PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS CONTROL IN ESTONIA Ott Roots

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1 PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS CONTROL IN ESTONIA Ott Roots Ministry of the Environment of Estonia, Environmental Management and Technology Rävala pst 8, Tallinn, ESTONIA Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine Hiiu 42, Tallinn, ESTONIA INTRODUCTION According to Article 53 of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, every person is obliged to preserve the human and natural environment and to compensate for damages they cause to the environment. In Estonia the National Environmental Strategy (NES) specifies the trends and priority goals of environmental management and protection in a new political and economic situation and sets the main short-term and long-term tasks to be achieved by 2000 and 2010, respecively. One of the NES environmental policy goals is reduction in waste generation and improvement of waste management (Estonian National Environmental Strategy, 1997). In Estonian waste classificatory (issued by the Regulation of Ministry of Environment No14, September 24, 1991) based on the International Waste Identification Code (IWIC) and the principles used for waste identification according to the Basel Convention. The Estonian Environment Information Centre (EEIC) collect all data in a specific database and prepares the annual overview about the waste generation, recycling, treatment, dumping, export and import. Specific overviews are prepared for each county and whole Estonia. All landfills included into the Landfill Register have a grid reference, which enables to convey geographical information in a graphic form. The Estonian Landfill Map was prepared by EEIC. Of the 80 registered landfills from industrial waste, 55 are in use and 10 are closed. In 15 landfills, operation has been terminated fully or temorary (Viisimaa et.al., 1999). In 1999 the Hazardous Waste Handling Complex built according to EU requirements will be launched in East-Virumaa. The complex consists of the regional collection centre, waste transfer centre and a specialized disposal site. Since 1994, the analysis of hazardous substances is a part of the national monitoring program ( Estonian Environmental Monitoring, 1998 ). DISCUSSION

2 An initiative on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was started within the UN-ECE (United Nations-Economic Commission for Europe) in 1992 with the establishment of a Task Force on POPs within the framework of the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transport of Air Pollution (CLRTAP). Preparatory working group of the executive body of the CLRTAP started in 1996 from an initial list of 107 substances, 16 priority substances were identified for initial inclusion in the protocol. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Governing Council (GC) decision 18/32 of May the Inter-organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) was requested to initiate an assessment process on POPs, starting with the 12 substances (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene, PCB, PCDDs and PCDFs). In Estonia the use of plant protection products enlarged in the end of 50-ies. In t of pesticides were used, mainly DDT and hexachlorane and in a less degree also seed dressing products. In conjuction with development of chemical industry phosphororganic insecticides which are unstable in environment were introduced into agriculture. According to the Order from approved by the Government the import of chlororganic plant protection products were banned in Estonia ( Müür, 1996 ). Although some dangerous pesticides are not used any more, old stocks still remain in the countries. Since 1996, programs have been carried out in all three countries to identify these pesticides, re-pack them and store under safe conditions. Among the identified products there are several banned substances, as DDT and HCH products ( e.g. lindane, Fentiram, Pentathiuram).Examples of existing stocks of banned pesticides in three Baltic Countries ( tonnes in 2000 ): Estonia DDT 6 t and HCH 3t ; Latvia DDT 172 t and HCH 155 t; Lithuania DDT 80 t and HCH 24 t (2 nd Baltic State of the Environment Report, 2000 ). Substances that enter the environment should be categorized and ranked using hazard assessment criteria (Roots, 1996; 1999). In Estonia about 95% of the total amount of hazardous waste is generated by oil-shale and power production. Most waste emerging on the production of oil-shale energy and chemical industry belong to hazard classes III (wastes of moderate hazardousness) and IV (wastes of minor hazardousness) and to be hazardous due to its high alkalinity. Table 1. Generation of hazardous waste in (million tons) (Viisimaa et.al., 1999) Hazardous Waste Million tons Total hazardous 7,73 7,48 7,27 7,68 7,36 6,27 waste generation Oil-shale ashes, half-cokes 7,38 7,26 6,93 7,22 7,17 6,11

