Tauw to Help Central Asian Countries Clean Up
The World Bank has commissioned Tauw to determine how to approach old pesticides and organic contaminations that are difficult to decompose (POPs) in Kyrgyzia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, according to a company press release.
The Tauw consultants will coordinate the knowledge transfer for an inventory and suggest ways to deal with the old storage places of these toxic substances. The contract was signed on June 3.
In each of the three countries, 10 people will be trained to track down and make an inventory of old storage spaces. In addition, one dumping site in each country will be more closely inspected, after which a sanitation technique will be designed.
The activities will be carried out in a consortium, along with Witteveen+Bos, Milieukontakt International, IHPA (International HCH and Pesticides Association) and Green Cross. The work with also be done in close cooperation with local parties. The Canadian government is financing the project, which will cost 450,000 euros.
In Kyrgyzia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, large amounts of outdated pesticides and POPs that were used in agriculture and that are very harmful to humans and to the environment have been accumulating for the last several dozen years. Cleaning up these substances is being done in accordance with the Stockholm Convention.
Tauw Group BV is an international consulting and engineering bureau, which is active in six European countries and has more than 1,100 employees working from local offices.