PROJECT 065: CABICHEM - Strengthening chemical and biological waste management in Central Asia countries for improved security and safety risk mitigation

Context

Appropriate chemical and biological waste management is important in order to avoid mishandling or use of such dangerous materials, with a negative impact on people (contamination), environment (pollution) or security (thefts, criminal activities, sabotage, proliferation).

Incidents involving hazardous CBRN contaminants can create significant challenges, such as: minimising the amount of waste generated during clean up and remediation; segregating waste types; packaging and safe transportation of the waste; and treating and disposing of waste and debris.

Furthermore, these complexities related to waste management are in some countries compounded by: limited disposal and treatment expertise, capabilities and capacity to manage CBRNE contaminated waste; lack of experience of decision-makers and absence of waste management facilities to handle these wastes; hesitancy on the part of some disposal facilities to accept these wastes; and limited resources to cover the (at times high) costs of disposing of hazardous waste.

Overall objective

To strengthen existing chemical and biological waste management capabilities in Central Asia countries.

Specific objectives

To ensure safe and secure collection, transportation, separation, processing, storage, disposal, and inventory of hazardous CB waste originated by local industry (CB waste producers and CB waste management facilities), trade, agriculture, health care and past practices (dumping sites, historical industrial sites, former military bases etc.), as well as a consequence of emergency.

Activities

1. Support national and regional bodies involved in the waste management main issues;
2. Assist countries in reviewing and evaluating their legislative provisions on the matter;
3. Raise awareness of the issues associated with chemical and biological waste management;
4. Provide training activities, including the train-the-trainer approach also based on a tailored e-learning instrument.

Achievements

• Launch of an informative and awareness raising campaign to fight COVID-19;
• Organisation of a 3-day training course on “Safety and Security issues in the management of C and B waste materials in manufacture facilities and laboratories” in Tashkent, which included a train-the-trainer session to allow the participants to transfer the main outcomes of the 3-day-long joint work activity to other colleagues and experts operating in Uzbekistan on similar themes;
• Organisation of a 3-day regional workshop in Tashkent, which was attended by 60 participants, and that aimed to foster a long-lasting dialogue between the five Partner Countries from Central Asia and define common strategies to be implemented within the CABICHEM framework and beyond;
• Implementation of a 2-day webinar training course on “Hazardous waste management during COVID-19 health emergency”.