3 Hazardous waste generation (excl. oil-shale waste) 0,35 0,22 0,34 0,46 0,19 0,16 The Estonian Waste Classificatory is coding the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) containing wastes with code numbers: ; ; and Wastes under these code numbers are all hazardous waste. Estonia has taken the following steps to control POPs: - legislation; - considering the existing installations consisting PCBs (transformers, condensers, etc) and controlling their PCB content. In its report of October 13, 1999 the European Commission recognized Estonian environmental legislation s compliance with European Union s quite successful. Regarding the European Union frame directive: - success in air, water and chemicals: frame directives of air, water and waste have been passed. Regarding the waste treatment: - main part of the legislation is existing, including secondary legislation (waste permits, waste classification, etc.). Regarding chemicals: - main part of legislation is existing. Following are some of the regulations of Estonian Government and Minister of Environment, which regulate the use of persistent organic pollutants: 1. Government Regulation No 6, January 5, 1999 on establishing procedure for importing and exporting prohibited and strictly restricted chemicals. According to the regulation most of the earlier mentioned 12 chemicals can not be used in Estonia. The regulation also takes account the requirements of United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO and European Union on informing about chemicals export (the so-called prior informed consent PIC). 2. Government Regulation No 99, March 16, 1999 on ratifying the list of products prejudicial to environment as waste, the production, import, export and use of which is prohibited. 3. Regulation of Minister of Environment No 58, june 16, 1999 "Critical limits of hazardous substances in soil and groundwater." - target value is content of hazardous substances in soil or groundwater; the equal or smaller value indicates good state of soil or groundwater, i.e. harmless to man and environment. - state of soil or groundwater is satisfying if the content of hazardous substances stays between the guidance value and target value of soil or groundwater. (table 2)

4 Table 2. Critical limits of hazardous substances in soil and groundwater Hazardous substances CAS nr Critical limits in soil, mg/kg Critical limits in groundwater, µg/l PCB , ,5 1 Aldrin , ,01 1 Dieldrin ,05 0,5 2 0,01 1 Endrin , ,005 0,5 DDT ,1 0,5 5 0,1 1 HCH (each isomer) - 0,05 0,2 2 0,01 1 HCB ,5 5-0, ,5 5 Pesticides (summary) 1- Target value; 2- Guidance value in living centre; 3- Guidance value in industrial centre 4- Target value; 5- Guidance value; There were critical limits for 62 hazardous substances in Estonia. 4. Regulation of Minister of Environment No 71, July 19, 1999 "Procedure of managing wastes containing polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls." (considers the EC Directive 96/59 on elimination of PCB/PCT). The location of installations and their content of PCBs will turn out after the regulation comes into force. Some of the important points of the regulation: Each owner must inform Estonian Environment Information Centre about all installations that contain more than 5dm 3 PCBs by July 1, 2001; The owner submits inventory list of each installation containing PCBs; Estonian Environment Information Centre keeps record of PCB containing equipment. First report on the basis of inventory sheets will come out by August 1, After that the Information Centre will be controlling and updating data of the report once a year by 1 st of February; Owners of equipment containing PCBs must remove them from use or clear from pollution and eliminate PCBs from equipment as soon as possible but not later than 31 December PCB containing oil may be present in the following electric equipment within the scope of the PCB/PCT directive: high voltage capacitors used in the power distribution network large low voltage capacitors used by industry, the railways and other large consumers of electricity

5 transformers used in power plants and the power distribution network transformers used by industry, the railways and other large consumers of electricity power switches in the power distribution network The project between Danish and Estonian Ministry of Environment (Anonymous, 1999) enables us to get an overview of old transformes, condensers etc. that contain PCBs and are still in use in Estonia. Estonian experts for chemicals participated in many projects connected with persistent organic pollutants, as : Helsinki Commission Hazardous Substances Project Helsinki Commission Fourth Periodic Assessment of the State of the Environment of the Baltic Marine Area Proceedings,2001, No. 82B. UNEP Chemicals Project: Global Environmental Facility Project on Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances Danish Cooperation for Environment in Eastern Europe: Dioxin Short Review, Estonia Status on POPs Phase-out in the Baltic States ( Estonia ), etc. Several ministries, other governmental bodies as well as authorities are involved in matters concerning chemicals control. The Chemicals Safety Commission gives a good base for cooperation. Development of the Chemicals Notification Centre ( established in 3 rd quarter of 1999 ), under Ministry of the Social Affairs, continues with a view to collect and present information on chemicals that are either produced in Estonia, imported to, exported from or in transit through Estonia, and on risks related to these chemicals. To work up the Chemical Safety Progress Plan will conclude the contract with Sustainable Estonian Institute. Dioxin and furan sources have not been detected in Estonia. Estonia still has no waste incineration factors, which are substantial source of PCDD and PCDF pollution (Dioxin and Furan Inventories, 1999). The sources of PCDDs and PCDFs vary in different countries. For example, in Estonia there are power plants which use oil shale as a fuel. It is mined in Northeastern Estonia. During the European Dioxin Project concentration of dioxins was analyzed in Baltic Thermal Power Plant in oil-shale and fly ash from electrostatic

