Jindrich Petrlik

• MS (Dr. rer. nat.)
• Program Director at Arnika Association

This map highlights POP-contaminated sites, which are increasingly important as unremediated locations remain major sources of pollution. Although efforts were made to gather the most current information, the status of the sites presented on the map may have changed, and some of them may have already been remediated.

Medical waste incineration is a major source of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UPOPs) as well as intentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are destroyed during the incineration process, including dioxins and brominated flame retardants, which pose significant risks to human health and the environment....

In my presentation, there isn’t enough time to discuss all the aspects mentioned in this study https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378070437_Pollutant_Release_and_Transfer_Register_and_Civil_Society, published in 2023 as part of a project supported by the European Commission. One critical aspect is the need for reporting specific chemicals pre...

Jedná se o český překlad příspěvku na konferenci DIOXIN2024. Tato studie navazuje na předchozí výzkumy IPEN a Arniky, které varovaly před neregulovanou recyklací plastů z elektroodpadu, jež do nových výrobků vnášejí bromované zpomalovače hoření. Aktuální studie si klade za cíl zjistit, zda dětské hračky, vlasové doplňky, kancelářské potřeby a kuchy...

Jedná se o český překlad anglického příspěvku z konference Dioxin2024. Termínem PFAS označujeme per-a polyfluoralkylované látky, které se používají jak v průmyslových procesech, tak v produktech pro domácnost, a které jsou vyráběny od 50. let 20. století. Tato skupina, zahrnující přibližně 10 000 sloučenin, je známá především díky použití v Teflon...

Municipal waste can contain materials contaminated with PFASs and/or other fluorinated compounds, leading to PFASs emissions and release during incineration. PFOS and PFOA were measured in air emissions from the WtE plant in Harlingen, Netherlands; they were also detected in biological analyses of moss and needles near municipal solid waste inciner...

In 2018, there were two MSWIs in operation in Phuket, which incinerated 680 tons of dried garbage daily. The previous MSWI, completed in 1999, incinerated 250 tons of garbage per day. It stopped operation in 2012. POPs have been studied at the MWIs in Phuket and its surroundings several times. For the first time in 1997, it became part of the Thai...

The aim of this study is to analyse toxic pollutants in order to ascertain whether they exceed the established limits for contamination of soil or sediment, and thus whether decontamination is required. We also look at levels of the same contaminants as they were measured after sampling in Upper Dnipro river basin in Belarus in 20127.

This study continues previous investigations by IPEN and Arnika that have warned against unregulated recycling of e-waste plastics, which carry brominated flame retardants into new products. The current study aims to determine whether children’s toys, hair accessories, office supplies, and kitchen utensils in the world markets contain TBBPA, among...

Severe environmental and food chain contamination with POPs resulting from using plastic waste as fuel in both tofu factories in Tropodo and lime kilns in Karawang Regency has been confirmed by analyzing free-range chicken egg samples in this study. The contamination of eggs with PCDD/Fs/dl PCBs/PBDD/Fs represents the highest levels recorded in Asi...

Electronic waste (e-waste) poses significant environmental and health risks in Thailand due to both domestic production and international imports. A notable portion of this waste is processed in smallscale, community-based workshops, often located in poorer regions, where safety regulations are improperly enforced or entirely ignored. This study fo...

KEY FINDINGS • Waste incineration is not a solution to the triple planetary crisis - it actually contributes to it. Incinerating waste emits large volumes of CO2, pollutes the environment with a variety of toxic chemicals including dioxins, mercury, and many others in quantities exceeding planetary limits, and contributes to biodiversity loss. • Wa...

The majority of samples for this study were collected in 2022. The matrices sampled were soil (10 samples), sediment (2 samples), ash and brick containing fly ash (2 and 1 sample, respectively), and eggs (19 pooled samples). Eggs were sampled between 2020 and 2024, and in addition to eggs from Java, one egg sample from the Morowali site in Sulawesi...

Since the very beginning of the war, Ukraine began to record the damage caused by the Russia. Preliminary monitoring of environmental impact shows substantial damage to urban and rural environments across a wide geographic area. Numerous incidents have caused serious pollution to air, water and soil and have seriously damaged many ecosystems. Exten...

Summary of Toxic Hot Spots in Java II (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381111055_Toxic_Hot_Spots_in_Java_II) in Bahasa.

Pollutant Release and Transfer Register and Civil Society (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377985491_Pollutant_Release_and_Transfer_Register_and_Civil_Society) - summary in Bahasa.

