributions to POPs work listed below, the United States will have contributed over $30.7 million to the UNEP Environment Fund in the four year 1997-2000 timeframe. UNEP does not provide disaggregated accounting for how much of that contribution has been dedicated to POPs activities.
During 1997-2000, the United States directly contributed approximately $4,725,000 for support of the negotiating process for a global agreement on POPs, including with respect to related information exchange and technical assistance activities for developing countries. Of the amount mentioned above, the U.S. will contribute $1,175,000 for UNEP POPs activities in 2000, including $500,000 to fund a UNEP-GEF global POPs-related assessment project. Among the UNEP activities on POPs that U.S. contributions are supporting are the following:
- Capacity building to manage PCBs and PCB containing waste and equipment in developing countries
- Training program to reduce or prevent releases of dioxins and furans in developing countries
- Workshop to initiate development of a regional action plan for addressing POPs in developing countries
- Pilot studies on implementation of replacement or release production programs in different regions
- Capacity building to identify and manage stockpiles of POPs pesticides and POPs containing waste
- Support in developing legislative frameworks for management of POPs and their releases
- Training program on alternatives to POPs pesticides
- Global POPs Convention negotiating sessions, particularly with respect to developing country participation
U.S. Contributions to UNEP and UNEP-related Activities Associated with Persistent Organic Pollutants, 1997- 2000
(in U.S. dollars)1997 -- $750,000
1998 -- $800,000
1999 -- $2,000,000
2000 -- $1,175,000(E)E -- preliminary estimate, will likely increase.
* * * * *
U.S. Contributions to UNEP and UNEP-related Activities Associated with Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2000
(in U.S. dollars)Activity - Amount
UNEP-GEF Project on Global Assessment of overstatementoxic Substances, including POPs -- $500,000
UNEP Administered Negotiations on POPs, including information exchanges and technical assistance activities -- $175,000
WHO-UNEP Activities on Alternatives to DDT -- $50,000
Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) POPs Workshop -- $50,000
UNEP-organized Asian Dioxin Workshop, including follow-up pilot projects in at least two developing countries -- $350,000
WHO project on technical cooperation with member states on the design on National Action Plans for DDT reduction -- $50,000
UNDER CONSIDERATION: One or two other "to be determined" POPs-related projects conducted by a UN agency -- $100,000
POPs-RELATED PROJECTS SUPPORTED WITH U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) FUNDS:
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety
GOAL: To seek consensus amongst decision-makers representing governments on the development of strategies for the implementation of Agenda 21, Chapter 19 (Environmentally Sound Management of Toxic Chemicals Including Prevention of Illegal International Traffic in Toxic and Dangerous Products) and undertake periodic review of such strategies.
FUNDING: $100,000 per year (ongoing)
TARGETED REGION: global
CONTACT: William Sanders, EPA, 202-260-3810
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES TO DATE:
The EPA has supported the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) for the past several years. The IFCS was created by the International Conference on Chemical Safety held in Stockholm in April 1994. The full Terms of Reference for the FORUM are contained in the Resolution on the Establishment of an Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety adopted by the International Conference on Chemical Safety.
The IFCS is a non institutional arrangement whereby representatives of governments meet to consider and to provide advice and, where appropriate, make recommendations to governments, international organizations, intergovernmental bodies and nongovernmental organizations involved in chemical safety on aspects of chemical risk assessment and environmentally sound management of chemicals. The purpose of the Forum is to provide policy guidance with emphasis on regional and sub regional co-operation, develop strategies in a coordinated and integrated manner and foster understanding of the issues, and to promote the required policy support needed to discharge these functions.
More information can be obtained on the organization's web site: www.ifcs.ch.
Internet Access for African Chemicals Management Officials
GOAL: Facilitate access to POPs information on the Internet for regulators in Africa
FUNDING: $40,000 for a pilot in Mali and Nigeria (UNEP funding 2 more countries)
TARGETED REGION: Africa
CONTACT: Brian Hirsch, EPA, 202-260-6745; Marianne Bailey, EPA, 202-564-6402
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES TO DATE:
The U.N. Environment Program (UNEP Chemicals) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are conducting a pilot project to provide Internet access and training to chemicals management officials in four African countries. UNEP has established agreements with the governments of Tanzania and Cote d'Ivoire, and EPA is working with Mali and Nigeria. The U.S. is proposing to the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, for consideration at their meeting in Brazil in October 2000, that this pilot project be expanded to provided Internet connectivity to the rest of the developing nations whose chemicals management officials lack such access. It is proposed that UNEP or another U.N. organization take the implementation lead for such an expanded project.
