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A Toxics-Free Future

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Public awareness on UPOPs in Nepal

Public information and awareness-raising on unintentionally produced POPs from medical waste.

The unintentional release of dioxins and furans is a major issue in Nepal. One of the major contributors of these POPs is the medical waste management and disposal practice. This study represents the first attempt in the country to estimate releases of unintentionally produced POPs such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) from the hospital waste (medical waste) incinerators of Kathmandu valley and to raise awareness among the Kathmandu valley people on the health effects of unintentionally released POPs (PCDD/PCDF) for their reduction/elimination in order to comply with the Article 5, Annex C of the Stockholm Convention. After analyzing waste handling practices during surveys of 16 hospitals, the NGOs used the UNEP Toolkit to estimate the total PCDD/PCDF generated from medical waste (42.76 g TEQ/a). To complete the activity, the NGOs prepared awareness-raising materials on medical waste incinerators in the Kathmandu valley and their implications on the health of the exposed population.

Outputs:
Report including study of medical waste policies: public information and awareness-raising on unintentionally produced POPs from medical waste
Survey of medical waste handling practices at 16 hospitals
Public awareness-raising materials and campaign

Country: 
Organization: 
Pesticide Watch Group