Our new report has focused on additional monitoring of food and biota in surrounding of Phuket waste incinerator, The aim of sampling and monitoring in surrounding of municipal waste incinerators in Phuket was to obtain more data about contamination by POPs, including their presence in food chain represented by free-range chicken eggs. High concent...

The transfer of plastic waste from developed to developing countries poses a significant environmental problem due to the difficulty in handling the waste, which often contains hazardous chemical additives. Plastics from used electronics and consumer products, especially those containing flame retardants, are of particular concern, as they release...

The inception of Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) traces back to a collective global acknowledgment of the need for enhanced transparency in environmental reporting. This study embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of PRTRs, shedding light on their historical underpinnings and the subsequent global proliferation of...

Since the very beginning of the war, Ukraine began to record the damage caused by the Russia. Preliminary monitoring of environmental impact shows substantial damage to urban and rural environments across a wide geographic area. Numerous incidents have caused serious pollution to air, water and soil and have seriously damaged many ecosystems. Exten...

Introduction: Developing countries, including countries in Africa, suffer from the health and environmental impacts of toxic chemicals and wastes more than developed countries. This is in part the result of loopholes in international legislation and abuses by large corporations and countries that export waste containing dangerous chemicals. Burning...

Mining and ore processing activities have long been an integral part of Armenia’s economy, providing valuable resources and employment opportunities. However, the lack of effective regulations and mitigation measures has resulted in the release of toxic heavy metals into the environment. In 2022 and 2023 we conducted a study in four regions of Arme...

Waste incineration plants impact the environment in various ways. The presentation at the seminar in Podgorica primarily focused on the issue of residues from waste incineration in the form of ash/slack and ashes. It addressed their chemical composition, highlighting the possibility of dioxin leaks into the environment. The presentation also drew a...

English summary: In this study, we gradually went through the individual areas of the effects of waste incinerators on the environment, human health and the economy. One of the biggest problems associated with waste incineration is dioxins, which have serious negative effects on human health, including cancer, damage to the immune system, reproduct...

Waste incinerators are listed among major sources of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Annex C to the Stockholm Convention. Large amounts of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are released into the environment through waste incineration (WI) residues like fly ashes and other air pollution co...

Electronic waste (e-waste) and its imports from abroad represent a major burden for the environment and human health in Thailand. This study is focused on mapping pollution by POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) in the vicinity of two facilities processing e-waste in Chachoengsao province, and one site affected by the disposal of sludge of unknown...

Developing countries, including countries in Africa, suffer from the health and environmental impacts of toxic chemicals and wastes more than developed countries. This is, in part the result of loopholes in international legislation and exploitation of those loopholes by large corporations and countries that export e-waste and end-of-life vehicles...

There is a range of studies on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in eggs. Free-range poultry eggs have been found to be sensitive indicators of PCDD/F and PCB contamination in soils and are an important exposure pathway from soil pollution to humans1. Eggs from contaminated areas can...

This study shows that children’s toys, hair accessories, office supplies and kitchen utensils in the Chinese, Indonesian, Russian, and Philippine markets contained brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The BFRs likely originated from unregulated recycling of e-waste plastics as all four countries are all producers and importers of e-waste potentially...

A wide range of POPs are produced in waste incinerators, as unintentional by-products of the combustion process. Therefore, the Stockholm Convention lists waste incinerators in Annex C among “source categories that have the potential for comparatively high formation and release of these chemicals to the environment” (Stockholm Convention 2010). Lar...

Highlights • From 26 different countries, on four continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe), more than 60% of the toys and consumer products analysed in this study by chemical (GC-HRMS) and effect-based analysis (DR CALUX) for polyhalogenated dioxins, showed higher levels than the proposed limit value for toxic waste (> 1000 TEQ pg/g) (Basel...

Electronic waste and its imports from abroad represent a big burden for the environment and human health in Thailand. This study is focused on research of community based informal e-waste separation and dismantling operations in the Khok Sa-ad subdistrict, Khong Chai district, Kalasin province in northeastern Thailand, where also a large dumpsite w...

Introduction Developing countries, including countries in Africa, suffer from the health and environmental impacts of toxic chemicals and wastes more than developed countries. This is in part the result of loopholes in international legislation and abuses by large corporations and countries that export waste containing dangerous chemicals. Burning...

Dechlorane Plus is a widely used polychlorinated flame retardant, despite its endocrine disrupting effects in humans. It has been marketed and used as a replacement for brominated flame retardants. The scientific expert committee under the Stockholm Convention, the POPs Review Committee, has concluded that it meets all Stockholm Convention criteria...