The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Leland initiative (see http://www.info.usaid.gov/leland) already works in 21 African countries (Benin, Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia) to promote Internet connectivity in multiple sectors. Leland Initiative representatives are assisting with the UNEP/EPA pilot project by providing training in Mali.
Obsolete Pesticides in the Russian Federation
GOAL: Determine the extent of the obsolete pesticide stockpile in Russia and develop a plan to address them.
FUNDING: $50,000
AFFECTED REGION: Russian Federation
CONTACTS: Gary Waxmonsky, EPA, 202-564-1427
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
EPA is working with UNEP to implement this project. There will be UNEP workshops in at least 4 to 6 regions that will include training for conducting inventories and then include an inventory development exercise in each region. This will occur by June or July of 2000.
Multinational initiative to identify and phase-out sources of PCBs in Russia
GOAL To expedite the phase out of the use of PCBs in the Russian Federation and to further develop environmentally sound disposal practices in Russia.
FUNDING: $165,000 (additional funding leveraged with other countries)
AFFECTED REGION: Russian Federation
CONTACTS: Seth Low, EPA, 202-564-6414
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
The EPA is presently working with the State Committee for Environmental Protection of the Russian Federation and other countries, particularly in the Arctic region. Three phases of the project include:
- Estimate the source term including production facilities, amounts of PCB inventories in storage, and estimated annual environmental releases from PCB production and storage facilities.
- Feasibility study for conversion/retrofit; and
- Actual demonstration projects.
WHO DDT Phaseout Action Plan Support
GOA To support country needs assessments and the development of educational/information materials for the reduction of reliance on DDT.
FUNDING: $110,000
AFFECTED REGION: Regions in which countries use DDT for malaria control
CONTACTS: Angela Bandemehr, EPA, 202-564-1427
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
A portion of EPA's assistance supported a regional consultation for preparing African countries to reduce reliance on DDT for malaria control in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was the first WHO-supported country consultation on DDT. It resulted in a set of recommendations, for countries and WHO, regarding the reduction/elimination of DDT and will be the basis for initiating technical assistance and capacity building activities in Africa.
CEC North American Regional Action Plans
GOAL: EPA is working with the Canadian and Mexican governments to implement the North American Regional Action Plans for DDT, Chlordane and PCBs. Nomination dossiers are being considered for Dioxins and Furans and for hexachlorobenzene, and if selected, NARAPs will be developed for those chemicals as well.
FUNDING: $3 million
AFFECTED REGION: North America
CONTACTS: Lorry Frigerio, EPA, 202-564-1427
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
Pollutant Release and Transfer Register
GOAL: This activity assists governments to establish emissions inventories, linked with the concept of community right-to-know. To date, EPA has assisted Slovakia in developing and implementing a PRTR program in to facilitate chemicals management.
FUNDING: $200,000
CONTACT: John Harman, EPA 202-260-6395
AFFECTED REGION: Slovakia
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
The process of design and implementation of a PRTR in Slovakia was initiated in July 1998, and performed in compliance with both the Memorandum of Agreement and the Work Plan. The project will be completed in 2000.
Transpacific Transport Workshop
GOAL: An international conference will be held to seek scientific understanding of POPs transport into and across the Pacific Ocean from multiple sources around the Pacific Rim. It will summarize and assess the state of scientific knowledge, identify data needs, and examine and promote avenues for East-West collaboration to address the issue.
FUNDING: $10,000 (initial EPA funding)
CONTACT: Marilyn Engle, 202-564-6472
AFFECTED REGION: Asia Pacific, with implications globally
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
The conference scheduled for summer 2000 in Seattle, Washington. Preparatory work has started to identify speakers, establish a planning committee and raise further funding for the conference.
