Engagement of People to People Volunteers to ensure PCB-free welding sector in Sri Lanka

Background

The management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is a key priority for Sri Lanka. In 2001, Sri Lanka became a signatory to the Stockholm Convention which was then ratified in 2005. The National Implementation plan of Sri Lanka states that  that no one could “collect, transport, store, recover, recycle or dispose waste containing or contaminated with PCBs or establish any site or their disposal, except under the authority or a license issued by the Central Environment Authority (CEA) of Sri Lanka” (National Implementation Plan, 2015).

Even though Sri Lanka is required to phase out the use of PCBs and dispose of any stocks of PCB in an environmentally- safe manner by 2028, the government of Sri Lanka has encountered various constraints in its efforts to improve PCB management. It is a well-known fact that PCBs are released into the environment by unauthorized human activities including releases in welding activities. Given the lack of adequate legislation to control imports, lack of acceptable treatment, disposal and storage systems for PCB-contaminated oils and equipment, and the problem of cross contamination implementing effective PCB management is a major challenge.  

Challenge

The challenge that Sri Lanka faces is related to organizational and institutional arrangements, citizen feedback mechanisms, and other resources for achieving the disposal of PCBs by 2028. In fact, lack of information about the impacts of PCBs on health and the environment is a major factor in effective PCB management.

In Sri Lanka used oil from transformers is sold to welders, garage owners, and people using oil for domestic purposes. This practice of reusing transformer oil is a major cause of concern as used oil may come from old transformers. In several reports published by the People to People Volunteers (PTPV), a non-governmental organization in Sri Lanka, it was verified that transformer oil was being used as a coolant oil in welding plants and the possibility of self- and cross-contamination among welders and families was high due to lack of awareness on the ill-effects of PCBs.

Solution

Given the lack of and/or limited information about the impacts of PCBs in the welding sector, it became necessary to identify ways to raise awareness about the following:

• the impacts of PCBs to human health and the environment by the welding sector in Sri Lanka.
• the use of PCB-contaminated oil in welding activities in the small-scale welding sector in Sri Lanka.

The overall goal of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, “Environmentally-sound Management of PCB wastes and PCB-contaminated equipment,” is to build capacity in Sri Lanka to introduce and implement an environmentally-sound management of PCB waste, stockpiles, and PCB-containing equipment. The project worked with PTPV to 1) conduct awareness raising activities for small-scale welders in different districts of Sri Lanka and 2) to reach decision-makers within the broader welding and power sector in order to influence decision makers and ensure that the used oil market is regulated (PCB-free).

PTPV staff ran an awareness raising campaign which included:

• Personal visits to over 3,500 small-scale welders all around Sri Lanka to make them aware about the impact of PCBs on health and environment.
• Individual and group demonstrations through the use of mobile units equipped with computers and large screens.
• Distribution of information brochures in local languages.
• Street dramas
• Radio Programs

Newspaper articles were also published to reach broader audiences and increase understanding at all levels about the effects of PCB and used oil on health and the environment.

Additional services were also offered by the PTPV such as:

1. Testing of the welding oils being used and offering oil replacement once the oil proved to be PCB-contaminated.
2. Construction of a temporary storage facility for transformer oil containing PCB.
3. Design of a special vehicle to remove PCB containing oil in welding equipment in an environmentally friendly manner.

A mobile app was developed to track the testing and the results. The data recorded in the app was then used in awareness raising activities targeting policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders to support both scientific and fiscal decision-making.

Results

The interventions of the GEF project, with extensive support from People to People Volunteers, ensured that the small-scale welding sector gained new knowledge and increased understanding about the health risks and impacts of PCBs. Additional services offered by the PTPV such as testing of the welding oils being used and offering oil replacement once the oil proved to be PCB-contaminated contributed to an increased understanding among the small scale welders about the critical importance of changing their practices.

A positive and noticeable change in behavior among the welders has been noted in the following areas:

• Mindful handling of used oil due to heightened awareness of the impact of contaminated oil on health.
• Actively ensuring that they are not using PCB contaminated oil and following up on the results of testing.
• Taking the initiative to interact with the government and communicating their demands/concerns that the PCB pollutants be removed.

PTPV has built trust with small-scale welders all over Sri Lanka as part of the broader efforts of the Sri Lanka PCB project. Through its smart data collection and testing of used oil, it has also succeeded in raising awareness of policy makers and other key stakeholders regarding the critical need to address the PCB issues in the welding sector. The development of the mobile app and GPS-based database for data collection, meant that contaminated samples and their location could be traced allowing for improved monitoring. Such new and improved actions motivated a need for a policy-based decision on the used oil market in Sri Lanka to ensure that only PCB-free oil is available in the market.

“Preventing further dispersion of PCB chemicals within the country is a great challenge. Taking one step at a time is the only way. We have been able to identify new means of PCB management such as temporary storing mechanisms of PCB contaminated transformer oil prior to incineration. We have been able to pass on this information to the relevant authorities. Through this project we were able to motivate all stakeholders especially the local level workers towards sound PCB management by sharing knowledge and information. We will continue to work in line with the objectives of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Central Environment Authority and PEN (PCB Elimination Network) an international partner, towards the goal of eliminating PCB chemicals in Sri Lanka”.

Anuradha Prabath, PPV

Lessons Learned

There were many lessons learned during different phases of the project design and implementation of activities. Some key lessons which stand out and have potential for broader application are the following:  

• It is critical to design activities which are relevant for your audience group. For example, our target audience of small-scale welders was best reached in their own environment where they are comfortable and do not have to forego their income to attend formal awareness raising workshops or conferences. With this approach, PTPV also gained a first-hand understanding of the constraints under which they operate and what would it take to motivate a change in behavior.
• To gain the trust of your audiences and communicate your message successfully, the right messenger is key. In this case, having a reputable NGO, People to People Volunteers, reach out to small-scale welders on an individual basis helped build trust, enabled open conversations, and a receptiveness to change in practices.
• Involving multiple stakeholders to solve problems as part of a decision-making process helps buy in, deepens the long-term commitment, and builds a bridge to success. PTPVs collaboration with the Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Environment were integral to expanding the reach and impact of the project.
• The use of various awareness raising instruments is important to ensure that the appropriate message is continually inculcated with the target audience. A single visit, a single brochure, usually will not make an impact but proper messaging should be done with various means to guarantee understanding.