El Convenio de Minamata se adoptó en 2013 para proteger el medio ambiente y la salud humana frente al mercurio. Desde hace décadas se sabe que el mercurio es un contaminante, y son bien conocidos los efectos sobre la salud humana asociados a su presencia en el medio ambiente. Este metal tóxico se bioacumula sobre todo en los medios acuáticos, y a t...

The Minamata Convention was adopted in 2013 to protect the environment and human health from mercury. Mercury has been known as a pollutant for decades, and the effects on human health associated with its presence in the environment are well known. This toxic metal bioaccumulates particularly in aquatic environments, and through the food chain and,...

Electronic waste and its imports from abroad represent a big burden for the environment and human health in Thailand. This study is focused on mapping pollution by POPs (Persistent organic pollutants) in the vicinity of two facilities processing e-waste in Chachoengsao Province, and one site affected by the disposal of sludge of unknown origin (Hat...

We focused on mapping pollution by POPs in villages of Karawang Regency, West Java, at sites affected by using plastic and rubber waste (including used tires) as a fuel in lime kilns.

This study is focused on the evaluation of the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) measured in three pooled egg samples of free-range chicken eggs from three Moldovan villages, Ciobanovca, Balti, and Dumbrava that are potentially affected by near potential POPs sources such as landfills, chemical industry using combustion technology and...

This brief study is focused on evaluation of publicly available data about trials of burning wastes containing PFASs, in particular those listed under Stockholm Convention. These trials were undertaken in two high temperature operations based in Australia – a cement kiln and a high temperature hazardous waste incinerator.

Fourteen samples out of 95 Rubik’s like cubes included in the study from 2017 and 47 consumer products from recent analysis in eleven African and Arab countries were selected for the analysis for brominated dioxins. Selection of the samples for BFRs analyses was based on measured levels of total bromine and antimony. Selected products were analyzed...

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have for a long time been widely used in plastic and foam products, including furniture upholstery, car seats, electronics, and building insulation. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs: penta-, octa-, and decaBDE), and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic...

IPEN, an international network of more than 600 NGOs from over 120 countries focused on addressing toxic pollution has conducted the first global study about dioxin, PCBs and HCB contamination of eggs from sites suspected to be polluted by POPs in 2005 when free range chicken eggs were collected from 17 countries worldwide. IPEN's and Arnika's (Cze...

Polychlorinated dioxins and furans, as well as PCBs, as unintentionally produced POPs (UPOPs) were listed under Annex C to the Stockholm Convention as part of the so-called ‘dirty dozen’ POPs at the very beginning of the Convention. In order to assess how well the convention has worked, these original POPs should also be monitored in the environmen...

This review compiles information on PCDD/F- and PCB-contaminated eggs from 20 years of global egg monitoring around emission sources conducted by the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) and Arnika as well as a compilation of data from scientific literature. IPEN monitored 127 pooled egg samples including samples from 113 chicken flo...

Abstract Both the environment in Africa and the Arabic region and the human health of Africans and people from Arabic countries suffer from toxic chemicals and imported wastes more than in developed countries. Africa has become a destination of illegal toxic waste exports and, as this study shows, toxic chemicals are also present in toys, kitchen u...

Tato česká kompilace vychází ze dvou studií publikovaných na konferencích Dioxin 2019 a Dioxin 2021. Pokusila se o odhad množství dioxinů v popílcích celosvětově produkovaných spalovnami odpadů a mapuje příklady kontaminace potravních řetězců těmito látkami. xxxxx This Czech compilation is based on two studies published at the conferences Dioxin 20...

La présente étude a montré que les jouets pour enfants, les accessoires pour cheveux, les fournitures de bureau et les ustensiles de cuisine trouvés sur le marché tunisien, sont affectés par le recyclage non réglementé des déchets plastiques électroniques qui contiennent des retardateurs de flamme bromés RFB connus sous le nom de perturbateurs endo...

La présente étude a montré que les jouets pour enfants, les accessoires pour cheveux, les fournitures de bureau et les ustensiles de cuisine trouvés sur le marché tunisien, sont affectés par le recyclage non réglementé des déchets plastiques électroniques qui contiennent des retardateurs de flamme bromés RFB connus sous le nom de perturbateurs endo...

The Czech Republic undoubtedly has a good electronic take-back system, and it should be relatively easy for citizens to find a place to drop off their old or retired electronics. However, if electronics are put away in the wrong place, such an appliance can end up in a landfill, instead of a sorting and recycling workshop. In our case, we noticed t...