The Status of POPs in Latin America and the Caribbean
GOAL: Preliminary assessment of the risks posed by POPs in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on the compilation and synthesis of case studies from seven countries in the region.
FUNDING: $100,000
AFFECTED REGION: Central America and Caribbean
CONTACTS: Angela Bandemehr, 202-564-1427
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
The Pan American Health Organization worked with the Argentine Vice Chair on a pilot project funded by EPA to collect case studies on chemicals substances in Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose was to increase the understanding of health and environmental risks associated with the production, use or emission of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries, and to provide guidance on potential substitutes and other risk management strategies. Begun in 1998, a preliminary assessment of risks posed by POPs was conducted and a report is being finalized in 2000. Two UNEP regional workshops were held in 1999, one in Argentina and one in Columbia.
PROJECTS WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM EPA AND FUNDS FROM OTHER AGENCIES
Great Lakes/Baltic Sea Partnership
GOAL: To promote scientific and technical exchanges between the Great Lakes and the Baltic Sea States on environmental problems common to both bodies of water.
FUNDING: $600,000 Department of State/Northeast European Initiative (~$200,000 assistance from USAID also)
AFFECTED REGION: Baltic States, Russia, Poland
CONTACTS: Vacys Saulys, EPA, 312-353-7648
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
This partnership has been ongoing since 1998. The focus is on common environmental problems in both regions, exotic species and toxics. The Great Lakes is impacted by other countries in these areas through long range atmospheric transport of toxics and import of exotic species in ballast water of ships from other countries. EPA has conducted environmental training courses and assisted the Baltic countries in setting up a web site and database to identify sources of pollution and methodologies to address them. There is also a fellowship program in which scientists from the Baltic States spend up to six months at U.S. Federal, state and Canadian offices involved in protection of the Great Lakes. EPA has provided excess state agency monitoring equipment (particulate matter monitors and laboratory analytical equipment) to Lithuania and in the future to Latvia and Kaliningrad Oblast, Russian Federation.
UNEP and U.S./South African Development Community Forum Workshop on POPs
GOAL: To provide a forum for SADC countries to coordinate regional and national approaches to POPs and to develop a SADC position for the POPs negotiations.
FUNDING: $50,000 from Department of State
AFFECTED REGION: SADC countries
CONTACTS:
Angela Bandemehr, EPA, 202-564-1427
Kathy Shippe, Department of State, 202-647-1055
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
U.S. EPA, in cooperation with UNEP and the U.S. Department of State, organized a workshop on POPs in the SADC region form February 14 to 16, 2000. During the second POPs INC the SADC member states had a meeting with the U.S. delegation, where they expressed interest in working with developed countries like the U.S. in an effort to coordinate and improve chemicals management capacity building within SADC. To this end, SADC requested a workshop where issues of chemicals management would be discussed and action programs developed. In addition to facilitating workshop planning and logistics, U.S.EPA provided two experts to the meeting.
U.S./Egypt Science and Technology Joint Board Workshop on POPs
GOAL: To raise awareness on POPs, with a focus on dioxins, in Egypt among government and private sector organizations and to initiate the development of national guidelines to manage POPs and the development of joint U.S.-Egypt research proposals addressing common dioxin issues.
FUNDING: $50,000 (from U.S. Department of Agriculture)
AFFECTED REGION: Egypt
CONTACTS: Angela Bandemehr, EPA, 202-564-1427
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES:
The joint Science and Technology Board of the U.S.-Egypt Partnership for Economic Growth and Development agreed to conduct a joint workshop focused on the environmental issues related to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed that this workshop be more narrowly focused on the management problems presented by dioxins and furans. This workshop helped to illuminate the nature of the dioxins/furans problem in Egypt and the options available for managing this problem. Three EPA experts attended the workshop and gave presentations on POPs in general and on technical issues regarding dioxins.
