Main sources of unintentional production of persistent organic pollutants (the case of Odessa)

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants represent a serious global threat to human health and the environment. They have certain properties: resistance to decomposition, bioaccumulation, extreme toxicity, even at ultra-low concentrations, ability to transboundary transfer and deposition. Unfortunately, there is no separate normative and legislative base regulating production of persistent organic pollutants in Ukraine. All norms and rules regulating such pollutants formation are included in a large number of various legislative acts and this does not allow systematization and specification of the actions associated with treatment of POPs. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the main sources of unintentional formation of persistent organic pollutants (using Odessa as an example). As part of the study it was established that the main sources of unintentional formation of POPs in Odessa are: combustion of organic fuels by stationary and mobile sources; production of building materials; open landfills of solid household waste; smoking of meat and fish products; functioning of crematoria; tobacco smoking; functioning of the city sewage system. The analysis of the legislative base of Ukraine is carried out which resulted in making a conclusion that there is no separate normative and legislative base regulating production of persistent organic pollutants in Ukraine. For the first time the list of the main sources of unintentional formation of these pollutants was established for Odessa with estimation, using the most advanced European methods, of the mass of persistent organic pollutants formed from each type of above-stated production facilities, and estimation of the total mass of their generation over the territory of Odessa. Since different techniques give results in different units of measurement, a transition to one unit of measurement was performed. Based on the concept of maximum permissible concentration (MPC), the permissible number of molecules of POPs equivalent to 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) which can enter the body of one person through respiratory organs was calculated. A comparison with the number of molecules of 2,3,7,8-TCDD entering the atmosphere in a permissible quantity per 1 citizen of was carried out and corresponding conclusions based on calculations of unintentional formation of POPs in Odessa during one year were made. Also, based on the obtained results, priority sources of unintentional production of persistent organic pollutants were established which allows correct and timely implementation of appropriate measures to reduce formation of these polluting substances.