The Global Greenchem Innovation and Network Programme To scale up green chemistry for POPs and mercury replacement through capacity building and innovation, and creation of a global unifying green chemistry network for implementation and uptake. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. 299 The GGNIP programme is expected to yield the following socioeconomic benefits at the national and local levels:  300. Knowledge management and capacity building for local beneficiaries which has a snowballing effect on impacting public support towards Global Greenchem project and usage of green chemicals allowed by international environmental standards. The Programme also provides immense benefits in terms of educating industries, enterprises, factory owners, workers, and primary users of toxic chemicals on greenchem alternatives. As well as promoting the production of less toxic waste streams even in traditional manufacturing processes.  301. The Greenchem program is designed to promote clean manufacturing and production in industrial processes such as textiles, metallurgy, foam production, paper, and packaging. With the project’s global primary focus on reducing emissions of POPs, it will therefore have co-benefits of reducing mercury which has been acknowledged by all targeted countries of the program.   302. Addressing the environmental and health hazards associated with POPs PFOS, HBCDDs, SCCP, and mercury is crucial to ensure that highly desired development gains in thematic sectors are not compromised. The GEF-funded GreenChem project will define at-risk populations across participating countries, together with the development of national priority actions to address such risks. Project activities in specific project components will involve consultation with at-risk communities with the aim of increasing their understanding about the dangers of POPs and mercury exposure, providing vulnerable communities with clear, practical information to protect themselves. This will likely involve, but not limited to, communities living in close proximity to paper, pulp, garment, insulation, and textile manufacturing industries including waste management plants in participating countries.  303. The productive sectors in participating countries, including employees working within these processing industries will also be key project beneficiaries as the project will work closely with industry partners to improve understanding of risks arising from POPs and mercury usage, management, and release, as well as implementing green chemistry technologies available that can replace traditional technologies which use POPs. It is envisaged that the elimination of hazardous chemicals by this the project will also lead to improved working conditions for employees currently at occupational risk of POPs and/or mercury exposure.  304. Access to training on Occupational health and safety, Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production and Green Chemistry concepts, including BAT/BEP, information on new technologies, skills and knowledge sharing are benefits which the participating entriprises, industries and countries will attain from the project.   305. Most importantly, the socio-economic benefits of the proposed project will be the reduced amount of POPs and mercury releases in the environment and consequently the reduction of human exposure. The sound management of chemicals such as POPs and Hg at the national level will contribute towards the mitigation of global environmental problems associated with heavy metals and POPs environmental pollution. In concrete terms, these benefits translate to the achievement of global environmental commitments made in the Stockholm Convention on POPs (articles 3, 5, 6 and correlating articles). Some Global GreenChem programmatic aspects proliferate and directly support the Minamata Convention on mercury.  Effects of unsound chemical and waste management in participating countries  306. The need and urgency for programs such as the GreenChem is especially essential in countries like Ukraine, where there has been unsound disposal of PCBs and outdated prohibited pesticides. Issues regarding POPs are the unintentional generation of dioxins and furans that widely take place during the burning of chlorine-containing materials. In Ukrainian industries like pesticides, metalworking, textile, leather, plastics, paint production POP-containing compounds is still utilized for running industrial processes in an outdated manner.   307. The Ugandan textile industry relies on POPs (Perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS) and C6-perfluorinated compounds). C6-perfluorinated compounds are commonly used as liquid repellants in textiles and in electrical cables insulation.   308. Indonesia’s POP release is accounted for in the pulp and paper industries as well as the paint industry emitting PCDD/PDCF and (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)). As an alternative to the status quo, the GreenChem pilot proposes the usage of fluorine-free green chemicals addressing PFOS in paper, textiles, and paint industries in Ukraine, Uganda, and Indonesia.  309. Insulation in Jordan, is challenging in the construction, chemical &amp; manufacturing industries with the unsound use of HBCDD in EPS/XPS. After the survey, companies leading the insulation sector confirm that Flame retardant (FR) Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam production is frequently used in the local Construction/building insulation sector due to its commercial viability, and ease of production. EPS however is associated with the HBCDD flame retardant additives. Industrial POPs such as HBCDD is of major concern due to its bioaccumulation and detrimental effects that extend through food chains. HBCDD is also used in the production of FR/EPS.  310. For the case of Serbia, PBDEs, PCBs POPs are especially utilized and released from electrical equipment, automotive, and production of energy for heating. Significant unintended sources of POP industrial chemicals–polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are emitted in Serbia through open burning processes. PBDEs in vehicles in Serbia were around 13 tons, while cathode ray tube casings in electrical and electronic equipment were approx. 