Pest and Pesticide Management Project in the Ukraine
GOAL: To help strengthen the agricultural sector, the Pest and Pesticide Management Project (PPMP) was established by US AID
FUNDING: $2 million (US AID)
AFFECTED REGION: Ukraine
CONTACTS:
Margaret Jones, Project Leader
Marilyn Sabadaszka, Project Manager
Dan Thompson, Acting Director, Region 5 OIA
Bill Freeman, Program Manager, OIA
BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES
An important key to economic recovery in Ukraine will be the agricultural sector. To help strengthen the agricultural sector, the Pest and Pesticide Management Project (PPMP) was established by US AID as a $2 million project which includes a grant to Virginia Technical University of $1.6 million for the establishment of three pesticide applicator training centers and a crop protection association. EPA has received $400,000 to deliver a combination of pesticide registration expertise, computer upgrades and access to information on pesticides. The expected outcome is increased availability of fully evaluated pesticides, improved methods of handling and application of pesticides, and increased awareness of the risks of pesticides to human health and the environment.
The PPMP seeks to improve the pesticide registration process and the ability to evaluate the effects of pesticides on human health and the environment. The project is providing access to information on pesticides, leading to more efficient pesticide registration procedures and improved management of pesticide information and data files. On-line access to agencies which participate in pesticide registration activities within Ukraine, in Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the United States will facilitate information-gathering and improved decision-making and enable Ukraine to participate in the international debate on pesticides.
As Ukraine begins to register pesticides and fertilizers more effectively, using current methods of evaluation, the increased availability of thoroughly evaluated and effective pesticide products during crop production will lead to increased agricultural productivity. Enhancements in the areas of pesticide enforcement and food safety procedures will provide added quality to Ukrainian agricultural produce and food products, increases in exported commodities and products and improvements in the economy of the nation. A children's health study in Ukraine will include pesticide exposures in the effort to determine the greatest risks to this segment of the population. Outreach and education materials on the risks of pesticides to human health and the environment and appropriate methods of handling, storage and disposal will be distributed to mitigate the risks.
Specific assistance includes enforcement seminars for Ukrainian regulators, with participation by Russian, Byelorussian and Moldovan pesticide regulators, as space permits; seminars on toxicology and environmental fate and effects of pesticides by US experts; a study tour for 10 Ukrainian pesticide registration specialists; computer upgrades and purchase of Office of Pesticide Programs and commercial pesticide software to meet information needs.
Useful links could be established with manufacturers who are working with U.S. AID in agricultural sector projects, including Dupont, Monsanto and Cargill, among others. The Ukrainian Crop Protection Association was unveiled in November 1997 as a forum for pesticide registrants in Ukraine, similar to the European crop protection association (GIFAP) and the US Crop Protection Association. Ukragrochim, the government purchasing and distribution organization, has reportedly been dissolved, requiring transition to a new free market system for pesticide and fertilizer sales and distribution.
Collaboration with EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs personnel working on pesticide projects in Indonesia and Central America has proven beneficial and the current effort is directed toward developing pesticide registration tools for use domestically and internationally, such as labeling guidance, information management and risk assessment. U.S. EPA expertise in pesticide disposal contributed to the development of a plan to inventory the estimated 1400 sites where over 22,000 metric tons of waste pesticides are stored, including safety procedures for personnel involved in waste handling and analysis and risk communication to the public.
PROARCA - PASA (Programa Ambiental Regional de Centro America (Regional Environmental Program for Central America) Participating Agency Service Agreement)
GOAL: Promote compatible national systems of environmental regulation that provide high levels of protection for public health and especially sensitive ecosystems.
AFFECTED REGION: Central America
FUNDING: $1.8 million spent by USAID/Guatemala for 1996-2000.
CONTACTS:
Pam Teel, EPA, 202-564-6424
Jane Horton, EPA - Region IV, 404-562-9012BACKGROUND & ACTIVITIES TO DATE:
Unwanted pesticides stockpiles are a serious environmental problem in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Governments with these concerns need assistance to further define the problem, prevent obsolete pesticide stockpiles, manage, reuse or eventually safely dispose of obsolete and outdated pesticides and chemicals. With USAID funding, EPA's Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP) has developed a training course called "Pesticide Disposal in Developing Countries" that was piloted in Honduras in May 1997. This presentation was part of the Regional Environmental Project for Central America (PROARCA), sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The course was scheduled for a final delivery early 1998 in Central America.
This type of training draws on EPA's expertise and is a cost-effective way to provide assistance to developing countries. The course is based on developing a plan of action for a variety of pesticide disposal situations in a hypothetical country. Site stabilization, technical disposal options, prevention and regional capacity building are emphasized.
