Issyk-Kul Region. Jeti-Oguz District. Village of Kyzyl-Suu. Destroyed Warehouse of Obsolete Pesticides

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Coordinates: 42.347606, 78.030738



In total, 9 sites were identified in the Issyk-Kul region from previous inventories, three of which 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).

A total of 6 sites were surveyed, and at the site in the city of Balykchy, there are repackaged hazardous wastes stored in 7 containers with tightly closed doors (there are locking welded seams 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 sharp smell clearly present on the territory and in the empty destroyed warehouse. A pile of construction debris with a distinct smell of hazardous waste was also found. Part of the buildings where pesticides were previously stored has been dismantled since the last inventory.

The site 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 site behind the garden farm where nothing grows. At the time of the inventory, the fields were flooded with water, and it was not possible to visit the site for soil sampling.
At the site in the settlement of Kyzyl-Suu, there is a completely destroyed warehouse, with a sharp 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, and some due to atmospheric precipitation (when the roofs of the warehouses collapsed). Hazardous waste stored in metal containers could represent a secondary use of metal.
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 not currently established, presumably more than 40 cubic meters).

To date, despite the abundance of previously implemented projects for the inventory of obsolete pesticides, contrary to national legislation:
• there are no laboratory data bases on the composition of the waste;
• there are no waste passports;
• regular monitoring of the condition of obsolete 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;
• laboratories have insufficient capacity to conduct analyses on obsolete pesticides, including POPs;
• there is no information on the composition of obsolete pesticides in the supervisory authorities;
• further research is required on the owners of some warehouses/land where points with obsolete pesticides are located;
• training for local government officials and supervisory and controlling 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 disposal of obsolete 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.

Additionally, it is necessary to continuously monitor the condition of pollution points with obsolete 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 maximizing the legalization of the data obtained from the inventory.
Previous inventories did not serve as a basis for creating a monitoring system for the management of obsolete 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 obsolete pesticides.

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