Latest news with #StockholmConvention
Scoop
15-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
Alternative Grass Grub Weapon Now Urgent
Federated Farmers says urgent action is needed to plug a looming gap in treatments to fight native grass grub, which costs the agricultural sector hundreds of millions of dollars each year. "This is our biggest agricultural pest by a country mile, yet there's a real risk farmers' arsenal to fight it will soon be empty," Feds biosecurity spokesperson David Birkett says. "It's pleasing that manufacturers have work developing new chemicals underway. "We also need the Environmental Protection Authority to prioritise and fast-track their assessment of any new options." Costelytra giveni is a scourge for pasture and lawn, and also a risk to horticulture and native plant root systems. The two most effective chemicals to control the grub - chlorpyrifos and Diazanon - are both being phased out after decisions by the EPA to ban them. Chlorpyrifos, a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide, is banned in the European Union and Canada, and its use is heavily restricted in Australia. It is in the process of being phased out internationally via the Stockholm Convention, of which New Zealand is a signatory. The EPA recently consulted on banning chlorpyrifos here. After considering new information, and holding a public hearing, a decision-making committee found risks to people and the environment - especially to those spraying it - outweighed the benefits. "We're pleased the EPA listened carefully to our submission, and decided that for the agricultural sector, the ban would come at the end of an 18-month phase-out period," Birkett says. "However, stocks of chlorpyrifos are already very limited and in the face of bans, manufacturers are taking it out of production." The other potent weapon for combating grass grub, Diazanon, will also be banned from 2028. Federated Farmers understands AgResearch and ag chem companies are well underway with developing a new tool for combatting grass grub. "We'd really like to see them accelerate that development work. It would be disastrous for food production and our agricultural exports if our farmers are left high and dry for any period without an effective control method," Birkett says. A 2018 study said native scarab grass grub causes losses of up to $380 million on dairy farms and $205 million on sheep and beef farmers every year - and that was with access to chlorpyrifos. Birkett says the EPA also needs to play its role swiftly. "Federated Farmers has been critical of the EPA's failure to get on top of a backlog of assessment applications for agri-chemicals and animal health treatments. "We've welcomed Government announcements on new measures aimed at streamlining assessment processes, particularly in cases where chemicals are already being used safety in other countries. "But the the EPA also needs to adjust its priorities and not focus on assessing generic chemicals that are already available," Birkett says. "Their work stream needs to take better account of how far off approvals are for effective replacement products, including biosecurity and pest increase issues, and how much delays would cost the country. "The new chemicals that offer the greatest economic benefits should get priority in the queue - and I would put any new treatment for grass grub in that category," Birkett says.
Scoop
10-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
EPA Bans Crop Insecticide After Reassessment
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is banning a crop insecticide, chlorpyrifos, after reassessing the chemical. The ban will come into effect progressively during an 18-month phase-out period. Chlorpyrifos is a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide used to control pests in pasture and grain crops such as wheat and for biosecurity treatment of pests. The chemical is banned in the European Union and Canada, and its use is heavily restricted in Australia. It is in the process of being phased out internationally via the Stockholm Convention, of which New Zealand is a signatory. As part of the reassessment, the EPA considered new information, called for submissions, and held a public hearing. A decision-making committee found that risks to people and the environment of using the insecticide outweighed the benefits. "Operators spraying the insecticide and bystanders are most at risk from immediate and long-term health issues," says Dr Shaun Presow, Hazardous Substances Reassessments Manager. "New evidence shows that even full personal and respiratory protective equipment don't fully mitigate the health risks. "The health risks for children exposed to chlorpyrifos in particular are concerning, which is why we have put in place an immediate ban on using the chemical in public places," says Dr Presow. "Chlorpyrifos also has harmful effects on plants and animals on land and in waterways." An EPA decision-making committee set an extended phase-out period for the use of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-containing substances to allow users to transition to alternative products. "We acknowledge the concerns of some farmers who will need to find alternatives to chlorpyrifos products to control New Zealand grass grub," says Dr Presow. "This is why we have approved and extended the 18-month phase-out period for farmers to find other ways to manage native grass grub. "We are equally mindful of the risks to human health and the environment, and that the phasing out of chlorpyrifos is supported by some industry groups. Furthermore, our international trade partners are already imposing restrictions on the use of chlorpyrifos on food crops." From 10 July 2025 the use of chlorpyrifos will be phased out: - over 18 months for those using the active ingredient to control grass grub - over six months for all other industries - immediately in public places.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Found an Unexpected Toxin Floating in the Oklahoma Sky