RENARM (1991-96):
training in registration, use & application, worker protection, laboratory development, risk assessment, information sharing.
PROARCA (1996 -1997):
1. Assessments of national pesticide regulatory systems, toward the end of promoting inter-agency pesticide regulatory policy boards;
2. Developing a regional plan for the safe disposal of obsolete pesticides, including training, conducting national inventories of pesticide stocks, regional coordination on development of a portfolio of pesticide disposal options, and regional coordination of donors interested in financing disposal projects.
3. Designing a program for harmonized systems of environmental legislation and regulation, training of multi-media inspectors, and promoting regional certification of pesticide inspectors.
4. Developing the capacity of analytical laboratories, sharing information.
Proposed Activities (1998 - 2000)
Setting Measurable Results in Environmental Performance and Policies
1. Building on national assessment to complete of "National Profiles for the Management of Chemical Substances", consistent with Agenda 21, Chapter 19.
2. Promote cost-effective, regional disposal of obsolete pesticides to reduce the stockpile of toxic substances, and to change import policies to prevent the re-accumulation of obsolete stocks.
3. As part of a public-private partnership and a product stewardship initiative, promote alternative products and practices that would allow the elimination of the use of Category 1a and 1b toxics that are considered to pose an unreasonable risk to public health.
4. Reduce the incidence of food safety violations of food products exported to the United States, by improving registration, use, and inspection practices in Central America.
Indonesia Technical Assistance Agreement on Pesticide Regulation
GOAL: Strengthen the pesticide regulatory capacity of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture
FUNDING: $200,000 in FY97 and 98 (extended to 99/00) through World Bank loan to Indonesia.
REGION AFFECTED: Indonesia
CONTACT: Brian Hirsch, EPA, 202-260-6745
BACKGROUND:
At the request of the Government of Indonesia, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and USAID EPA established an interagency agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture in 1997 to provide pesticide information and technical assistance to help strengthen the pesticide regulatory program in Indonesia.
ACTIVITIES:
General areas: Pesticide Registration Policy, Disposal of Unwanted and Obsolete Pesticides, Enforcement, Information Access and Management.
1997 -- Evaluation of Indonesian policies and procedures; guidance and information on EPA policies and procedures in general and re: specific pesticides; training in use of the Internet, and other commercial databases; Ministry participation in EPA training course on environmental enforcement; EPA training for Ministry field inspectors on disposal of obsolete pesticides.
1998 -- Outline for developing an automated pesticide information management system; shadowing visit to EPA by Ministry regulatory staff; continued training in access to and use of Internet-based, commercial, and other EPA databases; training in the conduct of environmental audits of pesticide manufacturing facilities.
1999 -- EPA visit to Indonesia for installation of automated pesticide information management system and development of worker safety training integrated with IPM field school training. Funded computer training of Indonesian Ministry and regulatory staff.
2000 -- Development of web site for Indonesia pesticide regulatory information to facilitate coordination with ASEAN countries. Integration of information management system into regulatory processes.
Regional Agribusiness Project
GOAL: Enhance EPA's ability to disseminate its information about pesticides, primarily centered on Internet publication; use the Indonesian technical assistance project (described above) to focus EPA's efforts and create a model for efficiently and effectively improving developing country access to pesticide information.
FUNDING: $150,000 from USAID for use in FY97, 98 and 99.
AFFECTED REGION: Asia
CONTACT: Kennan Garvey, EPA, 703-305-7106
ACTIVITIES:
1997: Intern support for provision of EPA pesticide information to the International audience, primarily by publishing through the Internet; development of Internet-based guide to pesticide regulatory information around the world; provision of documents and commercial databases for the Indonesian pesticide office; coordination with ASEAN Ministries of Agriculture toward creation of an ASEAN pesticide information network.
1998: Continued intern information support; refinement of info. guide; development of addenda documents to the FAO guidance on the registration of pesticides in order to capture lessons learned from EPA pesticide technical assistance to Indonesia, Central America, and the Ukraine.
1999/2000: Facilitating sharing of EPA's pesticides information with developing countries in Asia.
