First Dioxins and Furans Laboratory

The Integrated Persistent Organic Pollutants (IPOPs) Management Project was implemented to assist the country in minimizing the risk of human and environmental exposure to POPs by strengthening the regulatory and monitoring framework, improving capacity for and providing demonstrations of safe management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), reducing releases of unintentionally produced POPs, and reducing exposure to POPs in contaminated sites. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) was the lead implementing agency of the IPOPs Project which was implemented from 2011 to 2017 with funding support from the Global Environment Facility and World Bank.
 
One component of the project is strengthening regulatory framework and capacity building for POPs monitoring. Under this component, the project supported a supplemental activity for capacity building on sampling and laboratory analysis of dioxins and furans.
 
Results of the Sustainability and Monitoring Assessment activity of the Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service confirmed that through the capacity building activities provided by the IPOPs project, and as part of its sustainability plan, led to the establishment of the dioxins and furans laboratory within the EMB Central Office which is a first in the Philippines. Technical personnel who were trained by the project are still with the EMB.
 
As reported in June 2022, the EMB laboratory was designated as a Core Persistent Organic Pollutants Laboratory in the East Asian region under the POPs Monitoring Network in East Asia (POPsEA) Project due to its capabilities to conduct analysis of POPs which is vital in the effectiveness evaluation requirement of the Stockholm Convention.