Ansis Grantiņš, Latvian Environment Agency Bratislava, 03.02.2004.

1. UNDP / GEF Enabling Activity Project “Preparation of the POPs National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention” Ansis Grantiņš, Latvian Environment Agency Bratislava, 03.02.2004.

2. Content • Project background, objectives; • The main activities of the Inventory Phase; • Inventory of potentially polluted sites; • Inventory of industrial enterprises; • Inventory of POPs – unwanted by-products of high temperature processes - polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofuranes (dioxins).

3. Project background, objectives • Latvia signed UN convention “On persistent organic pollutants” (Stockholm Convention); • In order to implement Stockholm convention, the Ministry of Environment of Latvia initiated the project “Preparation of the Persistent Organic Pollutants National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention” funded by the UNDP/GEF; • The overall objective of the project - to create sustainable capacity and ownership in Latvia to meet its obligations under the Stockholm Convention, including initial preparation of the POPs National Implementation Plan.

4. Project background, objectives • Project has 3 main tasks: • ► General project coordination, legal assessment and awareness raising; • ► Compilation of POPs Initial Inventories and capacity assessment; • ► Priority setting, evaluation of POPs Management Options and drafting of National Implementation Plan.

5. The main activities of the Inventory Phase • Carried out from November 2002 until November 2003; • Implemented by Latvian Environment Agency and Environmental State Inspectorate; • All activities were coordinated by main implementing agency of the whole project – the state enterprise „Vides Projekti”

6. Inventory of potentially polluted sites • Methods: • identification of POPs potentially polluted sites: • ► data from Regional Environmental Boards; • ► data from different statistical surveys; • ► historical data on old pesticide storages; • ► database on former USSR military sites. • production, import, export, distribution and use of POPs: • ► data from statistical data base “4-KP”; • ► analysis of existing legislation.

7. Inventory of potentially polluted sites - 2 • Methods: • In areas where environmental pollution with POPs was considered as significant according to available data, sampling was made for determination of possible pollution of soil and sediments with POPs pesticides and PCB; • The criteria for selection of the most potentially polluted sites: • ► amount of POPs containing pesticides stored (used) in this area; • ► the biggest former USSR military sites (possible PCB pollution); • ► sediments in Daugava river; • ► Additional analyses in areas with high concentrations.

8. Inventory of potentially polluted sites - 3 • Sampling methods: • ISO 10381-1. „Soil quality- Sampling- Part 1: Guidance on the desigh of sampling programmes”; • ISO 10381-4 „Soil quality –Sampling- Part 4: Guidance on the procedure for investigation of natural, near-natural and cultivated sites”. • Testing methods: • USA EPA Method 8081”Organochlorine pesticides and PCBs as aroclors by gas chromatography capillary column technique”; • USA EPA Method 8082 „Polychlorinated biphenils (PCBs) by gas chromatography”.

9. Inventory of potentially polluted sites - 4 • Results: • no POPs pesticides are imported, produced or used in Latvia since year 1995; • only exception - lindane (POP which is not included in Stockholm Convention) has been imported and used in Latvia from 1995 until 1999; • historical data show that only two POPs pesticides have been used in Latvia: • ►DDT (from 1961 until 1967), together used1019.8 t (pure DDT – 367.2 t) • ►toxaphene (from 1966 till 1992), together used 322.8 t (pure toxaphene 161.4 t);

10. Inventory of potentially polluted sites - 5 • Results: • 195 potentially polluted sites identified; • 28 sites identified as the most potentially polluted and investigated during the project; • In 7 areas (from 14) where soil samples was taken and analyzed concentration of DDT and its metabolites are more than 1 mg/kg; • Additional analyses in these areas show that pollution has local character; • However this even local pollution should be taken into consideration when optional activities are planned in these areas; • Pollution with lindane and toxaphene is not estimated;

15. Inventory of potentially polluted sites - 6 • Results: • In 8 areas (from 17) where sampling was carried out concentration of PCBs is more than 20 g/kg (but less than 10 mg/kg); • Additional analyses in these areas show that pollution has local character; • Polluted soils are only near transformers which contain (contained) PCB oils and these areas are relatively small; • However this even local pollution should be taken into consideration when optional activities are planned in these areas.

18. Inventory of industrial enterprises • Methods: • questionnaire; • visits in enterprises. • Results:

19. Inventory of dioxins • The main activities: • re-calculation of dioxine emissions from uncontrolled combustion processes; • measurements of dioxine emissions into air from 3 enterprises; • measurements of dioxine concentrations in freshwater fish (perch). • Previous projects: • DANCEE financed project “Inventory of Dioxin and Furan Releases in Latvia” (2002) – estimates the main dioxine sources (sectors) on the bases of available statistical information from different countries and using UNEP Toolkit emission factors.

