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Toxics

FACTS & FIGURES on APPLICATION OF CHEMICALS IN MONGOLIA

During the last few years, chemical substances are being applied in Mongolia in ever increasing quantities.

  • 563 chemicals were registered, of which 96 were highly toxic with the 2002 Nationwide Survey and Census on Chemicals
  • The number of tanneries, which use chromium and other poisonous chemical substances, is also multiplying.
  • The volume of gold mining has increased drastically and many parts of the country they use highly toxic substances including cyanide and mercury.

Challenges related to Poorly regulated use/application of chemicals:

  • Contamination of water, soil and air with chemicals has serious implications on public health and state of environment for the nation. People are more and more concerned with the drinking water quality and food safety.
  • Therefore it is critically important to effectively control the chemical application and their movement and educate public.

What WWF Mongolia has achieved in this respect?

  • Urging the Government to decrease/phase out/ban toxic chemicals application, monitor their transboundary movement, and to ensure safe disposal.
  • As most of the chemicals in Mongolia are imported from foreign countries, it is crucial to improve and amend the legislation according to the recommendations by relevant international organizations. 
    With funding from the World Bank, the WWF assisted the GoM  in revision and amendment of  Mongolian Law on “Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals” May 2006.
  • A law on Environmental Impact Assessments was also amended with the help from WWF Mongolia.

 

Toxic case studies in Mongolia

1. Cleaning up the quicksilver

 In 2000, the Ministry of Nature and the Environment implemented a project aimed at decontaminating land of mercury (Hg) residues.

Mercury was used 40-50 years ago in the vicinity of the Boroo river in Mandal soum (county) of Selenge aimag (province). During decontamination, 25kg of mercury was recovered from a terrritory of 4ha. This degree of contamination has the potential to cause significant damage to the population’s health and the environment.

According to the results of the “Research on Mercury around Boroo River”, which was conducted with the support of the Japanese Intrernational Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2003, it was revealed that in the centre of 3 soums (counties), about 500kg of mercury each year was released within yards of homes and streets, onto river banks and into river water. 2-3 tonnes of mercury was accumulated in the soil along 10km of river bed from an old gold mining site close to the centre of Bayangol soum of Selenge aimag. Mercury cotamination of the soil in this area exceeded the admissible level by a factor of between 5 and 20.
Brandt’s vole (<i>Microtus Brandtii</i>)

© WWF Mongolia

Brandt’s vole (Microtus Brandtii)

2. The misuse of chemicals to control the Brandt's vole
 Since 2001, the chemical bromadiolone has been used in combating the Brandt’s vole (Microtus Brandtii). This poison can be effectively used against the voles, though it can also kill other, non-targeted, birds and mammals. Affected species include the demoiselle crane, golden eagle, herring gull, upland buzzard, saker falcon, daurian jackdaw, red fox and corsac fox.

In 2002, bromadiolone was used to control voles, resulting in the death of over 320 non - targeted birds and mammals, and one child. This focused the attention of international and local groups to the usage and control of this deadly substance in Mongolia.

What WWF is doing

The main issue of WWF’s Toxics Programme is related to the prevention of toxic chemical use.

WWF Mongolia Programme Office has been developing the Toxics Programme since July 2003. This has been funded by SIDA and WWF Sweden and contributes to the implementation of the WWF Toxics Global Thematic Programme.

Our toxics programme also supports the implementation of toxics-related international regulations such as: The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade (2004); and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (2003).

WWF Mongolia has also implemented a project of the Netherlands Trust Foundation on “Toxic Chemicals Public Awareness Campaign”. We have done this thanks to extensive campaigning and lobbying, including: 6 nationwide workshops with participants including high position decision makers such as Mongolian Parliament Members and Ministers; release of 5 documentaries of 20 to 40 min. in length; 6 brochures; and 2 books. All of this was designed for the general public and decision makers and aims to promote the proper use, trade, transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous and toxic chemicals. In addition, we have developed a methodology on risk assessment for toxics and hazardous chemicals, numerous articles (approx. 30 of them) and TV shows on toxics.

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