Page 50 - CARILEC CE Industry Journal_Oct_2019

The Development of a Polychlorinated

Biphenyl (PCB’s) Management System

in Order to Protect the Environment

and Human Health

- Chiquita Resomardono & Faye Graanoogst, N.V. Energiebedrijven Suriname (N.V.EBS)

INTRODUCTION that PCB’s are not flammable, chemically stable and have
good insulating properties, they were used in hundreds of
The Republic of Suriname is situated between 2-6 °N and industrial and commercial devices.
54-58 °W on the northern part of South America. Despite the fact that PCB’s are no longer commercially
Suriname borders the Atlantic Ocean in the north, Brazil produced in the United States, PCB’s can still be found in
in the south, Guyana in the west and French Guyana in products produced before 1979 e.g. in transformer oil,
the east. The total area of Suriname is 163,820 km2. capacitors, cable insulation and fluorescent ballasts. PCB’s
Suriname has a typical tropical climate with two dry can be carcinogenic and can also have other effects on
seasons, and two rainy seasons, an average daily human health. It can affect the immune system, nervous
temperature of 27°C and an annual average rainfall system and endocrine systems . Considering the significant
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varying from 1,900 mm along the coast and 2,700 mm negative impacts of PCB’s on the environment and human
in the middle of the country. Suriname is divided into ten health, the Government of Suriname (GoS) made a decision
districts and has a population of 583.400 people. Dutch to sign the Stockholm Convention in May 2002 which
is the official language but more than 16 other languages imposes a worldwide ban on the production and trade of
are spoken due to a population characterized by an ethnic eight pesticides, two by-products of incineration processes
diversity of which the majority consists of Hindustani, and two industrial chemicals such as PCB’s.
Creoles, Maroons, Javanese and Chinese .
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The N.V. Energiebedrijven Suriname (N.V. EBS) is the HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF PCB
provider of electrical energy and is responsible for the MANAGEMENT IN SURINAME
generation, transmission and distribution of energy.
Furthermore, N.V. EBS has a subsidiary, N.V Ogane, which
is responsible for the supply of imported propane gas to Suriname is not a producer of PCB or PCB-containing
customers. The N.V. EBS is a 100 % state-owned company equipment. However, PCB- containing materials, such as
under supervision of the Ministry of Natural Resources. insulating oils for electric devices, hydraulic oils and
paints have been imported. It is stated in the Suriname’s
N.V. EBS power system consists of a number of individual National Implementation Plan to the Stockholm
power systems, which are concentrated in the coastal area. Convention (July 2011) that most PCB containing or
The largest power systems are the EPAR contaminated equipment are found in private and public
(Elektriciteitsnetwerk Paramaribo) system, covering companies, which generate electricity.
Paramaribo and the surroundings and the ENIC
(Elektriciteitsnetwerk Nickerie) system covering Nieuw Ever since the late eighties, the N.V. EBS recognized that
Nickerie and surroundings. Six other smaller power systems PCB’s are hazardous and that PCB containing transformers
are located in Moengo, Albina, Totness, Apura and had to be treated in a responsible manner. At that time, the
Wageningen, and one hybrid solar system in Pokigron. amount of PCB transformers within the company was
Nowadays, EBS provides electricity to circa 165.000 unknown. However, efforts were taken by the Government
costumers, both industrial and households, nationwide. of Suriname for shipment of disapproved PCB transformers
such as the signing of a bilateral agreement with the
N.V.EBS has a history with regards to the use of Netherlands in 2005, training of personnel and executing
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB’s) in transformer oils. PCB’s research on the destruction of PCB transformers.
belong to a large family of man – made organic chemicals
which belongs to a class of chlorinated aromatic This resulted in the collection and exportation of PCB
compounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms substituted to waste and scrap from the Suriname Aluminium Company
biphenyl (a molecule composed of two benzene rings). (Suralco) and the BHP Billiton to the Netherlands for
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PCB’s were produced from 1929 until their production in destruction . Due to financial reasons the N.V. EBS did
1979 was stopped in the United States . Due to the fact not export their PCB oil and transformer- waste. From this
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moment, transformers have been stored at the storage
facility considering minimal PCB storage guidelines.
48 CE INDUSTRY Journal