UNDP-Supported PCB Management in Ethiopia: Advancing Toward the Stockholm Convention Deadline

Still, their legacy continues to pose a serious threat to human health and the environment—especially in countries like Ethiopia, where older electrical infrastructure remains in use.

A national inventory identified 2,435 PCB-containing transformers, with 92% (2,242 units) still in active use in Ethiopia. These transformers contain over one million kilograms of PCB-laden dielectric fluid, much of which is located in densely populated urban areas, thereby heightening the risk of contamination and exposure.

The country’s PCB challenge stems largely from decades of inadequate management of obsolete electrical equipment and the absence of proper regulatory and disposal systems. Addressing this required coordinated national action—and strong global support.

What are PCBs?

PCBs are synthetic oily or waxy chemicals widely used in electrical equipment such as transformers, as well as in insulation materials and cooling systems. Although banned globally due to their extreme toxicity and persistence, PCBs continue to linger in the environment.

As persistent organic pollutants, PCBs accumulate in soil, water, and living organisms. They move up the food chain and can cause long-term damage to the immune, reproductive, and nervous systems in both humans and wildlife. Today, the most common sources of PCB exposure are older electrical appliances that remain in operation.

Ethiopia’s Commitment to Eliminating PCBs : Strengthening Systems

Recognizing the serious public health and environmental risks, Ethiopia signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants on May 17, 2002, and ratified it shortly thereafter. As a Party to the Convention, Ethiopia committed to eliminating the use of PCBs by December 2025.

To help Ethiopia meet its obligations under the Stockholm Convention, UNDP designed and implemented a PCB Management in Ethiopia – Phase I Project, running from 2019 to 2025. The project was financed with US$ 2.14 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), complemented with co-financing through $ 150,000 from UNDP 's #PartnersAtCore.

Through this partnership, Ethiopia has achieved several major milestones:

·       Strengthened national legislation and regulatory frameworks.

·       Completion of a comprehensive National PCB Inventory. For the first time, Ethiopia has a full picture of the scale and distribution of PCB-containing equipment.

·       Development of a National PCB Database.

·       Preparation of National and Facility-Level PCB Management Plans.

·       Establishment of a PCB Tracking System.

·        Capacity building across institutions, with technical, managerial, and enforcement capacities significantly strengthened among government agencies and facility operators.

Safe disposal of PCB waste

Despite global shipping disruptions, Ethiopia has successfully transported 45 tones of PCB-contaminated waste to Spain, where it has now been safely received and destroyed at specialized hazardous-waste disposal facilities. The exercise was done in accordance with the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and implemented by the European Union and Spanish regulations. 

The Road to 2028

Eliminating the use of PCBs by December 2025 is a major milestone, but the work does not end there.

The Stockholm Convention requires all Parties to ensure the environmentally sound management and final disposal of all remaining PCB liquids and contaminated equipment by 31 December 2028.

This next phase will require:

•            Proper collection of all PCB-containing materials 

•            Safe and compliant transport

•            Secure interim storage in Ethiopia

•            Environmentally sound treatment in Ethiopia

•            Final disposal by Spain in line with globally accepted best practices

Ethiopia has laid a strong foundation for meeting the 2028 obligation, which calls for the country to ensure final disposal of all remaining PCB liquids and contaminated equipment by December 2028. 

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