6 precipitators ( ESP ) (Dioxin Study..., 1998). The results are shown in the tables 3 and 4. PCDDs and PCDFs have been found in human milk samples in all over the world. Analyses of fish and dairy products indicates that the major exposure is via food ( Roots, 1996 ; 1999 ). At present time the contents of toxic chlororganic compounds analyzed in the Baltic fish of Estonian coastal waters remain below standards established by FAO/WHO in food, in which case the content of toxicants in the food does not cause symptoms of illness in case of people ( Roots, 1996; 1999;2000; State of Environment of Estonia, 2001 ). The concentration of DDT and PCB in breast milk in Estonia was studied from 1971 to 1984 ( Roots, 1996 ). The results were comparable to results reached in Sweden and Finland. It was concluded that the daily intake of DDT and PCB of new-born babies did not exceeded the acceptable daily intake level proposed by WHO ( Holoubek, et.al., 2001 ). Moreover, exposure of the average population in Estonia to chlorinated compounds seems lower than in most Western Europe. The data obtained ( Tuomisto and Hagmar, 1999 ) indicate that the levels of PCDD and PCDF in breast milk are quite similar in Estonia ( 13,5-21,4 TEQ pg/g on a fat weight basis ), Finland ( 16,0-17,9 ), Sweden ( 20,8-23,8 ) and Norway ( 14,9-20,4 ). Summary The observations done during the eight years do not yet allow us to make any big generalizations, but we can still conclude, that during this period the conditions of natural environment in the Estonia continued to improve ( Roots, 1998 ). Acknowledgement This research was supported from the Research and Writing Initiative of the Program on Global Security and Sustainability of the John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation Grant No.: Table 3. Concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls in oil-shale (EOIL1 and EOIL1B) led to the Baltic Thermal Power Plant oven and in fly ash (EIOL2 and EOIL2B) caught by electrostatic precipitators ( ESP ) ( Dioxin Study..., 1998 ) PCB* isomers Concentrations in µg/kg EOIL1 EOIL1B EOIL2 EOIL2B Trichlorbiphenyl 0,49 0,52 0,20 0,06 Tetrachlorbiphenyl 2,2 2,1 0,54 0,22 Pentachlorbiphenyl 4,7 4,4 1,0 0,43

7 Hexachlorbiphenyl 1,2 1,1 0,41 0,25 Heptachlorbiphenyl 0,36 0,31 0,19 0,14 Oktachlorbiphenyl n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Nonachlorbiphenyl n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Decachlorbiphenyl < 0,13 < 0,012 < 0,040 < 0,018 9,0 8,6 2,4 1,1 Sum:Tri+Decachlor obiphenyl 2,4,4 -Trichlorbiphe 0,16 0,15 0,039 0,014 nyl 2,2,5,5 -Tetrachlorb 0,52 0,48 0,13 0,041 iphenyl 2,2,4,5,5 -Pentachl 0,82 0,83 0,18 0,071 orbiphenyl 2,2,4,4,5,5 -Hexac hlorbiphenyl 0,37 0,33 0,12 0,065 2,2,3,4,4,5 -Hexac 0,39 0,42 0,14 hlorbiphenyl 0,090 2,2,3,4,4,5,5 -Hept 0,077 0,067 0,041 0,029 achlorbiphenyl < 0,026 < 0,019 < 0,010 < 0,010 3,3,4,4 -Tetrachlorb iphenyl 3,3,4,4,5-Pentachl < 0,026 < 0,023 < 0,008 < 0,013 orbiphenyl 3,3,4,4,5,5 -Hexac hlorbiphenyl < 0,016 < 0,007 < 0,006 < 0,006 n.d. - not detected * analyzed by Landesumweltamt Nordhein - Westfalen laboratory Table 4. Concentration of PCDD and PCDF in oil-shale (EOIL1 and EOIL1B) and in fly ash (EIOL2 and EOIL2B) caught by electrostatic precipitators ( ESP ) ( Dioxin Study..., 1998 ) PCDD and PCDF Concentration in ng/kg isomers* EOIL1 EOIL1B EOIL2 EOIL2B Sum TCDD n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Sum PeCDD n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Sum HxCDD n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Sum HpCDD 3,6 3,0 13 n.d. OCDD < 0,89 2,0 19 < 1,6 PCDD 4,4 5,0 32 1,6 2,3,7,8-TCDD < 0,28 < 0,33 < 0,62 < 0,28 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD < 0,24 < 0,46 < 0,65 < 0,51 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD < 1,0 < 1,0 < 2,3 < 2,2 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD < 0,92 < 0,86 < 2,0 < 1,9 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD < 0,86 < 0,81 < 1,9 < 1,8 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCD D 1,8 1,4 6,4 < 0,66