20. Re-calculation of dioxine emissions from uncontrolled combustion processes • Methods: • 3 uncontrolled combustion processes chosen: • ► Household Heating and Cooking Using Biomass, • ► Uncontrolled Waste Burning; • ► Accidental fires. • latest available statistical data collected; • mainly UNEP emission factors used (for Uncontrolled Waste Burning – US EPA factors).

21. Re-calculation of dioxine emissions from uncontrolled combustion processes - 2 • Results: • Re-calculated amount of dioxine emissions into air from uncontrolled combustion processes – 19,91 – 25,97 g I-TEQ/year (estimated before – 1,3 – 43 g I-TEQ/year); • Emissions from uncontrolled combustion processes – the main source of dioxine emissions in Latvia (57 times more than cement production); • The main dioxine sources are: • ► Landfill fires (9,4 g I-TEQ/year ); • ► Accidental fires in houses, factories (2,54 – 8,95), • ► Uncontrolled domestic waste burning (3,555).

22. Measurements of dioxine emissions into air • Measurements in 3 enterprises: • ► “Broceni” Cement Production Company (4 samples in the course of combustion of four different mixtures of fuel); • ► “Latvijas Infektoloģijas Centrs” medical waste incinerator (2 samples); • ► “Eko-osta” hazardous waste incinerator (2 samples). • Work done on the bases of contract with Ecochem, a.s. (Czech Republic), sampling and training provided by TESO, a.s. (Czech Republic); • Training of personnel from the Latvian Environment Agency on dioxin sampling and analysis.

23. Measurements of dioxine emissions into air - 2 • Sampling and testing methods: • European Standard 1948: Stationary Source Emissions – Determination of the mass Concentration of the PCDDs/PCDFs, parts 1-3; • Determination of PCDD/F - on a mass spectrometer Finnigan MAT 95XL with high resolution (R > 10 000) coordinated with two capillary gas chromatographs Agilent 6890N equipped with autosamplers CTC GCPAL

25. Measurements of dioxine emissions into air - 3 • Results (mean concentrations): • ► “Broceni” Cement Processing Company – 0,0643 +/- 0,0257 ng/m3; • ► “Latvijas Infektoloģijas Centrs” medical waste incinerator – 34,1 +/- 7,1 ng/m3; • ► “Eko-osta” hazardous waste incinerator ” – 0,2095 ng/m3. • Limit value for waste incinerators according with CM Regulations:– 0,1 ng/m3.

26. Measurements of dioxine emissions into air - 4 • Results: • On the bases of measurement data annual emissions of this enterprises and of relevant sectors calculated; • Calculated emissions significantly lower than estimated before, e.g.: • ► in case of cement production 0,0351+/- 0,0203 g I-TEQ/year (instead of 0,04 – 0,37 g I-TEQ/year used before). • Emission factors for calculated (they can be used in future for assessment of annual emissions).

28. Total annual dioxine emissions in Latvia

29. Total annual dioxine emissions in Latvia - 2

30. Measurements of dioxine concentrations in freshwater fish (perch) • Methods: • Samples taken: • ► in Kisezers (3 places); • ► in the river Daugava (upstream Riga city); • ► in the river Daugava (in 2 places Riga).

31. Measurements of dioxine concentrations in freshwater fish (perch) - 2 Results

32. Measurements of dioxine concentrations in freshwater fish (perch) - 3 • Results: • Dioxine level in all samples significantly below EU limit value - 4 pg WHO-TEQ/g fresh weight (Council Regulation No 2375/2002 of 29 November 2001); • Dioxine levels can exceed limit values only in perches which weight is more than 700 g and length exceeds 36.5 cm (very rare)

33. Conclusions • POPs pesticides used in Latvia – DDT, toxaphene, lindane; • Near some pesticides warehouses local soil pollution with DDT is estimated; • Soil pollution with lindane and toxaphene is not estimated; • In some former USSR military objects local soil pollution with PCBs is estimated; • Increased PCB concentrations in sediments of river Daugava downstream Riga city; • Significant amount of PCBs containing equipment (both in use and as waste) find in the industries; • Emissions from uncontrolled combustion processes – the main source of dioxine emissions in Latvia; • Dioxine emissions into air from medical waste incineration exceed limit values; • Dioxine levels in freshwater fish do not exceed limit values.

34. Data availability • All data gathered during the project are entered in the developed POPs data base; • After termination of the project database will be available through Internet network on Latvian Environment Agency’s homepage www.lva.gov.lv

35. QESTIONS, COMMENTS ... • NOW • AFTERWORDS • Ansis.Grantins@lva.gov.lv • Phone: +371-7811502; • Fax: +371-7811494 • Jūrmala, Straumes iela 2, Latvia, LV-2015