Waste in municipal landfills in six industrial cities was thoroughly analyzed by the NGO Ruzgar to check for mercury contamination. The results of this exploration showed that medical wastes and fluorescent light bulbs containing mercury are mixed in with other waste. In the case of Sumgait landfill, mercury levels were found to exceed relevant standards due to disposal of mercury-containing waste with municipal waste.
Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) produced and facilitated educational workshops at four schools targeting school children in an effort to draw awareness to the environmental and human health impacts of electronic waste (e-waste) disposal in the community. Dubbed “E-waste Education for the Generation”, the program featured lectures and interactive activities, including the presentation of an animated short produced by Indian NGO Toxics Link. In addition, educational materials were also created and disseminated to the 100 children in attendance.
A workshop was conducted by OSHE to assess the current uses, hazards, policies, and regulatory frameworks regarding the use of pesticides within the Bangladeshi agricultural community. Workshop participants were given information about alternatives to pesticide use, including the implementation of IPM practices. The meeting activities resulted in formal recommendations about how targeted stakeholders could minimize or phase-out the use of hazardous pesticides.
ECOVISION organizeed an awareness campaign with local authorities, NGOs and rural farmers concerning the terrible contamination from obsolete pesticides in the Kvemi Kartli on of Georgia.
Parivartan Pariharpur Sansthan (PPS) helped small and marginal farmers in the Madhubani district of India form 10 "Farmer’s Clubs" (with 10-12 members) to encourage collaborative capacity building, resource sharing, networking with local government, as well as training in Integrated Pest Management. Among the other successes of this program, Parivartan noted that encouraging the Farmer Club model has strengthened community ties between farmers, villagers, and government officials, and made them all aware of the critical need for sustainable ecological practices.
In order to introduce the issue of mercury in the health care sector in the region, Paryvaraniya Vikas Kendra (PVK), in association with Toxics Link and the State Pollution Control Board of Gujarat, organized a series of awareness-raising workshops. The workshops focused on occupational health hazards of mercury, roles and responsibilities of important stakeholders, mercury phase-out plans and challenges, and mercury policies and the global initiative.
As a way of promoting the safe handling of medical waste and mercury-containing equipment, BaliFokus began by assessing the handling of mercury-containing devices and general medical waste management systems in local hospitals. After administering surveys and examining hospital waste management policies, organizers educated hospital staff about the dangers of medical waste incineration and existing alternatives to mercury-containing equipment.
Balifokus conducted extensive qualitative and quantitative methods research to holistically document the process of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities in Indonesia. Specifically focused on ASGM practices in the context of mercury pollution and contamination, Balfokus activists used field interviews, direct observation, and document review to bring to light the many socio-economic and human rights impacts and abuses resulting from this method of gold extraction.
Continuing their research on highly toxic pesticide use in North Sumatra and Central Java, Gita Pertiwi conducted an overall assessment of the current pesticide situation. This assessment used survey, interview, and observation methods to document the types of pesticides currently in use, how they are used, and the health effects on those using them. In addition, Gita Pertiwi also conducted market research exploring the advertising and selling practices of distributors and local vendors of pesticides.
Although in Indonesia the monitoring of pesticide circulation is the responsibility of the local government, trade licenses are issued by the national government, which has led to the weakening of supervision of pesticides and violations of bans and restrictions. In this project, Gita Pertiwi aimed to determine the extent of circulation and trade of two banned household pesticides, Dichlorvos and Chlorpyrifos, by visiting shops and dealers in Solo city and Boyolali district.
