The accumulation and inadequate management of obsolete pesticides and other hazardous
chemicals constitutes a threat for health and environment, locally, regionally and globally. Estimates
indicate that more than 500,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticides are accumulated globally, especially in
developing countries. FAO has been addressing this issue and disposed of approximately 3000 tonnes of
obsolete pesticides in Africa and the Near East since the beginning of the 1990s. These pesticide wastes
have mainly been shipped to Europe for high-temperature combustion in dedicated incinerators, a treatment
option usually not available in developing countries. High temperature cement kilns are however commonly
available in most countries and have shown to constitute an affordable, environmentally sound and
sustainable treatment option for many hazardous chemicals if adequate procedures are implemented. Cement
kilns have been used for disposal of obsolete pesticides in developing countries earlier but no study has been
able to verify the destruction efficiency in an unambiguous way. Lessons learned from earlier experiences
were used to carry out a test burn with two obsolete insecticides in a cement kiln in Vietnam. The
destruction efficiency was measured to be better than 99.9999969% for Fenobucarb and better than
99.9999832% for Fipronil and demonstrated that the hazardous chemicals had been destroyed in an
irreversible and environmental sound manner without new formation of dioxins, furans, hexachlorobenzene
or PCBs, a requirement of the Stockholm Convention on POPs. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