Similar to 'forever chemical' PFAS, medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)—often found in textiles and PVC products—are toxins that can take a long time to breakdown in the environment and negatively impact human health. Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have now, in a first for North American, detected these toxins in the air while researching aerosol formation. These airborne MCCPs particles likely entered the atmosphere through biosolids—a fertilizer developed from treated wastewater. One of the downsides of modern life is the proliferation of chemicals in the natural environment. Arguably the most well-known of these chemical culprits are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used for stuff like non-stick surfaces on frying pans. They are also known as 'forever chemicals' for their tendency to linger in the environment. But this environmental scourge is only one of many similar substances. Of the others, one of the most concerning is a type of toxin known as medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, or MCCPs. Like PFAS, these chemicals take a longtime to break down, and have been shown to be the driver behind health issues like liver and kidney toxicity, thyroid malfunction, and certain neurological issues. MCCPs have been detected in the atmosphere on other continents (including Asia and even Antarctica) but a new study from the University of Colorado Boulder claims that North America has now joined that unlucky list. In setting out to detect how aerosols form and grow in an agricultural region of Oklahoma, the team of scientists behind this recent study stumbled across trace amounts of MCCPs in the atmosphere. They detected these particles using a technique known as nitrate ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry, and the results were published last week in the journal ACS Environmental AU. MCCPs start their lives within things like metalworking fluids, textiles, and PVC, which is why they can often find themselves in wastewater. That's a problem, because a fertilizer known as biosolids (which is made from treated sewar sludge) is often spread across agricultural crops. 'When sewage sludges are spread across the fields, those toxic compounds could be released into the air,' Daniel Katz, lead author of the study, said in a press statement. 'We can't show directly that that's happening, but we think it's a reasonable way that they could be winding up in the air. Sewage sludge fertilizers have been shown to release similar compounds.' The creation of this synthetic chemical was in large part due to the regulation of its toxic cousin, Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs), which have been regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Stockholm Convention (an international body formed in 2001 to protect human health against persistent organic pollutants). Earlier this year, the Stockholm Convention also marked MCCPs for global elimination. Who knows if this will spawn the creation of another toxic chemical, but this regulatory game of whack-a-mole is similar in the truly Sisyphean task of trying to eliminate PFAS from the environment. 'We always have these unintended consequences of regulation, where you regulate something, and then there's still a need for the products that those were in,' Ellie Browne, a co-author of the study, said in a press statement. 'So they get replaced by something.' Luckily, there is some good news. The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill earlier this year eliminating biosolids as a fertilizer, and a newly established environmental group called The Coalition for Sludge-Free Land aims to make the ban a national one (the EPA currently regulates, but doesn't ban, the substance). Now that MCCPs have been found in the atmosphere, the UC Boulder team hopes that future efforts will be able to discern their airborne impact. 'We identified them, but we still don't know exactly what they do when they are in the atmosphere, and they need to be investigated further,' Katz said in a press statement. 'I think it's important that we continue to have governmental agencies that are capable of evaluating the science and regulating these chemicals as necessary for public health and safety.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Neeri's giant leap with Global South Network for eco sustainability
Nagpur: The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) is set to establish a Global South Network to collaborate with institutes across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Middle East on environmental sustainability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A key focus of this initiative is to address critical challenges affecting these regions. In an exclusive interview with TOI on Wednesday, CSIR-NEERI director Dr S Venkata Mohan, an Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellow, emphasized the network's goal of tackling region-specific environmental issues. "The Global South faces unique challenges, and this platform will amplify our voice to address them collaboratively," he said. The network aims to create a charter, facilitating annual engagements across member countries to develop tailored solutions. "India represents a significant population, and our contributions will carry substantial weight globally," Dr Venkata Mohan added. NEERI also hosts a regional centre for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), in partnership with the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC). The Stockholm Convention targets chemicals that persist in the environment, spread globally, and accumulate in fatty tissues, posing risks to human health and ecosystems. "We are developing methods to monitor and phase out particulate organic carbon (POC) and other POPs," Dr Venkata Mohan said, highlighting NEERI's role as a recognized regional centre. The Global South Network, an independent initiative, will strengthen NEERI's leadership in environmental research, fostering sustainable development across member nations. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Also, CSIR-NEERI is in discussion to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in collaboration with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to advance water and wastewater treatment and energy recovery technologies. "A recent Sweden delegation formalized to drive Indo-Swedish sustainability goals," he said. The CoE, to be established at NEERI's Nagpur campus, will serve as a hub for innovative water management solutions, aligning with global circular economy practices. Last year, the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova commissioned IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to conduct a pre-feasibility study for establishing a Sweden-India Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sustainable Cities. The study was led by Rupali Deshmukh (Karangale), a native of Nagpur now based in Sweden, who serves as Country Manager for India and CEO of IVL India. IVL has now been tasked with hammering out a detailed feasibility study focusing on water, wastewater, sludge, and energy.
