| Title: |
Environmental health perspective of hexachlorocyclohexane polluted site in Albania
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| Resource Type: |
document --> technical publication --> proceedings / conference paper(s)
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| Country: |
EU Projects
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| Year of publication: |
2003 |
| Availability: |
Tafaj, L. (2003) Environmental health perspective of hexachlorocyclohexane polluted site in Albania. Persistent Toxic Substances Contamination of the European Region as a reflection of results of the GEF/UNEP Regional Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances (RBA PTS) in Europe, the implementation of the Stockholm Convention and 'Community Strategy for Dioxins, Furans and PCBs
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| Author 1/Producer: |
Tafaj, L.
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| Author / Producer Type: |
EC Project
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| Format (e.g. PDF): |
PDF
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EUGRIS Keyword(s): |
Diffuse pollution-->Contaminants-->Persistent Organic Pollutants
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| Short description: |
One of the most negative side effects of the political-social events after the communism downfall in the 90’s in Albania was the destruction of the existing enterprises and other constructions, such as depots of pesticides belonging to former agricultural cooperatives. This phenomenon was quite uncontrolled, therefore had important adverse impacts on the environment. The Fabric of Lindane, part of a Chemical Plant was located in the surroundings of Durresi city (Albania) till the early 1990’s, when it was destroyed. When still in operation, it has been for years a source of pollution because of a low-level technology and the mishandling of technological residues, which partly used to be dumped in the surroundings of the Chemical Plant and for ground levelling during road construction. The problem of pollution was aggravated evidently when the plant was completely destroyed in 1997 and all the technological residues, mostly technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), but also other chemicals like sodium dichromate were left outside. In 1998 there were about 250 tons of residues of technical HCH, packed in about 10,000 very damaged sacks. In Autumn 1998 the biggest part of the technological remains was repacked and removed to a storage place, but the area is still highly contaminated due to a long-term soil contamination and lots of residues of building material originating from the destroyed plant. These materials have also been used for building dwellings in the contaminated area during the 90’s.
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Submitted By:
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Dr Stefan Gödeke WhoDoesWhat?
Last update: 14/02/2006
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