Towards comparable POPs data worldwide with global monitoring data and analytical capacity building in Africa, Central and Latin America, and the South Pacific

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) created a capacity-building initiative to support the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), in which the collection of high-quality, comparable, POPs-monitoring data from all regions is critical for the identification of time trends and regional and global environmental transport. In a series of projects involving countries in West and East Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the South Pacific, the study design consisted of a combination of theoretical and hands-on training provided by a pool of three expert laboratories appointed by UNEP combined with POPs analysis in all areas by expert laboratories.

► On-site training combined with interlaboratory studies build analytical capacity. ► POPs were screened in developing countries and other remote areas. ► Most samples contained persistent organic pollutants (POPs), with a few hotspots. ► To work, POPs laboratories need with human capital, infrastructure and consumables. ► Additional capacity-building investments are required for POPs laboratories.