Persistent organic pollutants in Belarus: sources, accumulation, regulation

The article is devoted to the results of the study in Belarus of the chemicals, additionally included in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) – ‘new’ POPs. The features of ‘new’ POPs and the problems of their identification are shown. The situation with industrial chemicals based on ‘new’ POPs in Belarus, including polybromodiphenyl esters, per- and polyfluorinated compounds, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, polychlorinated naphthalenes and other POPs is briefly described. Estimates of technogenic flows of polybromodiphenyl ethers in the composition of polymer waste of electrical and electronic equipment, including the volume of their annual formation on the territory of Belarus, are given. The list of scientific and methodological and regulatory technical documents for the regulation of POPs in Belarus, developed as part of the implementation of a number of activities of State scientific and technical programs, National plans and subprograms on the management of POPs, is given. Priority measures for the environmentally sound management of POPs, additionally included in the Convention, as well as the main directions of further research are identified.

1. Kakareka S. V., Kukharchyk T. I. Istochniki postupleniya stoykikh organicheskikh zagryazniteley v okruzhayushchuyu sredu: opyt vyyavleniya i izucheniya [Sources of Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Environment: Experience in Identification and Study]. Prirodopol'zovaniye = Nature Management, 2012, no. 22, pp. 157–164. (in Russian)

2. Kukharchyk T. I., Kakareka S. V., Lapko T. L., Kozyrenko M. I. Metodicheskiye rekomendatsii po vyyavleniyu i otsenke zapasov khimicheskikh veshchestv, dopolnitel'no vklyuchennykh v Stokgol'mskuyu konventsiyu o SOZ [Guidelines for the identification and assessment of stocks of chemicals additionally included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs]. Minsk, 2013, 44 p. (in Russian)

3. Kukharchyk T. I., Kakareka S. V., Kozyrenko M. I. Metodicheskiye rekomendatsii po vyyavleniyu i otsenke zapasov khimicheskikh veshchestv, vklyuchennykh v Stokgol'mskuyu konventsiyu o SOZ v 2011 g. i 2013 g. i nakhodyashchikhsya na rassmotrenii kak kandidaty v SOZ [Guidelines for the identification and assessment of stocks of chemicals included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs in 2011 and 2013 and are under consideration as candidates for POPs]. Minsk, Institute of Nature Management of the NAS of Belarus Publ., 2015, 52 p.

4. Hansen E., Nillson N., Vium K. S. R. Hazardous substances in plastics. Survey of chemical substances in consumer products, 2014, no. 132. Denmark, The Danish Environmental Protection Agency, 2014, 182 p.

5. Lakhvich V. V., Varikov G. I. Issledovaniye svoystv plenkoobrazuyushchikh penoobrazovateley dlya tusheniya goryuchikh zhidkostey [Investigation of the properties of film-forming foam concentrates for extinguishing flammable liquids]. Vestn. Komand.-inzhener. in-ta MChS Respubliki Belarus' = Bulletin of the Command and Engineering Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus, 2014, no. 1 (19), pp. 73–81. (in Russian)

6. Kukharchyk T. I., Kozyrenko M. I. Ispol'zovaniye geksabromtsiklododekana v Belarusi, problemy vyyavleniya i predotvrashcheniya postupleniya v okruzhayushchuyu sredu [Use of hexabromocyclododecane in Belarus, problems of detection and prevention of release into the environment]. Viesci Nacyjanaĺnaj akademii navuk Bielarusi. Sieryja chimičnych navuk = News of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Series of chemical sciences, 2016, no. 1, pp. 74–81. (in Russian)

7. Kukharchyk T. I., Kakareka S. V., Kozyrenko M. I., Chernyuk V. D., Krylovich A. V. Spravochno-informatsionnyy byulleten' o khimicheskikh veshchestvakh v Belarusi, dopolnitel'no vklyuchennykh v Stokgol'mskuyu konventsiyu o SOZ v 2009–2019 godakh [act sheet on chemicals in Belarus additionally included in the Stockholm Convention on POPs in 2009–2019]. Minsk, Institute of Nature Management of the NAS of Belarus, 2020, 52 p. (in Russian)

8. Gallen C., Banks A., Brandsma S., Baduel C., Thai P., Eaglesham G., Heffernan A., Leonards P., Bainton P., Mueller J. F. Towards development of a rapid and effective non-destructive testing strategy to identify brominated flame retardants in the plastics of consumer products. Science of the Total Environment, 2014, no. 491–492, pp. 255–265.

9. Wagner S., Schlummer M. Legacy additives in a circular economy of plastics: Current dilemma, policy analysis, and emerging countermeasures. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2020, no. 158, p. 104800.

10. Vojta Š., Bečanová J., Melymuk L., Komprdová K., Kohoutek J., Kukučka P., Klánová J. Screening for halogenated flame retardants in European consumer products, building materials and wastes. Chemosphere, 2017, no. 168, pp. 457–466.

11. Strakova J., Petrlik J., Pulkrabová J., Gramblička T. Toxic recycling, or How unsorted waste may contaminate consumer products in the Czech Republic. Organohalogen Compounds, 2018, no. 80, pp. 365–368.

12. Klinčić D., Dvoršćak M., Jagić K., Mendaš G., Herceg Romanić S. Levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in humans and environmental compartments: a comprehensive review of the last five years of research. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020, no. 27 (6), pp. 5744–5758.

13. Kukharchyk T., Přibylová P., Chernyuk V. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in plastic waste of electrical and electronic equipment: a case study in Belarus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020, no. 27 (41), pp. 32116– 32123.

14. Kukharchyk T. I., Chernyuk V. D., Kulakovych V. P. Soderzhaniye zagryaznyayushchikh veshchestv v otkhodakh plastika elektrotekhnicheskikh izdeliy v Belarusi [The content of pollutants in plastic waste from electrical products in Belarus]. Doklady NAN Belarusi = Reports of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2021, no. 65 (2), pp. 224–223. (in Russian)

15. Draft guidance on preparing inventories of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, 2021, 158 p.

16. Guidance on best available techniques and best environmental practices for the recycling and disposal of wastes containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Updated. UNEP, Stockholm convention, 2021, 107 p.

17. Ritscher A. [et al.]. Zürich Statement on Future Actions on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2018, no. 126 (8), pp. 1–5.

18. Environment Agency (2021) Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): sources, pathways and environmental data. Chief Scientist’s Group report. Environment Agency, Bristol. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications (accessed August 15, 2022).

19. UNEP/CHW.14/7/Add.1/Rev.1 (2019). Obshchiye tekhnicheskiye rukovodyashchiye printsipy ekologicheski obosnovannogo regulirovaniya otkhodov, sostoyashchikh iz stoykikh organicheskikh zagryazniteley, soderzhashchikh ikh ili zagryaznennykh imi [General technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants]. Available at: https://www.basel.int/Portals/4/download.aspx?d=UNEP-CHW.14-7-Add.1-Rev.1.English.pdf (accessed July 10, 2021). (in Russian).