Using waste management best practices modelled after those in the EU, Zelena akcija developed and implemented a pilot waste management program with a variety of activities involving local community organizations, government officials, and public citizens.
In an effort to promote alternative methods to the use of highly toxic pesticides, Ecological Restorations collaborated with officials from the Ghanan Environmental Protection Agency to develop a summarized and illustrated version of the Pesticides Control Management Act.
Alianza por una Mejor Calidad de Vida organized a series of workshops and staged a media campaign with a national TV network to create public awareness about the dangers of pesticides in food. This included developing brochures tailored to the communities most affected by the use hazardous pesticides. An expose of pesticide poisoning cases of rural and seasonal female workers was also shared with the public. In addition, they worked closely with a prominent member of the National Congress to introduce legislation that would phase out the most hazardous and highly toxic pesticides.
Recognizing the lack of legislation or policy related to waste management in Lebanon, AMWAJ led an on-the-ground and media campaign to create awareness and engage the general public, local and national government officials, and the tourism industry about the environmental and human health issues stemming from uncontrolled dumping. Using the Saida Waste Dump as a focal point for their continuous campaigning, AMWAJ brokered a meeting with local and national government officials to discuss how to eliminate the dump and replace it with a community garden.
The EDEN Center conducted a ground-breaking assessment of the area around an abandoned battery plant to test for lead contamination. After a series of stakeholder meetings and workshops, residents of Uznova (Municipality of Berat) agreed to answer questions about lead exposure and give blood samples for testing. Air, soil, and water were also tested. A report with the findings of the assessment (and recommendations) was delivered to government agencies, shared with the community, and distributed through the media.
In Mali, the most common human exposure to mercury is through artisanal gold mining. Fondation pour le Développement au Sahel (FDS) / Sahel Development Foundation conducted a case study examining traditional gold mining in Kangaba Cercle. Through site visits, outreach and surveys with local authorities, miners, civil organizations, and ministries of the federal government, FDS was able to strengthen the awareness of many stakeholders, including local authorities and policy makers, about the dangers of mercury and the need to eliminate its use.
Using analyses of paint samples from manufacturing and importing companies servicing the Amman marketplace, Land and Human to Advocate Progress (LHAP) was able to create awareness about high levels of lead in paints found in everyday paints. Along with educational materials produced specifically with the results of the analyses, community discussion groups (3 public hearings) were conducted to further communicate the impact of lead in paint. Social media was also used to achieve widespread media and public notice.
To determine whether toys sold in Tunisia contain high levels of dangerous heavy metals, Association pour la Protection de l'Environnement et Developpement Durable de Bizerte (APEDDUB) had samples of 24 toys commonly found in schools and markets in the city of Bizarte analyzed. Results showed that most toys contained heavy metals. In addition, although both non-Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) and PVC made toys contained high levels of lead and cadmium, toys made with PVC have significantly higher levels of these heavy metals and therefore are far more toxic.
PROBICOU conducted the first ever situational assessment of mercury in Uganda. The study aimed to provide information to the Ugandan government so that the government could be helped to legislate a relevant policy on mercury. The study involved many activities, including document review, and site visits at mining communities, health care institutions, government departments, and waste dumping sites. A critical part of this project involved a sensitization workshop organized for traders in Kampala with the goals of obtaining first hand community views on the effects of mercury exposure.
Samples of fish and human hair were collected and tested for mercury in Colorado, Costa Rica, an area located close to the Abangares Gold Mine. Residents from this area are primarily fishermen and their families, and they subsist primarily on fish from the local fishery. Previous analyses in the area have revealed high levels of mercury, a strong indicator that residents also have high levels of mercury in their bodies.
