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Jamaica’s Experience in the Implementation of the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions

Explore Jamaica's initiatives in implementing the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions for chemicals management, institutional arrangements, and national implementation plans. Learn about the role of key agencies and the challenges faced in environmentally sound storage and disposal.

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Jamaica’s Experience in the Implementation of the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions

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  1. Jamaica’s Experience in the Implementation of the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions

  2. Multilateral Environmental Agreements: Chemicals Management

  3. Institutional Arrangements Stockholm Convention Official Contact Point: Environmental Management Division, Office of the Prime Minister National Focal Point: Environmental Management Division, Office of the Prime Minister (pursuant to Article 9) Rotterdam Convention Focal Point: Pesticides Control Authority A laboratory has been established at the University of the West Indies (Chemistry Department ) which has been certified to undertake POPs analyses

  4. National Chemical Review Committee (NCRC) A National Chemical Review Committee was established in 2008 comprising representatives from the following agencies: • Office of the Prime Minister • National Environment and Planning Agency • Pesticides Control Authority • Government Chemist • Bureau of Standards • Environmental Health Unit, Ministry of Health • Pharmaceutical and Regulatory Affairs Unit, Ministry of Health, and • University of the West Indies (Chemistry Department)

  5. Principal Functions of the NCRC The NCRC was established to: • Assist the country to respond to request for comments from the relevant bodies of the Basel, Rotterdam (Chemical Review Committee) and Stockholm Conventions (POPs Chemical Review Committee) • Contribute to the development of the country’s position on issues that will be negotiated at COPs of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions • Facilitate information exchange among relevant public and private sector stakeholders and academia on national chemicals management issues, and • Sharing of technical expertise

  6. National Implementation of the Stockholm Convention • National Report of the Status of POPs in Jamaica has been prepared (GEF sponsored project) • Draft National Implementation Plan (NIP) for POPs has been developed. It is anticipated that the NIP will be submitted to COP-4 of the Stockholm Convention in May 2009

  7. Elimination of stocks of POPs-pesticides • Based on the NIP, only small quantities of heptaclor and chlordane have been identified for a storage sites for disposal. • Due to resource constraints, Jamaica continues to face challenges with respect to the environmentally sound storage and disposal of obsolete and/or unwanted pesticides

  8. Major findings of the NIP • No POPs pesticides are manufactured in Jamaica. All imports of POPs pesticides [Annex A of the Stockholm Convention] are banned under the Pesticides Act • The main POPs (based on the current 12 listed under the Convention) which are of principal concern to Jamaica are: - PCBs (Annexes A and C) - Dioxins and Furans (Annex C)

  9. Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes (Article 6) PCB Wastes Exports Footnote: – 1shipments completed under a bilateral agreement between the Gov’ts of Jamaica and France

  10. Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes (Article 6) (cont’d) Before After

  11. Management of PCBs • Only one site has been clearly identified as contaminated with PCBs • Deadlines have been established under the NIP for, inter alia,: - Testing of all out-of-service transformers manufactured before 1980 for PCBs (the major electricity generator/distributor has an ongoing testing programme) - Testing of all in-service vault and pad mounted transformers manufactured prior to 1980 for PCBs - Elimination of PCBs in the transmission system

  12. Management of Dioxins and Furans • Air Quality Regulations were promulgated under the country’s principal environmental legislation in 2006 which includes requirements for the monitoring and reporting of unintentional releases of hexachlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans (priority air pollutants) • Country Fires Act (scope too narrow as well as some aspects of the legislation are outdated) • Deadlines have been included in the NIP for: - the transition to Green Cane Harvesting -

  13. National Implementation of the Rotterdam Convention Response to Notifications sent by the Secretariat are dealt in 2 ways: • Industrial chemicals – NCRC • Pesticides - Pesticide Control Authority and its Board

  14. Chemicals currently under review by the Rotterdam Convention There are two chemicals which are currently under review by the Convention of particular interest to Jamaica: • Mirex – an insecticide - restricted use under the Pesticides Act • Endosulfan – an insecticide - highly restricted under the Pesticides Act - only imported and distributed by the Coffee Industry Board to coffee farmers (quantities received dependent on acreage) - Due to the review currently ongoing under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions as well as the health and environmental implications of this chemical, the PCA has obtained a commitment from the Coffee Industry Board to phase-out the use of endosulfan by 2011.

  15. Jamaica’s representation at the international level Rotterdam Convention • Former Chair of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) • Currently member of the CRC (1 of 4 reps. From GRULAC) SAICM • Former co-chair of the Executive Board of the Quick Start Programme of SAICM • Currently member of Executive Board of the QSP (1 of 2 reps. from GRULAC)

  16. Jamaica’s representation at the international level (cont’d) Basel Convention Currently co-chair of the Compliance Committee

  17. Challenges to Implementation Policy • Finalization of the Hazardous Substances and Hazardous Wastes Management Policy Legislation • Promulgation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act • Finalize the Chemicals Act • Amend the Country Fires Act and develop guidelines for municipal/parish council by-laws regarding trash and slash burning Infrastructure • Establishment of a centralized facility for the storage of specific categories of hazardous wastes, including POPs and other chemical wastes prior to shipment

  18. Challenges to Implementation (cont’d) Infrastructure • Mechanism for the ongoing collection of relevant data to assist with reporting requirements under the various Conventions Human Resources • Human resource constraints have implications for the country’s ability to respond in a timely manner to notifications (Rotterdam Convention ) and request for comments from the various MEA Secretariats • Ongoing training programmes for key personnel relevant to the implementation of the Conventions, including custom officers, focal and contact points Financial Resources • Financial constraints also have implications for the country’s ability to effectively implement the Conventions

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