Pooled samples of free-range chicken eggs and composite samples of soils were collected in three villages near the potential sources of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These samples were analysed for their content of the following POPs: chlorinated dioxins and furans (dioxins; PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retar...

The study was focused on the monitoring of cadmium, lead, chromium, copper, zinc, nickel, arsenic, and mercury in the drainage basin of the Dniester River in Moldova. The aim of the study was to identify potential heavy metal pollution sources in the Moldovan environment. A set of samples of soil, sediments, and surface water was collected in the s...

This study summarizes all the results of sampling campaigns carried out between 2018 and 2021 in 13 settlements of the Tumanyan and Stepanavan regions of Lori Province. The survey was conducted with the cooperation of three non-profit organizations: Arnika, Centre for Community Mobilization and Support (CCMS), and EcoLur. The individual surveys gen...

В исследовании обобщены результаты кампаний по отбору и анализу проб, проведенных в период с 2018 по 2021 год в 13 населенных пунктах Туманянского и Степанаванского регионов Лорийской области. Это исследование было проведено некоммерческими организациями - чешской природоохранной НПО “Арника”, НПО “Центр общинной мобилизации и содействия” из Алавер...

It was well established that significant releases of PCDD/Fs occurred in the Leblanc and graphite electrolysis processes during chlorine production. High concentrations of PCDD/Fs were measured in residues and/or contaminated soils at the facilities using these processes. Less information is available about PCDD/Fs and other unintentional POPs conc...

In this research, fifteen pooled samples of free-range chicken eggs (from 14 hot spots around the world) and two reference samples from supermarkets (see Table 1) were analyzed for PBDD/Fs. All egg samples were also analyzed for PCDD/Fs and dl PCBs by HRGC-HRMS. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that sub-standard settings of e-waste plastic dispo...

Two hundred and forty-four (244) samples of consumer products made of black plastic were obtained from markets and stores in seven African countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, and Tunisia. The samples were expected to be made from recycled plastic. Children’s toys, hair accessories, kitchen utensils, and office supplies w...

In this study, we present the results of the analyses of free-range hens’ eggs and fish from the Tumanyan District in the north of Armenia, in order to evaluate potential contamination of food chain with PCDD/Fs and dl PCBs. Copper smelter has been operated in Alaverdi since the end of 19th century. Metallurgy belongs to the industries listed in An...

This study is a continuation of previous investigations by IPEN and Arnika that have warned against unregulated recycling of e-waste plastics, which carry brominated flame retardants into new products. The current study is aimed at determining whether children’s toys, hair accessories, office supplies, and kitchen utensils found on the Czech and Se...

Introduction Spolana, one of two chlor-alkali plants in the Czech Republic, measured PCDD/Fs, PeCB, HCB and PCBs levels in several different wastes from amalgam electrolysis. This data became available in annual reports for Spolana’s compliance with its permit under the Integated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC). The objective of this study is t...

Solid waste incineration (WI) is listed as one of the largest sources of dioxins (PCDD/Fs) in Annex C to the Stockholm Convention (SC) as WI releases dioxins in air emissions but also in fly ashes and other residues from the air pollution control (APC) system. In total, the residues range between 25% and 35% of the original weight of waste input. T...

This study assessed persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fatty food products from camels and chickens from southwestern Kazakhstan. POPs are widely distributed throughout the environment; accumulate in animal fats and are toxic to both humans and wildlife. High levels of dl PCBs were found in free range chicken eggs and camel milk and shubat sam...

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) contamination in developing countries can include domestic and foreign pollution sources. The study focused on sites potentially polluted by such sources on Java, Indonesia, in particular, areas affected by plastic and paper waste imports, secondary aluminium production, and waste incineration in five locations...

Free-range chicken eggs are sensitive indicators of POPs contamination in soils/dust and represent an important human exposure pathway. This study demonstrated that sub-standard settings of e-waste plastic disposal and metal smelting plants are growing sources of PBDD/Fs releases to the environment in developing countries. PBDD/Fs are also shown to...

Executive summary: Both the African environment and the human health of Africans suffer from toxic chemicals and imported wastes more than in developed countries. Africa has become the destination of illegal toxic waste exports and, as this study shows, toxic chemicals are also present in toys, kitchen utensils, and other consumer products sold at...

Executive Summary Waste generated from the use of plastics is a challenge for the whole of human society. Plastics are everywhere around us, and we can find tiny parts of plastics in even the most pristine places. Most plastics were invented by chemical scientists, and in order to make the plastic suitable for many different uses or to make them me...

