UNEP

POPs destruction technologies

In Chemicals & pollution action

Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) request Parties to take appropriate measures so that wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants  are disposed of in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed so that they do not exhibit the characteristics of POPs or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.

Improper treatment may lead to the release of POPs or the formation of Unintentional POPs and their subsequent release into the environment. Within the framework of the Basel Convention, efforts have been made to develop technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of POPs wastes. These guidelines include the following recommended POPs destruction and irreversible transformation methods.

  • Alkali metal reduction
  • Base-catalysed decomposition
  • Catalytic hydrodechlorination
  • Cement kiln co-incineration
  • Gas-phase chemical reduction
  • Hazardous-waste incineration
  • Photochemical dechlorination and catalytic dechlorination reaction
  • Plasma arc
  • Potassium tert.-butoxide method
  • Supercritical water oxidation and subcritical water oxidation
  • Thermal and metallurgical production of metals
  • Waste-to-gas conversion

The Training Manual for Hazardous Waste Project Managers on Destruction and Decontamination Technologies for PCBs and Other POPs Wastes under the Basel Convention provides further assistance to governments and other stakeholders responsible for the destruction or decontamination of POPs. The Training Manual also features a compendium of factsheets, each describing one of the technologies recommended for the destruction or irreversible transformation of POPs wastes. The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, in close cooperation with UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch updated and completed the factsheets.

Two sets of factsheets have been developed:

  • The Technology Overview factsheets provide a general description of each of the generic technologies and elaborate on further issues of interest, such as the history, infrastructural and organizational requirements or advantages and disadvantages.
  • The Technology Provider factsheets contain information obtained from a technology provider or company, including its identity, a description of the specific technology, the types of waste treated, and the status of commercialization.

Volume A

Volume A
Part I. Basic Principles and Background
Part II. Project Strategies
Part III. Technology Selection Process

 

 

 

POPs destruction Guidelines Volume B

Volume B
Part IV. Implementation Process

 

 

 

 

POPs destruction Guidelines Volume C

Volume C – Technology Assessment
Part V Technology Assessment Principles
Part VI Decision Support System
Part VII Technology Selection
Part VIII Technology Specification & Data Sheets (TSDS)

 

 

Volume C - Annexes

Volume C - Annexes
Annexes: Technologies specifications and data sheets

 

 

 

 

In Chemicals & pollution action