UNIDO in $14.5-million GEF-funded project for phase-out of PCB pollutants in India
05 Feb 2010
India and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on Thursday signed a $14.5-million project, to be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), for the phase-out of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the country.
PCBs are among the polluting chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and are found in electrical equipments, additives for paints and lubricants, plastics etc, a government release said.
Kandeh Yumkella, director-general of UNIDO and Rajiv Gauba, joint secretary of the ministry of environment and forests, signed the agreement in New Delhi on Thursday.
The project aims at reducing or eliminating the use and release of PCBs into the environment through the disposal of PCB-containing equipment, and related waste in three pilot projects for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of PCBS in India, spread over 12 states.
The project will develop and implement an ESM system for PCBs and develop an action plan for their timely phase-out from the use and finally help dispose of PCB-containing equipment and related wastes.
The project envisages co-financing of $29 million and is to be implemented by the ministry of environment and forest in collaboration with UNIDO.
The Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), which is the only specialised national institution on PCB management and research with the required infrastructure and trained manpower, has been involved in the preparation of the project.
The project is expected to lead to phasing out of outdated PCB-containing equipment in India. This in turn will contribute to India achieving its obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the release noted.