USAID
USAID has been supporting obsolete pesticide disposal initiatives in a number of countries in Africa. In Ethiopia, there are close to 1,500 tons of obsolete pesticides, including DDT, dieldrin, lindane, and Aldrin, that need to be disposed. USAID, in collaboration with the FAO, the Government of Ethiopia and other international donors, has initiated a disposal program to rid the country of these pesticides. The current estimated cost of the disposal operation stands at close to $4.6 million US dollars, to which USAID/Ethiopia contributed $1,000,000. Other donors have also expressed interest in supporting the disposal initiative. To date, a scoping statement and a comprehensive Programmatic Environmental Assessment have been completed and approved, a project paper has been developed and project activities are underway.
In 1999, USAID provided technical assistance to assess the problem of old dieldrin stocks in northern Mali. A USAID-hired ecotoxicologist discussed the problem with the government and provided recommendations on short, medium and long-term options to address the issue. The technical expert also made a presentation at the FAO-organized pesticide management workshop in Bamako on the various options that need to be implemented. Since then, USAID/Bamako has funded a joint field mission to the affected areas to assess the extent of the problem and develop follow on activities.
As part of its long-term commitment to ensure human safety and protect the environment of developing countries in Africa, USAID (through the Africa Emergency Locust/Grasshopper Assistance (AELGA)) provided $500,000 in grant funds to the FAO in 1999 to support the disposal of obsolete pesticides, including POPs in these countries. USAID funds have been and are instrumental in leveraging support from other international donors.
In 1995, USAID provided $125,000 to support the disposal of obsolete pesticides, including dieldrin, DDT, gamma BHC, and other POPs from Unguja and Pemba islands of Zanzibar, Tanzania in collaboration with the Governments of the Netherlands and Tanzania.
In 1991, USAID took the lead in the disposal of 70,000 liters of old dieldrin stocks (56,000 l), rinsate (14,000 l), and empty containers in collaboration with the GTZ, the Royal Netherlands Shell (Shell), and the Government of Niger. The 70,000 liters of the pesticide and rinsate, empty containers and contaminated soils were shipped to the Netherlands where they were incinerated in high temperature incinerators dedicated for this purpose. The total cost for the Niger dieldrin disposal planning and operation was $640,275 of which USAID provided $326,275.
Training for pesticide management was carried out in Bolivia and is planned for Uganda in East Africa and Guinea or Ghana in West Africa.
When pesticide procurement, use, and/or disposal are involved as part of a request for assistance from developing countries, USAID follows applicable Agency environmental regulations (Reg. 216), including pesticide procedures to ensure that appropriate environmental assessment(s) is(are) completed prior to providing any such assistance.
USAID runs a malaria program, which provides extensive capacity-building training opportunities for Health Ministers. Like the World Bank, USAID goes a thorough evaluation of a country's existing capacity before agreeing to fund a program, and, afterwards, does extensive program evaluation.
USAID, together with agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides resources and support to the Global Campaign to Rollback Malaria. Specifically, USAID provides several million dollars in foreign aid annually to countries to build capacity to strengthen their national malaria prevention and control programs. The Global Campaign to Rollback Malaria is a project of several United Nations agencies (UNICEF, UNDP and the multilateral financial institutions). The World Health Organization selected malaria to be the first disease to receive the status of a "pathfinder" project to identify new ways of combating diseases that afflict the world's poorest nations.
FDA
Total Diet Study -- ongoing since 1961
Objective: to provide data on dietary intake of food contaminants. The program monitors the concentrations of many contaminants, including several POPs, in domestic as well as imported food and feed commodities. Analyses are performed on foods prepared for consumption, so that the final results provide a realistic measure of human intake.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
DHHS has provided $3.5 million U.S. dollars over three years in in-kind support and resources to the World Health Organization's (WHO) cabinet-level project to Rollback Malaria. Rollback Malaria seeks to half the number of deaths from malaria -- mostly among the poor in African nations -- by 2010. It also strives to noticeably improve individual countries' malaria prevention and control programs. Rollback Malaria hopes to ensure that each person who gets malaria receives medical attention early enough to stop the progress of the disease to a more deadly stage, and that more people -- especially children -- are prevented from getting malaria in the first place.
[End of Document]
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