English summary of the report: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349494449_Assessment_of_the_planned_recovery_of_worn_tyres_by_thermal_depolymerisation_in_Handlova Občianske združenie „Priatelia Zeme – CEPA“ nás požiadalo o vypracovanie posudku k zámeru výstavby a prevádzky zariadenia na zhodnocovanie odpadového materiálu – odpadových pneuma...

Executive summary Toxic substancesThe applicant's documentation contains insufficient information on the composition of the end productsof thermal depolymerisationin terms of toxic substances. However, the presented information also suggests that polyaromatic hydrocarbons willbe produced by the pyrolytic decomposition of tyres. Analyses of the end...

(Serbian version of: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347270485_Soft_plastic_harsh_truth_-_Phthalates_in_articles_on_the_Serbian_market/stats) Alternativa za bezbedne hemikalije (ALHem) iz Srbije i Arnika iz Češke Republike su, u okviru kampanje „MEKANA plastika, GRUBA istina“, sprovele ispitivanje sadržaja ftalata u proizvodima za svakodne...

Safer Chemicals Alternative (ALHem) from Serbia and Arnika from the Czech Republic conducted the analysis of the presence of phthalates in products for everyday use. The purpose of the analyses carried out within the joint ALHem/ARNIKA project was to examine the presence in plastic products on the Serbian market of the following four phthalates: bi...

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) contamination in developing countries can include both domestic and foreign sources of pollution. This study focused on sites potentially polluted by such sources on the island of Java, Indonesia, in particular sites affected by plastic and paper waste imports, secondary aluminum production, and waste incinerati...

SUMMARY OF THE ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR POPS IN EGGS FROM NAIROBI – MIREMA An analysis of free-range chicken eggs sampled at a site in Nairobi – Mirema, Kenya, approximately 300 m from a community cooker situated on fenced-in school grounds and using plastic waste for fuel, revealed: • Significant levels of very hazardous chemicals including dioxins...

Case study of the site contaminated with POPs pesticides, DDT and HCH in particular. Former pesticides storage in Klatovy - Luby was returned back to original owners but contaminated with POPs. Remediation of the site took place in 2010 - 2012. Part of the POPs wastes was processed by using non-combustion technology called Copper mediated destructi...

Brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) are increasingly reported at significant levels in various matrices, including consumer goods that are manufactured from plastics containing certain brominated flame retardants. PBDD/Fs are known ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) but are not yet considered in the hazard assessme...

After China closed its doors to plastic waste imports in 2018, developed countries sharply increased exports of non-recyclable plastic waste to Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. As a result, Indonesia’s plastic waste imports doubled to 320,000 tonnes in 2018 compared to 2017. Based on observations by Ecoton and Nexus3, between 25% to 5...

The study was focused on the monitoring and evaluation of pollution by heavy metals in the industrial region of Alaverdi and Akhtala in the north-east of Armenia. A set of samples of soil, foodstuffs (home-grown vegetables, fruits, and honey), and human hair was carried out to monitor the distribution of industrial contamination. The samples were t...

Summary Mercury has become a substance of global importance due to its ability of long-distance transport, its persistence in environment, bioaccumulation and toxicity. The main goal of this study is to interpret the data set obtained from environmental sampling in Prague, which was conducted between August and October 2019. The collected fish and...

本报告由国际消除持久性有机污染物网络（IPEN）编写，旨在应对废弃物焚烧这一持久性有机污染物（POPs）的主要环境污染源。该污染源在相关的风险评估、暴露场景和监管控制方面经常被忽视、低估或错误分类。废弃物焚烧产生的灰分和其他灰渣含有多氯二苯并二噁英和多氯二苯并呋喃（PCDD/Fs，下文常简称为“二噁英和呋喃”），及一系列其他高毒性持久性有机污染物，其含量对人类健康和环境构成威胁。对于焚烧灰渣所含的持久性有机污染物，现行管理做法和监管阈值水平并未阻止此类污染物进入农业环境、食物链和更广大的环境。 各行业经常推荐废弃物焚烧法，把这作为废弃物管理问题的“解决方案”，以及填埋场的优良替代方案。然而，废弃物焚烧法会产生大量有毒灰分和其他灰渣（约占原始废弃物重量的30%），它们被倾倒在填埋场、露天场地，...

Brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) are increasingly reported at significant levels in various matrices, including consumer goods that are manufactured from black plastics. PBDD/Fs are known ligands for the dioxin receptor (AhR) but are not yet considered in the hazard assessment of dioxin mixtures. The aim of the present study...

Brominated dioxins (PBDD/Fs) have been found to exhibit similar toxicity and health effects as their chlorinated analogues (PCDD/Fs). They can for example affect brain development, damage the immune system and fetus or induce carcinogenesis. In general, brominated dioxins are subject to significantly less regulation than chlorinated dioxins. For ex...

There is a range of studies on PCDD/Fs and PCBs in eggs. Eggs have been found to be sensitive indicators of POPs contamination in soils and are an important exposure pathway from soil pollution to humans. In this study, we sought to broaden the available data and eggs were sampled at sites suspected of being impacted by POPs in countries of Centra...

This study examines, for first time, short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in pooled samples of free-range chicken eggs from polluted hot spots in several countries. The objective is to obtain a better understanding of the levels of these chemicals in the environment at sites demonstrated to have been contaminated by other POPs in previous stud...

Incineration of medical waste and open burning of waste including electronic waste are potentially large sources of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These substances are slated for global reduction and elimination under the Stockholm Convention. Medical waste incineration and open burning are common in developing count...

Emissions of dioxins from incineration are regular controlled by short-term measurement of 6-8 hours twice a year. Emissions of other unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UPOPs) are not included. In the most modern incinerator of the Netherlands are long and short-term sampling performed. Multiple UPOPs are analysed in relation t...

Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) is the last of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) added to the list of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) that are banned and/or regulated by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). As such it should also have an international limit for its content in wastes. That limit is the Low...

Polychlorinated dioxins and furans, as well as PCBs, as unintentionally produced POPs (UPOPs) were listed under Annex C to the Stockholm Convention as part of the so-called ‘dirty dozen’ POPs at the very beginning of the Convention. In order to assess how well the convention has worked, these original POPs should also be monitored in the environmen...

Nine toys, three hair accessories and one smart phone holder made from black recycled plastic were selected for analysis. These samples had already been analyzed for PBDEs from previously researched sets of samples. Dioxin-like activity and PBDD/Fs were found in all thirteen consumer products (Table 2). Levels of DR CALUX dioxin-like activity range...

This study investigated POPs contamination at a total of six sites: the world’s largest e-waste scrap yard in Agbogbloshie (Ghana); medical waste incinerators in Accra (Ghana), Kumasi (Ghana) and Yaoundé (Cameroon); and two open-burning waste dump sites in Yaoundé (Cameroon). The study measured POPs in eggs because free-range chickens are “active s...

Over 40,000,000 tons of toxic waste from discarded electronics (e-waste) is created each year with an annual growth rate of 4-5%. Meanwhile, there is a lack of efficient, safe and sustainable infrastructure for its disposal in the regions of the world where the majority of the exported e-waste stream is destined to end up. A typical place in Africa...

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including PCDD/Fs, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are among the most important and hazardous pollutants of soil. Food producing animals such as chicken, beef, sheep and goats can take up soil while grazing or living outdoors (free-range) and this can result in contamination. In recent decades, large...

Thailand has undergone major industrial and social transformation amid rapid economic growth and development for over half a century. It has successfully shifted its economy from agriculture to export-oriented manufacturing, while integrating key production, particularly automobiles and electronics, into regional value chains. Toxic pollution, as t...

The process of the preparation of a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) in Thailand has been ongoing at least since 2011, when JICA started a pilot project in Rayong Province. However, EARTH and its NGO forerunner, CAIN (Campaign for Alternative Industry Network), were deeply involved in the preparation of the PRTR in Thailand. CAIN advo...

Poster summarizes findings from the report Toxic Loophole: 430 samples of toys, hair accessories and kitchen utensils screened for Br and Sb content. 109 products with higher Br and Sb levels analyzed for PBDEs contamination: 50 samples had more than 10 ppm of Octa-BDE. 88 samples had more than 10 ppm of the Deca-BDE. 30 products had more than 500...

In this study, we present the results of the monitoring of free-range poultry eggs from Kharkiv, Mariupol, and Krivyi Rih, cities in the eastern part of Ukraine, which were considered to be potentially contaminated by persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Free-range poultry eggs were used for monitoring levels of contamination by POPs in various lo...

In this study, we present the results of the monitoring of free-range hens’ eggs from Alaverdi, a town in the north of Armenia, close to the border with Georgia, which was considered to be potentially contaminated by persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Free-range poultry eggs were used for monitoring levels of contamination by POPs in various loc...