Issyk-Kul Region, Aksu District, Chepelk Village. Destroyed Warehouse of Outdated Pesticides

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Coordinates: 42.454104, 78.355521



In total, 9 plots were identified in the Issyk-Kul region from previous inventories, three plots had incorrect coordinates (located in the depths of Lake Issyk-Kul, in mountainous areas without access, and among agricultural fields (without visible outlines of buildings).

Six plots were surveyed in total, on a plot in the city of Balykchy there are repackaged hazardous wastes stored in 7 containers, with tightly closed doors (there are locking welds on the doors). The containers are exposed to external influences (precipitation, frost), which in turn leads to the oxidation of the metal walls and roofs of the containers. Waste passports are available (Appendix 6). There is a strong smell in the area and the empty destroyed warehouse. A pile of construction debris with a distinct smell of hazardous waste was also found. Some buildings, where pesticides were previously stored, have been dismantled since the last inventory.
The plot in the settlement of Chepelik has been completely transformed and built up with new households (no hazardous waste found, no smell). According to local residents, there is a plot behind the garden farm where nothing grows. At the time of the inventory, the fields were flooded, and it was not possible to visit the plot for soil sampling.
On the plot in the settlement of Kyzyl-Suu, there is a completely destroyed warehouse, there is a strong smell, and a large amount of polyethylene packaging from nitrate.
The other warehouses have a smaller amount of pesticides compared to previous data. Some hazardous waste was lost during the change of landowners, some due to atmospheric precipitation (when the roofs of the warehouses collapsed), and hazardous waste stored in metal containers could represent an interest for secondary metal use.
The total amount of hazardous waste requiring repackaging and storage is more than 15 cubic meters. In addition, there is a large amount of contaminated dust/soil/construction debris (the exact amount is currently not established, presumably more than 40 cubic meters).

To date, despite the abundance of previously implemented projects for the inventory of outdated pesticides, contrary to national legislation:
• there are no databases of laboratory data on the composition of waste;
• waste passports are absent;
• regular monitoring of the condition of outdated pesticide waste is not conducted (only within the framework of international projects);
• there is no executive authority responsible for the storage and disposal of waste;
• insufficient laboratory capacity to conduct analyses on outdated pesticides, including POPs;
• there is no information on the composition of outdated pesticides in the supervisory authorities;
• additional research is required on the owners of some warehouses/land where points with outdated pesticides are located.
• training for local government employees, supervisory and regulatory authorities is necessary;
• it is necessary to tighten responsibility for improper handling of hazardous waste.

Conclusions
In accordance with the Stockholm Convention on POPs (Article 6 (d) (ii)), POPs-containing waste must be destroyed. To find environmentally acceptable methods for the destruction of outdated pesticides, an accurate composition of the waste is necessary. To achieve this, it is essential to address the issue of equipping laboratories, training personnel, and obtaining accreditation in accordance with GOST ISO/IEC 17025-2019.

In addition, it is necessary to continuously monitor the condition of pollution points with outdated pesticides and to repack and place waste in a temporary storage warehouse that meets national legislation requirements. Repackaging, construction of a temporary storage warehouse, and destruction must be accompanied by an environmental impact assessment procedure and obtaining a positive conclusion from the state ecological expertise. For all waste, the owner must provide waste passports and obtain permits for the storage of hazardous waste.

The process of storing and disposing of hazardous waste must be under the control of environmental supervisory authorities.
To this end, it is necessary to initiate the process of maximum legalization of the data obtained from the inventory.
Previous inventories did not become the basis for creating a monitoring system for the management of outdated pesticides. As a result, a large volume of uncontrolled hazardous waste has become a threat to the environment, life, and health of the population living near the points of placement of outdated pesticides.

Full report on the inventory of outdated pesticides (OP) in Chuy, Talas, Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, Osh, and Batken regions