HomeTraining Workshop on the UNIDO Contaminated Sites Management Toolkit held in Dubai from 10-11 November 2013

The training session started by opening remarks made by Dr. Mohamed Bin Fahad, Chairman of Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, and Mr. Eisa, UNIDO Representative-South Africa. It has been mentioned that the main objectives are: to bring awareness and support the technical capacities of the technical experts from the region.

The trainer, Prof. Loretta Li of Vancouver University in British Columbia in Canada, started by explaining the method for identification of sources, type, transport and adverse health effects. This has been followed by how preliminary site investigation (PSI) stage 1 &2, development of conceptual site model including group work and discussion exercises. The training has also included learning about developing sampling strategy as well as detailed site investigation (DSI). The training sessions then went to details of environmental risk assessment, human risk and ecological risk assessment. Participants have engaged in group work and discussions on risk management and remediation. The material of the training was quite comprehensive and very useful references were provided for further reading.

The workshop has recommended the following actions:

•  Consider similar training workshops in individual countries of the region to be organized by Zayed Prize and provide copies of the material including the Stockholm Convention toolkit.
•  Carry a series of pilot studies in old and present fuel stations in each country where locations be chosen close to the coastal zone and in-land, with a view to provide comparisons.
•  Results of the pilot cases need to reflect the need for the latest technical standards, methods for monitoring tank leaks, and ground water monitoring within the vicinity of the fuel stations.
•  Hold workshops to discuss the results to bring awareness to the decision makers and help them to develop suitable legislation.
•  Countries would form the multidisciplinary teams (geologist, hydro-geologists, engineers, chemists, sociologist, etc…) to continue working in the area of management of contaminates sites.
•  The GCC general secretariat be informed to follow-up on informing the Ministers of Environment to support the activities of contaminated sites management and remediation.
•  Bahrain will host the first Global BAT/BEP Forum by mid-January 2014 where the recommendations of the workshop will be presented and the GCC will be informed.