Strengthening national capacity to manage industrial POPs within the framework of national and international guidelines on chemical substances and hazardous waste management To reduce the releases of industrial POPs and other Hazardous Chemicals, such as PCB, SCCP, PFOS and Brominated POPs, in an integral approach to promote compliance of Stockholm Conventions, in Colombia. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. 264.      The project will bring direct and indirect socioeconomic benefits. The direct and immediate benefits are those related to the implementation of the project itself, including employment of project staff, operators, and others; The project will strength capabilities of the industrial sector, creating opportunities for the adoption of new technologies with added value.    265. At the national and local levels, the implementation of coordinated demonstration actions with the private sector in the field willgenerate specialized jobs that will improve the quality of life of workers of the power and industrial sectors while showing the opportunities that institutional integration and coordination, private-driven investments, will demonstrate that the positive results of these demo interventions would serve to improve and enforce current regulation for environmentally sound management of Industrial POPs. Innovative market interventions offer alternative solutions to the growing market need in the chemical industry of Colombia generating new markets for their products and services. It is also expected that other LAC parties of the Stockholm Convention will follow and integrate these strategies in their efforts to phase outhazardous substances so the project benefits will extrapolate to other countries in the region. For this, a public awareness and communication strategy for the management of Industrial (POPs)Chemicals, related wastes and safer alternatives should result in direct gains for the citizens and the environment.    266.      The project will also bring obvious indirect benefits. The removal of PCB sources (equipment, waste, and contaminated oil) from the environment and reduction of POPs emissions from industrial applications will prevent the contamination of the environment by these substances. This will translate into economic benefits in terms of reduced cases of illness and death due to POPs exposure, reduced work hours lost represented by a reduction in cases of illness and death due to exposure to POPs, savings in health care costs due to adverse effects of POPs, savings in costs associated with avoided deaths, prevention or minimisation of POPs contamination in soil, air, water, air and biota, cost savings from management of POPs contamination of soil, water and biota, as well as increasing the admissibility of POPs-free Colombian products in international markets.Additional economic and social benefits that will be brought on by the project:    · Reduced health impact from the exposure to hazardous chemicals, including PCBs and open application for Industrial POPs. The project aims to directly benefit 7,000 people, of which 3,640 females and 3,360 males.   · Job creation through opportunities created in the waste treatment and recycling industry.  · A general increase in awareness about the environmental impacts of Industrial POPs as well as gender dimensions related to chemicals. The project estimates to increase awareness of 7,000 people, of which 3,640 females and 3,360 males.   · Improved policy, regulatory, monitoring and analysis frameworks, to safeguard human health and the environment.     How do these benefits translate in supporting the achievement of global environment benefits (GEF Trust Fund) or adaptation benefits (LDCF/SCCF)?     267. In the BAU national context of a growing economy, increasing dependence on Industrial POPs and hazardous materials will put a heavy burden in the compliance of international regulations committed by Colombia with the Stockholm and Basel Conventions. The Global Environmental Benefits (GEB) of the project at the CEO endorsement stage, are the same as presented at the PIF stage. The positive impacts of the project will include the following reductions:    · 1,500 tons of PCB contaminated wastes   · 1,000 kg of PFOS   · 2,000 tons of waste containing Brominated POPs (700 kg Brominated POPs)   · 10 tons of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs)