HAZARDOUS - project on hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea
Background
- In order to ensure that adequate measures concerning hazardous substances are taken for the Baltic Sea all available information that has been collected in the region shall be jointly evaluated by HELCOM
- The activity will focus on a limited number of hazardous substances that have already been prioritized by HELCOM and other international forums for which initial information is available for the start of the activity
Tasks
The main task is the preparation of thematic assessment and indicators related to hazardous substances under HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan in co-operation with Contracting Parties. Indicators will be used in the assessment of the effectiveness of measures taken towards reaching the ecological objectives of Baltic Sea Action Plan. The work will be carried out in two steps.
Step 1. To collect and assess available information on e.g. use as well as on inputs to the Baltic Sea and occurrence in the marine environment of 9 substances or substance groups selected (see table 1) from the following activities:
- HELCOM data collection project on hazardous substances,
- national screenings on hazardous substances,
- information gathered under the EU WFD on pressures by priority substances in HELCOM countries,
- HELCOM Questionnaire on Hazardous Substances (conducted in 2006),
- EU Risk assessment reports, OSPAR Background Documents and screening projects carried out under Nordic Council of Ministers on hazardous substances
Step 2. Depending on the outcome of the first step, the decision on the continuation of the activity will be taken at HELCOM MONAS 9/2006 in autumn 2006. The further work could include complementing screenings on some selected substances (2-3 substances) in the Baltic Sea. A detailed plan on substances and locations to be screened should be chosen and co-ordinated with national screenings carried out e.g. for the purpose of the EU Water Framework Directive.
Outcome
- Thematic assessment on hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea; activity will contribute to the capability of HELCOM to make better assessments concerning hazardous substances,
- Contributing to the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan; e.g. serve the needs for decisions for taking measures,
- Complementing the HELCOM COMBINE monitoring programme on hazardous substances, but project does not aim to come up with a list of substances which automatically would be included to monitoring programmes
Table 1. List of substances and substance groups suspected to be highly relevant to the Baltic Sea and subjected to data and information collection from Contracting Parties (HELCOM questionnaire conducted in 2006).
1. Dioxins (PCDD), furans (PCDF) & dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dilPCB)
2a. Tributyltin compounds (TBT)
2b. Triphenyltin compounds (TPhT)
3a. Pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDPE)
3b. Octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDPE)
3c. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDPE)
4a. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
4b. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
5. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)
6a. Nonylphenols (NP)
6b. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE)
7a. Octylphenols (OP)
7b. Octylphenol ethoxylates (OPE)
8a. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP or chloroalkanes, C10-13)
8b. Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP or chloroalkanes, C14-17)
9. Endosulfan
Contacts
Mr. Jukka Mehtonen, Project Researcher
HELCOM Secretariat
Tel: +358 (0) 207 412 633
e-mail: jukka.mehtonen@helcom.fi