Reduction of industrial POP chemicals in manufacturing and recycling sectors through life-cycle approaches in Georgia

Location: Georgia

Donor: Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Dates: 2022-2027

Objectives: The objective of the project is to protect human health and the environment through a life cycle approach aimed at reducing import, use and build-up of industrial persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in manufacturing and recycling sectors.

Project Implementing Agency: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 

Project Executing Agency: The Regional Environmental Center for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus)

Technical Monitor: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 

Project Components: 

Component 1. Policy strengthening by integrating a life-cycle approach into the existing legislative framework to prevent future build-up of POPs in manufacturing and recycling sectors

Component 2. Life-cycle approaches and BAT/BEP for the reduction of POPs in the manufacturing and recycling sectors

Component 3. Capacity building and knowledge management

Component 4. Monitoring and evaluation through results-based monitoring

Project activities:

• Conduction project inception workshop  

• Review and gap analysis of Georgian legislation in the area of new POPs and implementation of the Stockholm Convention.

• Review of existing EPR systems and identification of any technical or regulatory gap regarding POPs elimination throughout products’ life cycle, including confirmation of priority sectors for new EPR schemes

• Conduction validation workshop

• Conduction POPs-related capacity-building activities

• Development technical and regulatory documents needed to implement a financial mechanism

• Update existing EPR schemes (technical or regulatory documents developed) to incorporate POPs management and/or alternatives

• Development 2 policy tools and approve at national level

• Conduction capacity-building events for representatives of at least 5 institutions

• Preparation guidelines for the phase-out of industrial POPs in the plastics, metals and chemicals sectors

• Conduction survey assessing the value chain manufacturing sectors developed to identify processes and materials which may be affected by the presence of industrial POPs

• Development detailed ESM plans and disposal strategies to highlight technically and economically feasible disposal alternatives to POPs or POPs-containing materials and to support sound disposal practices

• Development national disposal plan for each sector to align potential synergies

• Conduction validation workshop

• Conduction trainings on environmentally sound management of POPs and chemicals

• Development 1 pilot project concept on alternative to POPs or POPs-containing materials

• Implementation 1 pilot project on alternative to POPs or POPs-containing materials

• Conduction pilot-related capacity building activities

• Development knowledge exchange platform on the import and use of POPs

• Conduction trainings in selected manufacturing sectors on life cycle approaches and aspects circular economy

• Conduction trainings for customs control officers on the prevention of illegal imports and marketing of POPs chemicals in selected manufacturing sectors

• Conduction trainings on CS, POPs, BAT/BEP

• Development knowledge materials

• Develop awareness raising materials

• Publication of knowledge materials to be used for trainings and environmentally sound management plans on a dedicated website

• Conduction closing workshop