8 Sum TCDF n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Sum PeCDF n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. Sum HxCDF 1,3 1,0 3,2 n.d. Sum HpCDF 1,0 n.d. 4,7 2,7 OCDF < 3,4 n.d. < 18 < 8,5 PCDF 5,7 1, ,3,7,8-TCDF < 0,15 < 0,27 < 0,59 < 0,37 1,2,3,7,8/1,2,3,4,8-Pe < 0,36 < 0,62 < 1,3 < 0,59 CDF 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF < 0,30 < 0,51 < 1,1 < 0,49 1,2,3,4,7,8/1,2,3,4,7,9 < 0,37 < 0,51 < 0,96 < 0,50 -HxCDF 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF < 0,33 < 0,43 < 0,86 < 0,43 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF < 0,45 < 0,43 < 0,84 < 0,42 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF 0,98 0,85 2,9 < 0,36 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF 0,53 < 0,74 3,7 1,7 1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF < 0,73 < 1,2 < 1,5 < 1,2 PCDD+PCDF TE BGA excl. NWG 0,13 0,10 0,42 0,018 TE NATO/CCMS 0,12 0,10 0,41 0,017 excl. NWG TE BGA 1/2 NWG 0,49 0,54 1,30 0,60 TE NATO/CCMS 1/2 0,61 0,75 1,66 0,83 NWG TE BGA incl. NWG 0,86 0,98 2,18 1,18 TE NATO/CCMS incl. NWG 1,11 1,40 2,92 1,64 n.d. - not detected * analyzed by Landesumweltamt Nordhein - Westfalen laboratory References Anonymous Assistance in Implementing of the Disposal of PCBs/PCTs Directive in Estonia. Analysis Report August, Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, Danish Environment Support Fund for Central and Eastern Europe and Estonian Ministry of Environment, 21p. Dioxin and Furan Inventories. National and Regional Emissions of PCDD/PCDF Prepared by UNEP Chemicals, IOMC, Geneva, Switzerland, 120p. Dioxin Study in an oil-shale based power station Report (Ed. by M. Kört) Environmental Research Centre, Tallinn, 8p. (in Estonian). Estonian Environmental Monitoring ( Ed. by O.Roots and R. Talkop ) Estonian Ministry of the Environment, Environment Information Centre, Tallinn, 1998, 168 p. ( ISBN ).

9 Estonian National Environmental Strategy (Approved by Parliament on March 12, 1997) Estonian Environment Information Centre, 96p. Holoubek, I., Kocan, A., Holoubkova, I., Hilscherova, K., Kohoutek, J., Falandysz J. and O. Roots Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds in the Central and Eastern European Countries The State Of - Art Report Human Exposure, Arh. Hig. Rada Toxicol., 52, pp Müür, J Plant protection products use in Estonia. Estonian Environment 1995, Ministry of Environment of Estonia. Environment Information Centre, Tallinn, pp Roots, O Toxic chlororganic compounds in the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea. Estonian Environment Information Centre, Tallinn, 144 p. (ISBN ; ISSN ). Roots, O The effect of environmental pollution on human health in the Baltic States (Assessment and regional differences), Tallinn, 120p. (ISBN ). Roots, O Halogenated environmental contaminants in fish from Estonian coastal area, Chemisphere, 43, No.4-7, pp State of Environment in Estonia on the threshold of XXI century Estonian Environment Information Centre, Tallinn, 96 p. ( ISBN ). 2 nd Baltic State of the Environment Report based on environmental indicators Baltic Environmental Forum, Riga, 190p. Tuomisto, J. and L. Hagmar Environmental health in the east Baltic region pesticides and persistent organic compounds. Scand. J. Work. Environ & Health, 25, Suppl.. 3, pp Viisimaa, M., Liiver, M and Leevik, M Waste. Estonian Environment Ministry of Environment of Estonia, Environment Information Centre, Tallinn, pp (ISBN ; ISSN ).