Expert in co-processing of POPs waste using cement kilns

Result of Service

The ultimate result of services is to ensure that the Central Asia DDT project is executed in a timely manner.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

9 months between April 2022 to January 2023

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

The UNEP Europe Office’s main goal is to provide guidance to national governments at various levels, and to take part in the dialogue on environmental issues between governmental authorities, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders. Europe office is the Executing Agency (EA) for the project “Demonstration of non-thermal treatment of DDT wastes in Central Asia (Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan) (GEF ID 9421)” (Central Asia DDT). The EA ensures that all activities, including procurement of goods and services, are carried out in strict compliance with the rules and procedures of UN Environment and GEF, and ensures coordination between the countries and consistent execution and reporting of national project activities. The EA is responsible for, inter alia, the following required activities to achieve the project objectives, outputs and outcomes:

• Establishing, hosting and supervising the project management team;
• Acting as Secretariat for the PSC;
• Prepare annual workplan, budget forecast, procurement plan and communication plan;
• Ensuring that the project is executed according to the agreed work plan and budget;
• Review and submit required reporting obligations to the IA, including quarterly expenditure and progress reports and annual Project Implementation report (PIR) and co-financing report;
• Ensuring all procurement is done in compliance with GEF Agency standards;
• Carry out project and financial management including producing periodic monitoring reports, legal instruments, and procurement;
• Ensure programmatic coordination between the two countries and with other initiatives in the region;
• Ensure visibility of the project;
• Ensure the risk management plan is implemented and actions taken documented;
• Ensure the gender action plan is implemented and action taken documented;
• Support technical staff and activities, review their reports before submission to the SC/IA for comments;
• Communicating with and disseminating information to the National Delivery Partners and other stakeholders.

The overall objective of the project is to build national and regional capacity for the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of hazardous waste including Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan in line with the requirements of the Basel and Stockholm Conventions. The project is comprised of two Components: (1) Disposal and reduction of POPs and (2) Long term capacity building for improved hazardous waste management. The project duration is established at 5 years. The project will dispose of at least 5,000 tons of DDT and associated POPs wastes from the two main sites using on-site methods of Super Critical Water Oxidation (SCWO).

Although the primary technology for use in the project has been determined as SCWO, risk analysis conducted during the preparatory phase of the project (PPG) and comment by the GEF STAP committee concluded that an alternative technology should be brought forward in parallel. In the event that the SCWO process is found to be non-feasible either through technical, financial or for other reasons disposal options analysis concluded that co-processing of wastes using a cement kiln would be a viable alternative. For this reason, a technical expert skilled in the knowledge of bringing co-processing of POPs wastes on-line will be required.

The consultant will further outline the feasibility study developed during the PPG phase with up-to-date information including specifications, methodology and costings for development of the enabling environment, procurement of disposal services of POPs wastes and quality control and monitoring to allow environmentally sound disposal of POPs waste via co-processing. The assignment will involve a mission to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in order to conduct field studies of suitable facilities.

The incumbent will be responsible to provide technical support in delivery of outputs as part of Component 1 of the project, including the following:

