Poland Legislates to Protect Itself Against Hazardous
Pesticide Trade
November 24, 1993
Poland has taken steps to protect itself from becoming a dumping
ground for the industrial world's expired and withdrawn products
after extremely hazardous, banned pesticides produced in Germany
were found in Poland. The new prohibition on imports of
hazardous products is part of broader legislation to control the
import of toxic wastes.
On August 3, 1993, the Polish Minister of Environmental
Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry issued a list of
hazardous waste forbidden for import and export. This list came
into force on September 3, 1993. It consists of 106 categories
of waste that are forbidden for import into Poland, including 10
categories of hazardous products such as withdrawn pesticides.
The list also includes expired or withdrawn pharmaceutical
products, cosmetics, wood preserving chemicals, lacquers and
varnishes.
In 1988, Poland opened its borders to the world. The country's
proximity to some of the most highly industrial nations --
countries that also have vigorous environmental movements -- made
Poland a key target for the dumping of industrial wastes as well
as outdated and withdrawn products.
In 1989, Poland introduced a ban on all waste trade imports.
However this law was unclear, and waste continued to be imported
under the guise of recycling. Imports included waste solvents,
paints, incinerator residues, sewage sludge and dredged spoils
from rivers and ports.
When East and West Germany unified on October 3, 1990, a number
of industrial substances, formerly produced in the ex- German
Democratic Republic (GDR), became illegal overnight. These
included pesticides banned under European Community (EC) and West
German law. Instead of being categorized as hazardous waste and
treated as such in Germany, many of the banned pesticides were
shipped to the newly opened Eastern European countries. In July
1991, 36,000 liters and 12,000 kilograms of Falisan, a mercury
containing pesticide produced by an ex-GDR manufacturer and which
could no longer be sold in the new unified Germany, were found in
Poland. Under a "return to sender" agreement between Germany and
Poland, the Polish government sent the illegal pesticides back to
Germany.
Other countries have not been so fortunate. Under the European
Community's 1988 Regulation concerning the export of chemical
substances banned for use in the EC, banned pesticides were
legally shipped from Germany to Albania in 1991 and 1992 as
"humanitarian aid." When the pesticides arrived, the Albanian
authorities found that the chemicals had expired and were
generally unsuitable for agricultural use. No disposal facility
exists in Albania and by 1993 many of the pesticide containers
were badly damaged and leaking. (See the Global Pesticide
Campaigner, August, 1993.)
Poland's legislation could provide an effective barrier to
hazardous waste and product imports if it were not for the fact
that it is extremely difficult to monitor and control imports at
the border. While Poland's new regulations are a useful model
for other countries vulnerable to toxic waste from industrialized
countries, these regulations do not solve all the problems. The
responsibility clearly lies with the industrialized nations to
put an end to the production and export of toxic waste and
withdrawn products.
Source: Greenpeace International; Polish Government, 1993;
Rzeczpospolita, August 30, 1993.
Contact: Topsy Jewell, Greenpeace International, 12 St. Johns
Terrace, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2DL, England; phone (44-273) 479
552; fax (44-273) 471 631.
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