The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER, President Geum Hanseung) under the Ministry of Environment will conduct the ‘12th East Asia Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Analysis Training’ for government officials and experts in the Asia-Pacific region from November 13 to 15 at the main office of the NIER (located in Seo-gu, Incheon).

This analysis training focuses on the sampling, preprocessing, and instrumental analysis of perfluorinated compounds in the atmosphere, which are persistent organic pollutants. It is the first in-person training conducted in three years since the outbreak of COVID-19. 

The training is structured around practical exercises and field visits based on theoretical lectures, enabling experts from participating countries to directly experience the entire process of analyzing perfluorinated compounds.

South Korea has been participating in the concentrated monitoring of persistent organic pollutants in East Asia since 2005 as part of the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP), a worldwide initiative under the United Nations Environment Programme aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention. 

In line with this, the NIER has been conducting annual analysis training since 2011 to strengthen the capabilities of participating countries. 

This year’s training includes sharing and discussing the management policies of persistent organic pollutants among East Asian countries, aimed at reducing these highly toxic and long-range transportable pollutants. In addition to existing participating countries like Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, Papua New Guinea will join for the first time through collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office.

Geum Hanseung, the President of the NIER, stated, “Through this training event, we hope that South Korea’s technology in analyzing persistent organic pollutants will contribute to the international community and set a precedent for elevating our role and status in reducing persistent organic pollutants.”

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