Tauw is Training Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to Clean up Pesticides

06-24-2009: Tauw has been commissioned by the World Bank to be a consultant in how to approach old pesticides and organic contaminations that are difficult to decompose (POPs) in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The consultants at Tauw will take care of the transfer of knowledge about drawing up an inventory and how to deal with the old storage places of these toxic substances.

In each of the three countries, ten people will be trained to track down and make an inventory of old storage spaces. In addition, one dumping site in each country will be more closely inspected, after which a sanitation technique will be designed.

The activities will be carried out in a consortium along with Witteveen+Bos, Milieukontakt International, IHPA (International HCH and Pesticides Association), and Green Cross. The work will also be done in close cooperation with local parties. The Canadian government is financing the project, which will cost 450,000 euros.

In Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, large amounts of outdated pesticides and POPs, which were used in agriculture and are very harmful to humans and to the environment, have been accumulating for the last several dozen years. Cleaning up these substances is being done in accordance with the Stockholm Convention.