REPORTS & PUBLICATION

REPORTS

Cambodia Mercury Inventory Report

2008 | Ministry of Environment, Cambodia

All over history, mercury has been known and used for gold and silver processing. In many parts of the world, mercury has been used in batteries, chlor-alkali production, dental amalgam, fluorescent lights, switches, and thermometers. Much of the mercury contained in these end-of-use products can be recycled; however, only a small amount of the mercury used is recycled. Mercury is a liquid metal, occurs naturally in a number of geologic environments, may be obtained as a by-product from precious metals mining, and is found in trace amounts in coal. Much of this mercury may be used and recycled; however, mercury used for gold production and mercury released from coal-fired power-plants, broken fluorescent lamps, battery production, and other sources is not recovered to any high degree and becomes a global environmental and human health concern. Minamata disease is an excellence example of mercury impact to the environment and human health in Japan, which brought a global concern of its release to the environment and seeking cooperation among countries for sound management of its release.

Mercury Contamination Along the Mekong River, Cambodia

2005 | Resource Development International

One of ten dolphins that died in the Mekong River had a presumed lethal concentration of mercury (67 ppm) in its liver. The mercury content of fish at Kratie was on average 102 ng/g (n=137) but in some species it was up to six fold higher. Hair in people collected in the drainage basin with gold mines (Ratanakirri) had significantly more mercury in their hair (4.4 ppm) than those living along the northern portion of the Mekong River (3.4 ppm). Males had significantly more mercury than woman (5.2 vs 3.1 ppm, respectively). Individuals had as much as 22 ppm of mercury in their hair. The concentration of mercury in a few percent of Khmers exceeds that in areas where mercury is associated with mercury poisoning. Gold mines in Cambodia are likely the major source of mercury but tree cores indicated a major flux of mercury associated with deforestation. Further analysis is required to determine what sources of mercury are manageable in Cambodia.

National Profile on Chemicals Management in Cambodia

2004 | Ministry of Envrionment, Cambodia

In order to promote social development Cambodia, as well as other developing countries, has significant sectoral economic improvement including agriculture, industry and health. These sectors development activities have demanded high volume of chemicals uses, particularly in the last 10 years. All chemical substances imported have been distributed to different places and different sectoral users. Therefore, the import of chemicals, and the data and information concerning its use, have been maintained at different institutions. Cambodia has no centralized source for chemicals data and information, and currently lacks a national document. The lack of information and data collection has created problems for chemical management in Cambodia, particularly in ensuring technical management to protect public health and maintain a safe environment.

Status of Used Lead Acid Battery Management in Kingdom of Cambodia

2004 | Department of Environmental Pollution Control; Ministry of Environment

In the Kingdom of Cambodia, used lead acid batteries (ULAB) are not normally managed in an environmentally sound manner and there is no specific government institution responsible for ULAB management1. Detailed legislation specifically targeting the management of ULAB does not exist, except for some related statutory instruments such as the Law on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Management; the Sub-Decree on Water Pollution Control; and the Sub-Decree on Solid Waste Management. Unsound ULAB management has caused concern for the environment and population health in Cambodia and there is an urgent need to improve the management mechanisms based on sound environmental practices, otherwise, harmful and irreparable consequences will occur in the future. The adverse health effects are a particular concern because they become another obstacle in the application of the Poverty Alleviation Program, which is the main policy of the present Royal Government of Cambodia.

Toxic Justice: Human Rights, Justice, and Toxic Waste in Cambodia

1999 | UNHCR

In November 1998, nearly 3,000 tons of Taiwanese toxic waste were dumped in a field in the southern port of Sihanoukville. At the time, there was no law banning such dumping, but Minister of Environment Mok Mareth said publicly and repeatedly that toxic waste imports were prohibited in Cambodia and a national policy to that effect was in force. Dumped in an open field, the waste was scavenged by poor villagers, many of whom later complained of sickness; one quickly died. The Cambodian leadership, expressing outrage, promised a thorough investigation. Local people panicked: thousands fled the city. Others in Sihanoukville exercised their constitutional rights and in December held two days of public demonstrations, blaming government corruption for the presence of the toxic material. Even some local officials told Human Rights Watch they believed that demonstrations were warranted, provided they were lawful and peaceful. More details, pls visit the site.

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes

| UN

Human Rights CouncilEighteenth sessionAgenda item 3Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,political, economic, social and cultural rights,including the right to development In the present report, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the adverse effects that the unsound management and disposal of medical waste may have on the enjoyment of human rights. While approximately 75 to 80 per cent of the total waste generated by health-care establishments does not pose any particular risk to human health or the environment, the remaining waste is regarded as hazardous and may create a variety of health risks if not managed and disposed of in an appropriate manner. Hazardous health-care waste includes infectious waste, sharps, anatomical and pathological waste, obsolete or expired chemical products and pharmaceuticals, and radioactive materials. In many countries, significant challenges persist with regard to the proper management and disposal of health-care waste.

The kNOwWaste Knowledge Platform was developed through a Project Cooperation Agreement funding by UNEP on 2016. The platform provides data and information on holistic waste management to stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific region. The platform was developed with the following aims: generate and consolidate data or information on holistic waste management, transform data into easily comprehensible outputs for use by key stakeholders, map out and disseminate information on international waste management projects under the GPWM and UNEP projects as well as other international partners, and provide capacity building support through dissemination of data or information support for relevant stakeholders on holistic waste and waste management system.
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