1. Review the 2019 feasibility and bench marking study to prioritize two cement kilns in both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in which co-processing activities could potentially be undertaken. Prioritization to include willingness of cement manufacturers to participate in co-processing of POPs and other wastes;
2. Visit each of the kilns identified to conduct field assessment;
3. Update the 2019 feasibility study / benchmarking report and associated questionnaires for the prioritized kilns in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with new data;
4. As a result of tasks 1.-3. above review the technological assessment of facility infrastructure upgrades needed to allow co-processing of POPs and POPs contaminated waste, namely plant and equipment specification and pricing estimation, including but not limited to:
   • Main burner and/or calciner burner upgrade, as required
   • Liquid / sludge and or solid POPs waste feeding system, as required
   • Installation of chlorine bypass, as required
   • Pre-processing equipment to allow POPs waste to be characterized and then fed into a cement kiln for co-processing
   • Design and construction of POPs waste receiving and storage area, as required
   • Emissions monitoring equipment (for a) online performance monitoring and b) yearly compliance monitoring)
   • Laboratory analytical equipment necessary for characterization of waste materials as per the requirements of each of the selected co-processing facilities
5. On the basis of tasks 1., 2. and 3., Develop specifications for procurement of services for destruction of POPs wastes according to UNEP/BC technical guidelines, including performance burn, emissions monitoring;
6. Specification of waste composition for delivery to each kiln including physico-chemical characteristics and elemental composition (maximum particle size, moisture content, chlorine content/ heavy metal content etc.);
7. On the basis of task 5. Development of waste acceptance criteria (WAC) including sampling and analysis protocol and format (review and adapt, if necessary, the recommended ball mill solution from initial 2019 report);
8. On the basis of task 5. Develop packaging requirements for transport to co-processing facility and temporary storage at cement plant side;
9. Specification of detailed kiln specific pre-processing method to achieve WAC;
10. Site specific cost requirements to show that co-processing of hazardous waste has no or a negligible effect on the kiln emission to the surroundings and is in compliance with the standards as set forth in the relevant UNEP/BC technical guidelines;
11. Work with #9421 GEF International ESM Consultant and national waste management and legal consultants to provide inputs regarding required best environmental practice (BEP) for legal gap analysis and updates to legislation to allow co-processing of wastes, including POPs wastes and alternative fuels (RDF & SRF). Ensure that legal frameworks include stipulations on regulatory permitting, supervision and monitoring of co-processing;
12. Define in cooperation with national waste management and legal consultants the process for the TJ and KG governments, based on BEP, to provide a license / permit for operation of co-processing of POPs wastes and alternative fuels (SRF and RDF) including any identified gaps in the permitting process;
13. Work with #9421 GEF International ESM Consultant and national waste management consultants to provide inputs for anticipated EIA required for co-processing of POPs waste;
14. Work with #9421 GEF International ESM Consultant and national waste management consultants to provide inputs for the development of a consultation procedure with respective national stakeholders that allow co-processing to go ahead;
15. Provide an estimate of processing costs per metric ton of waste for each kiln based;
16. Provide instructions for prioritized cement manufacturers to undertake market research and development of alternative fuels in their respective countries;
17. Set out the required next steps and programme of activities agreed with cement kiln management to allow co-processing at the identified kilns, including but not limited to:
    • System design changes specific to each kiln
    • System upgrade
    • Training and stakeholder communication
18. Waste management / handling and feeding qualifications
19. Training of laboratory technicians on waste characterisation
20. Training of personnel for environmental monitoring
21. Stakeholder meetings to educate NGOs and other stakeholders on hazardous waste co-processing in cement kilns and national processes for decision making whether to apply this technology
    • Conducting performance test;
    • Update / development of EIA for co-processing of POPs waste;
22. Update of permit to allow co-processing of POPs waste.
    Monitoring and Progress Controls:
    The incumbent will be under the direct supervision of the Project Manager for the GEF ID 9421 CA Project, UNEP Europe Office and UNEP-GEF Task Manager. The incumbent will prepare a workplan for the duration of the contract. Each quarter, in order to account for adjustment of priorities, the workplan will be reviewed jointly with the Project Manager and the Task Manager. Report on the delivery of the workplan will be prepared at the end of each calendar month in combination with the monthly progress report to monitor and identify issues.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in physical or environmental sciences, chemistry, public policy, business or public administration, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: At least 7 years of working experience in management of hazardous waste in accordance with the requirements of the Basel and Stockholm Conventions is required. Private sector experience from the hazardous waste industry and with cement kilns on co-incineration, is required. Previous record including publications on the technical (including Health, Safety and Environmental performance) and economic feasibility of co-incineration of hazardous wastes in cement kilns in Central Asia would be an asset. Experience in the implementation of environmental or health related programmes, projects and activities would be an asset.

Language: Fluency in English, including good drafting/writing skills is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages is desirable.