How is it possible that we harm what we cherish most? The Mediterranean Sea has long been a favored world destination for its beauty, culture, and cuisine. However, the current environmental status of the sea signals alarming deterioration that is a direct result of human activity. The admiration that has drawn in tourism is weighing an unhealthy impact causing degraded coasts and marine ecosystems, polluted habitats and water. The Mediterranean Sea Programme: Enhancing Environmental Security (MedProgramme) was created to help face these challenges and recognize the truth about toxics. The overwhelming challenge of toxic pollution in places we love the most requires that we recognise the challenge, face it and work together. 

How do we address challenges that are overwhelming, such as toxic chemical pollution? The first step is to actually face these challenges: to understand what is happening, what is at stake and what can be done. This is the underlying ethos of the MedWaves campaign: The Truth about Toxics. It is helpful to approach these challenges as a region: Converging the Collective ~When We Act Together, We Grow Together~.   

MedProgramme was born in 2020 from the Mediterranean Action Plan of the UN Environment Programme. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided funding of USD$ 43 million for seven projects, each formed to reflect the priorities adopted by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention to:  

• Reduce land-based pollution in priority coastal hotspots measuring progress to impacts; 
• Enhance sustainability and climate resilience in the coastal zone; 
• Protect marine biodiversity; and 
• Coordinate programmes and knowledge management. 

MedProgramme programme activities take place in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Montenegro, Tunisia and Türkiye. Recent workshops focused on two toxic chemicals: new Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and mercury. 

MedWaves’s role in the MedProgramme Child Project 1.1 in a nutshell: MedWaves is an executing partner of the MedProgramme Child Project 1.1 (GEF ID 9684): “Reducing Pollution from Harmful Chemicals and Wastes in Mediterranean Hotspots and Measuring Progress to Impacts”. In order to address toxic chemicals, MedWaves has proposed an innovative approach to prevent the use of toxic substances identified as country priorities. Considering the high cost of disposal and elimination of POPs and mercury-containing waste, MedWaves seeks to demonstrate the practical replacement of new POPs with the recently listed under the Stockholm Convention and mercury, now regulated under the Minamata Convention. 

Workshop Updates and Highlights 

Mercury is understood to be toxic, both to human and environmental health. However, the eradication of mercury is much like unwinding a spool of thread: it requires going back to a time when mercury was commonly used and identifying products that contained it. Recent inventory activities that took place in Lebanon and Tunisia set out to progress this task by focusing on thermometers. Due to strict laws in Tunisia that prohibit the use of mercury thermometers, the inventory results yielded low numbers. This research was funnelled into three different reports covering the status of the national mercury inventory, actions to be undertaken, and proposed legislative improvements.  

A separate study focused on new POPs through a sampling campaign in Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. After analysis, the results were studied and reported to the respective countries to provide a global overview which was accompanied by suggested legislative improvements and proposed actions to improve the situation. These reports varied from country to country, as they were tailored to the areas requested by the respective focal points. Several issues were identified: the impact of these activities could not be reported in terms of tonnes prevented, and the countries required more precise and targeted actions. 

These completed activities provided essential visibility in order to address challenges. The evidence provides an important foundation to inform decision making, build capacity, and evolve strategies to ensure a greater impact and address emerging needs. The results have been coordinated with the BRS Secretariat, demonstrating synergies between the Barcelona Convention and the Stockholm Convention. 

The BRS has set specific deadlines to dispose of fire fighting chemicals with safe alternatives. A workshop in Albania, took on this challenge and invited participation from KEMI (the Swedish Chemicals Agency), further developing synergies for significant impact. During the analysis of stockpiled firefighting foams in Montenegro, the workshop focused on determining compliance with legal frameworks. 

The people side of pollution 

When it comes to addressing POPs, it is essential to devote ample energy and time to capacity building and detection. If pollutants cannot be detected properly, and if the relevant matrices are not considered, reliable data cannot be generated. Without proper data, it is impossible to understand the scale and nature of the problem. Matrices such as waste, articles, water, air, food, and even human milk must be considered, and the workshop in Tunisia addressed all of them. 

When the technical and scientific aspects are in place, it’s also essential to remember that not everything is about data and analysis. We must also consider the populations working in fields/sectors potentially exposed to these pollutants. In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Montenegro, we carried out the first MedProgramme activity focused on the informal sector and the Roma population. Field visits were conducted to understand the reality and challenges faced by this community, many of whom work with e-waste such as small appliances and car disposal. As a result, a leaflet was created with simple actions they could adopt, and T-shirts were produced for their children to encourage pride in their parents’ recycling work. 

Two workshops were held in Montenegro on “E-waste management and POPs” in Berane on 3 June and Podgorica on 12 June. The events were offered in Montenegrin with simultaneous interpretation into the Roma language. Montenegro is a party to the Stockholm Convention, which regulates POPs that can be released into the environment through improper handling of electronic waste (e-waste), especially during open burning, manual dismantling, or chemical leaching processes. This type of e-waste has increased steadily in recent years with only about 3% formally collected and treated. A vast majority of the waste is handled by the informal sector—mainly small enterprises and individuals, often from the Roma and Egyptian community. Informal practices such as open burning and acid leaching are documented, especially at private landfills and collection points, posing significant health and environmental risks due to the release of POPs, heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium), and dioxins.  

For many Roma families who are responsible for 80% of all recyclable waste collected in the region, the collection and sale of recyclables such as metals, plastics, and paper represent their primary – or often only – source of income. Despite their significant contribution to the circular economy and environmental protection, their work remains largely unrecognized and undervalued. Children and women are especially vulnerable to the health impacts of POPs and heavy metals which include cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, immune suppression, and neurological damage. Numerous reports and policy recommendations highlight the need to formalize and integrate Roma waste collectors into official waste management systems. This can be achieved through education, access to protective equipment, support for establishing cooperatives, and inclusion in local and national circular economy strategies.  

The workshop organised by the MedWaves, the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre for SCP and TAUW in cooperation with the NGO Phiren Amenca and the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development brought together a total of 40 participants, including representatives from state institutions, local institutions and the Roma community, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Region Development. The presence of multiple stakeholders ensured a comprehensive and immediate discussion and exchange on the challenges and opportunities related to electronic waste management and the reduction of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Montenegro. 

MedProgramme produced a final document on “lessons learned, “identifying different sectors that could be considered priorities for future actions, and countries were given the opportunity to propose specific actions they would like to see included in future proposals. A productive network has been established, and there are numerous opportunities to build on this foundation.  

Workshops were also hosted in Libya, Albania and Tunisia. All of these workshops and webinars have been recorded and are available on our YouTube channel. Find the direct links below.

Montenegro

Tunisia

Albania

Lybia

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