Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants in Serbia: From precautionary measures to the final treatment (case study)

Abstract

Sustainable solid waste management needs more dedicated attention in respect of environmental and human health protection. Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants is of special concern, since persistent organic pollutants are persistent, toxic and of high risk to human health and the environment. The objective of this investigation was to identify critical points in the Serbian system of solid waste and persistent organic pollutants management, to assure the life cycle management of persistent organic pollutants and products containing these chemicals, including prevention and final destruction. Data were collected from the Serbian competent authorities, and led us to identify preventive actions for solid waste management that should reduce or minimise release of persistent organic pollutants into the environment, and to propose actions necessary for persistent organic pollutants solid waste. The adverse impact of persistent organic pollutants is multidimensional. Owing to the lack of treatment or disposal plants for hazardous waste in Serbia, the only option at the moment to manage persistent organic pollutants waste is to keep it in temporary storage and when conditions are created (primarily financial), such waste should be exported for destruction in hazardous waste incinerators. Meanwhile, it needs to be assured that any persistent organic pollutants management activity does not negatively impact recycling flows or disturb progress towards a more circular economy in Serbia.

Impact of the circular economy on quality of life: A systematic literature review

“…Serbia faces a lack of adequate waste management, insufficient recycling of large amounts of waste, lack of modern technologies, and lack of finances (Ilić and Nikolić, 2016), which affects the possibilities for introducing the circular economy concept. According to Stevanovic-Carapina et al (2016) hazardous waste disposal is one of the significant problems in Serbia. There are still no facilities for treatment, which leads to inadequate hazardous waste management.…”

The socio-economic impact timeline in Serbia for persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

“…According to UNIP, it is established there is no specific, deliberate production, import or export of POPs in Serbia, nor any use of EUbanned POP compounds in agriculture or industry (UNIP, 2015). However, the country held 1.35 tons of POP pesticides, identified in 2014 (Stevanovic-Carapina et al, 2016). Concerning POP industrial chemicals, the amounts were assessed for the following types: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).…”

“…Concerning PFOS chemicals, the presence of fire fighting foams containing PFOS was identified in the past, but most of that foam was utilized during the NATO bombing campaign in 1999. Data on the import of Teflon and Teflonbased products that could contain PFOS suggest a need for increased inspection, supervision and laboratory analysis of the PFOS content in these products (Stevanovic-Carapina et al, 2016).…”

“…The most significant unintentional POP sources are: open burning processes; PCBs released from electrical equipment, and; production of electric and heating energy. Furthermore, in Serbia, there are over 3000 unsanitary landfills scattered around the country, and the significant portion of POP emissions reaching the environment from these existing dumpsites indicates inappropriate application of waste management systems (Stevanovic-Carapina et al, 2016).…”

Vermicomposting process for treating animal slurry in Latin American rural areas

“…These types of waste produce different impacts, such as the emission of greenhouse gas (Amon et al, 2006), release of leachates, generation of flies and other vectors, causing bad odors and the spread of pathologies (Hou et al, 2017). In rural areas and low-income developing big cities, animal slurry and organic fractions are commonly disposed of in open dump sites or, rarely, in sanitary landfills (Xue et al, 2011), in both cases together with other hazardous and municipal solid waste (MSW) (Mmereki et al, 2014), and without any precaution or pre-treatment (Ojeda-Benítez and Beraud-Lozano, 2003; Stevanovic-Carapina et al, 2016). This affects the environment and worsens the management activities, which should be applied for improving sustainability.…”