Belarus’ first Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Management and Disposal (GEF) Project will be implemented in the village of Minoity , Lida region, it was learnt from Marina Belous, coordinator of the international technical aid projects of the Ministry of Nature and Environmental Protection. 

The second round of public hearings were held in Lida to discuss the international technical aid project on the management of persistent organic pollutants and strengthening of technical and institutional potential in the Republic of Belarus . Lida residents have repeatedly voted for the disposal of almost 7 tonnes of the PCBs equipment (3,000 condensers). They are expected to be brought out to one of the countries of Western Europe which has industrial capacity to dispose of PCBs equipment. 

Two rounds of public hearings is the requirements of the World Bank which is a financial executor of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The WB is ready to allocate around $5.5 million to help to fulfill its commitments under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which are harmful to human health and to the environment. To get the grant needs to submit a detailed plan of ecological measures. is set to file the documents in September, Marina Belous said. 

According to the Stockholm Convention, which joined in 2004, needs to discontinue using PCBs equipment by 2025 and completely dispose of it by 2028. 

“The PCBs site in Monoity is the largest one in presenting the greatest danger,” Marina Belous said. The project will allow the country to accumulate the experience and develop the algorithm of actions to be applied at other sites. 

The site in the Lida region contains PCBs equipment which was used at Lakokrasksa company and Lida electrical networks. All containers are isolated and sealed.

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