Arab Times
25-05-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
Hosting Stockholm Regional Centre enhances Kuwait's environmental leadership: KISR
KUWAIT CITY, May 25: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) affirmed on Saturday that hosting the Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia underscores Kuwait's leading role in advancing global environmental initiatives and solidifies its status as a key regional hub for chemical and waste risk management. Dr. Mohammad Al-Otaibi, Coordinator of the Regional Centre and a scientific researcher at KISR, told KUNA that the center provides technical and training services to countries across West Asia. It serves as a vital link between three major environmental agreements—most notably the Stockholm Convention—and the member states, offering technical support, technology transfer, regular updates, and assistance in implementing national action plans and submitting periodic reports. Since its inception, the center has conducted numerous regional training workshops, Al-Otaibi noted. It is now preparing to host an expanded workshop in October 2025 at KISR's headquarters. The event will bring together participants from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, other West Asian nations, and international experts to address recent updates to the convention, including chemicals such as PFAS, UVA-328, and PCBs, as well as the latest testing and reporting mechanisms. He highlighted that the center recently completed an updated national survey of banned chemicals in Kuwait in coordination with relevant agencies, including the Environment Public Authority, which fully supported the effort. A comprehensive report was submitted to the Stockholm Convention Secretariat. The center is now working on a new inventory of newly added substances to be submitted according to the required timeline. Al-Otaibi outlined the center's strategic work plan for 2024–2027, which is built around eight key areas: organizing advanced training workshops, implementing national research projects, updating national implementation plans (NIP), building a regional chemical database, evaluating new chemicals, and facilitating regional coordination and periodic reporting. He stressed that collaboration with donors and international organizations — such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) — has strengthened the center's capabilities. These partnerships help facilitate technology transfer, expand regional influence, and enhance Kuwait's environmental commitments while creating valuable opportunities for national capacity-building. Al-Otaibi also emphasized the importance of KISR's participation in the recent Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9, 2025. Kuwait's involvement, he said, showcased the country's environmental efforts and contributed to key decisions, including the addition of new chemicals to the conventions, updates to technical guidelines, and the launch of joint environmental compliance programs. He added that the regional center provides strategic value for Kuwait, not only as a scientific and training hub but also as an essential mechanism for protecting public health and the environment. The center's success, he noted, has been made possible by the support of the Kuwaiti leadership and collaboration with national partners. Additionally, Al-Otaibi said the center plays a critical role in developing national human resources, proposing scientifically validated alternatives to banned substances, and reducing environmental pollution costs—ultimately supporting Kuwait's economy and promoting sustainable development. Kuwait ratified the Stockholm Convention in March 2006. In May 2009, during the Fourth Conference of the Parties in Geneva, KISR was officially approved as the Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for West Asia, making it the first internationally accredited Arab center of its kind. Since its formal launch in 2011, the center has served as a scientific and technical cornerstone for advancing environmental policy and fostering coordinated regional efforts.
