To begin with, little is known about the location, size and condition of existing stockpiles. The emerging picture is one of a problem of overwhelming proportions, and as more data emerges, the bigger the problem becomes. FAO's work to identify obsolete pesticide stocks in Africa and the Near East initially identified approximately 20,000 tonnes. That estimate has now grown to 47,000 tonnes. This total includes many pesticides that are not POPs, but it is irrational to pick out POPs for action and leave other obsolete pesticides in place especially as many are leaking into the environment.
Early indications suggest that very large stockpiles exist.
Anecdotal reports suggest that around 70-100,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticides are held in these countries, but it is not yet clear what proportion of these are POPs. In other regions such as Asia, little information is available at present, but work is progressing. Virtually all developing countries and economies in transition hold some. Countries that previously operated centralized supply mechanisms tend to have larger stockpiles, often reaching tens of thousands of tonnes. None of this information takes account of PCBs which are stockpiled or continue to be used in electrical equipment around the world in volumes that dwarf those of obsolete pesticides.