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Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as new Stockholm Convention POPs—a global perspective on the management of Lindane and its waste isomers

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Abstract

Purpose

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-, β- and γ- (Lindane)) were recently included as new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Stockholm Convention, and therefore, the legacy of HCH and Lindane production became a contemporary topic of global relevance. This article wants to briefly summarise the outcomes of the Stockholm Convention process and make an estimation of the amount of HCH waste generated and dumped in the former Lindane/HCH-producing countries.

Results

In a preliminary assessment, the countries and the respective amount of HCH residues stored and deposited from Lindane production are estimated. Between 4 and 7 million tonnes of wastes of toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative residues (largely consisting of alpha- (approx. 80%) and beta-HCH) are estimated to have been produced and discarded around the globe during 60 years of Lindane production. For approximately 1.9 million tonnes, information is available regarding deposition. Countries are: Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, The Netherlands, UK, USA, and former USSR. The paper highlights the environmental relevance of deposited HCH wastes and the related POPs’ contaminated sites and provides suggestions for further steps to address the challenge of the legacy of HCH/Lindane production.

Conclusion

It can be expected that most locations where HCH waste was discarded/stockpiled are not secured and that critical environmental impacts are resulting from leaching and volatilisation. As parties to the Stockholm Convention are legally required to take action to stop further POPs pollution, identification and evaluation of such sites are necessary.

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Notes

  1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-Hexachlorocyclohexane is called “HCH” by the WHO. Another common name of hexachlorocyclohexane is “benzene hexachloride” with the abbreviation “BHC” by UN FAO and ISO, which is, however, incorrect according to the IUPAC rules.

  2. The purified γ-HCH isomer was named ‘Lindane’ after the Belgian chemist Van Der Linden who discovered it in 1912 (Ulman 1972)

  3. The term “Lindane” should be differentiated from γ–HCH in order to avoid confusion. γ–HCH is one of several isomers of HCH, and is contained in both technical HCH and Lindane. Lindane is the name given to 99% pure γ–HCH.

  4. Currently, 172 countries are parties of the Stockholm Convention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors want to express their thanks to all who answered the questionnaires and supported the study with information.

P.C. Abhilash and Nandita Singh are thankful to the Director of NBRI for his encouragements.

Thanks go to Eurofins ERGO for the analysis of a HCH decomposer residue.

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Correspondence to Roland Weber.

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Responsible editor: Ake Bergman

This article belongs to the series “Dioxin and POP Contaminated Sites edited by Roland Weber, Mats Tysklind and Caroline Gaus.

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Vijgen, J., Abhilash, P.C., Li, Y.F. et al. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) as new Stockholm Convention POPs—a global perspective on the management of Lindane and its waste isomers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 152–162 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-010-0417-9

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