Environmental experts at a workshop here have urged elected local government representatives to raise awareness regarding Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to curb their spread. The workshop was organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) for local government elected representatives on Thursday, in connection with "Global Day of Action against POPs," declared by international POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), having over 350 civil society organisations in 65 countries worldwide.
The experts also showed their concerns on the smuggling of banned chemicals, which encourage spreading of POPs.
The workshop recommended ban on open waste burning, use of DDT and household pesticides and control on leakage of electricity transformers and stressed incineration for waste disposal.
The elected representatives from Rawalpindi participated in the workshop and raised questions as to how a local government can play its role to eliminate the POPs.
Dr Mahmood A. Khwaja, Research Fellow environment at SDPI, told the participants that POPs are rapidly spreading in various areas and informed the gathering that cotton picker women have high incidence of breast cancer due to inhaling agriculture pesticides.
He said the POPs have direct link with humans and wildlife in connection with breathing of contaminated air, eating contaminated food and using impure water for drinking and other purposes.
Dr Nauman F. Qadir highlighted the policy issues regarding POPs. He said that review of the legislation concerning all aspects of POPs is necessary and other chemical safety and management issues should also be incorporated in the policy.
He said that POPs elimination should be the priority agenda of environmental policy. Once POPs enter into the human body they remain in the body up to 40 years.
Dr Abid Suleri of SDPI said that local governments are custodians of the environment at community level. "They have the basic responsibility to take up pollution issues at their respective union council, tehsil and district levels through effective legislation."
Tahir Husnain of WTO watch group informed the participants about the possible impacts of POPs on agriculture. He said that due to heavy use of pesticides our lands are rapidly heading towards infertility.
"Districts governments can play a vital role to stop use of banned pesticides by devising local level policies." Tahir added.
Concluding the workshop, chief guest Dr Ishtiaq Qazi of National University of Science and Technology (Nust) appreciated the efforts of SDPI for choosing local government representatives to raise the very important issue of POPs.
"Local government representatives must come forward to implement POP-free environment plans and legislation can be made on priority basis," he maintained.