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PROJECT #2003-13
Capacity Development Training for Monitoring of POPs in the East Asian Hydrosphere
| Project Leader |
Dr. Z. ADEEL
Assistant Director (Program Development, UNU-INWEH)
United Nations University
5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-8925
JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3499-2811
Fax: +81-3-3406-7347
Email: adeelz@inweh.unu.edu
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| Funding |
US$
41,000 |
| Participating countries |
Participants from the following countries
were funded: Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, P. R. China, Philippines
, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. |
A representative of APN, Mr. Sombo T. Yamamura (Director, APN Secretariat),
was funded by APN directly.
Brief introduction and background:
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that persist
in the environment, bio-accumulate through the food web, and may cause adverse
effects to exposed populations and the environment. Human health effects range
from increased incidence of cancers to disruption of the hormonal system. These
effects have also been observed and recorded for various animal species. Developing
countries are particularly vulnerable due to the often indiscriminate use and
disposal of POPs.
The purpose of this workshop was to build capacity in the East Asian region
to undertake monitoring of POPs through a monitoring network that has been
set up by the United Nations University (UNU). This network has been collecting
data in the region for a number of years. The workshop addressed issues in
the interpretation of the threats posed by environmental levels of POPs through
the examination of existing standards, guidelines and toxicity assessments
for POPs in the environment.
Outline of activities conducted:
The workshop included two days of presentations and discussions held at the
UNU, Tokyo, Japan, followed by a three-day training workshop on analytical
techniques held in Hadano, Japan.
During the first half of the workshop, expert presentations and collaborative
discussions amongst participants focused on the interpretation of environmental
monitoring data and on the development of guidelines for environmental quality
standards for pollution in coastal and inland waters.
Outcomes and products:
- Workshop report;
- Statement of consensus points by workshop participants;
- Proceedings book
containing papers and abstracts of the workshop presentations and a summary
report;
- Comprehensive policy summary paper under development by UNU;
- UNU website
containing abstracts, presentation and summary of the workshop: <http://landbase.hq.unu.edu/Workshops/TokyoSept2003/programme.htm>;
and
- Issues of ‘East Asia Monitor' UNU projects quarterly electronic
newsletter. Two issues, Issue 7. (Sep 2003) and Issue 8. (Dec 2003), contain
editorials on the workshop in addition to information about the workshop,
photographs and the workshop report.
Future directions and follow-up work:
It was recommended during the workshop that a harmonized regional database
and system for guidance on environmental quality for POPs be developed. The
UNU will take the lead in coordinating this effort in the Asia-Pacific region.
This will be reinforced by a series of expert workshops to further discuss
the design of regional guidelines on POPs in water.
The training provided to the laboratory technicians during the workshop will
enable them to undertake national monitoring activities in their respective
countries. These monitoring activities will be coordinated by UNU as part of
its regional monitoring programme over the next two years. Results will also
be collected from a round robin test that was initiated at the workshop to
evaluate the quality of results from each laboratory.
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