136.9 tons. Similarly, HBCDD on the Serbian market was around 37.3 tons in 2019. The GreenChem program intends to support these countries to drastically reduce the usage of these POPs and transition to cleaner alternatives.  311. In Peru, the plastics sector and its manufactures have been becoming a good option for the Peruvian consumer. The purchase of materials and inputs to produce different kinds of plastics has led to a skyrocket in demand for manufactured goods from other sectors. Among the sectors that demand it are the automotive industry, construction and building, medicine, electrical and electronics, food, and agriculture, among other sectors. It should be remembered that Peru is a net importer of plastic in its primary forms, 99% of the inputs are of foreign origin, according to figures from the Plastics Committee of the National Society of Industrialists (SNI). Among the types of raw materials demanded by this market are polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and others such as epoxy and allide resins. The plastics industry represents 4% of the industrial GDP and generates approximately 200 000 jobs in Peru. In 2013 and 2014, the plastics industry grew 17.3% and 7.9% respectively, influenced by an increase in demand for PVC pipes and fittings and the greater dynamism of other industries such as those that manufacture soft drinks (bottled water, soft drinks, rehydrating beverages) which required a greater number of containers and labels. In the first four months of 2019, the industrial production of plastics products grew 4.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. This higher production activity was mainly explained by mainly due to the increase in demand for plastic pipes (PVC) and the higher production of plastic plates, sheets, and tapes.  312. As part of the Green chem program, shifting to the use of clean chemicals is associated with numerous benefits which have been categorized into environmental, social, regulatory, and economic. Envisaged risks or potential drawbacks stemming from enterprises and industries are also being considered.  313. Social Benefits   Below mentioned are direct social benefits of the Green chem program:    - Less release of hazardous chemicals to land, air, and water will have an immediate positive impact on the health of local communities, at-risk populations (community in close proximity to factories), workers, and end consumers  - Reduce risks associated with handling, storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals  - Positive effect on woman’s and children‘s health, for example, the Ukrainian textile industry accounts for more than 2300 plants wherein approximately 90% women are employed.  - Increasing safety for workers: less use of toxic materials, less personal protective equipment required, less severe consequences in case of accidents arising from occupational hazards.  - Safer products will become available for customers.  - Enhance safe and responsible management of hazardous chemicals, will ensure employees protection, safer and healthier job environments  - Reducing/eliminating POPs will simultaneously reduce accidents and near misses leading fewer downtimes due to investigations and less insurance liability.      314. Environmental Benefits  - Highlighted below are the environmental benefits of the Green chem program:    - Reduction in hazardous waste to be treated or disposed of, reducing the application of landfills and their adverse impacts (leachate &amp; LFG) on the environment (water resources &amp; climate change)  - Reduction of airborne pollutants from building insulations containing in case of fire incidents and its negative impacts on water sources, land, human and wildlife  - Emissions reduction in PFHxS: Example, in Ugandan textile industry alone, approximately 375 tons/year of PFHxS containing material is produced and 1.41 tons/year emitted to the environment.  - Eliminating the use of PFHxS containing substances and their salts which have been identified as candidate POPs and proposed to be listed under the Stockholm Convention.  -Reducing POP in wastewater: In textile industry, water consumption constitutes 200-300 dm3/kg of fabric, the application POPs eminently makes it a component of waste water. It significantly complicates wastewater treatment process as these substances are nonbiodegradable in the environment and hardly removed by other treatment methods.     316. Standards and Regulatory Benefits    The GreenChem program is expected to positively trigger new environmental policies and standard in countries and sectors, it‘s implemented.  -Creation of a stronger community of practices in the implementation of green chemicals  - Development of guidelines to operationalize the chemicals management regulations and facilitate the promotion of BAT/BEP for chemicals management in targeted sectors  - Dissemination of results of the successfully the implemented pilot, and capacity building for institutions involved in managing POPs, which is required for upscaling and replication of piloted project initiatives     317. Economic Benefits    318. The accelerator programme will support start-ups and SMEs, local businesses equipped with better knowledge, technology, and funding. Greenchem project intends to develop a green chemistry innovation network, with keen focus on innovation accelerators and start-up incubators.The elimination of POPs involves various set of activities such as import control, rigorous lab analysis (e.g. XRF/LCMS analysis for EPS beads), national monitoring plan, annual tests etc. All this translate to resources and workforce thereby flourishing the national economy of participating countries  319.A huge network of beneficiaries such as new suppliers (equipment, raw material), importers, and other green startups will focus on safe green materials.Companies implementing Green Chemistry alternatives (Green FR EPS foam) will have a competitive edge which opens export lines to USA &amp; Europe where stringent environmental importations restrictions are applied. By deploying GreenChem solutions, enterprises become resilient against state environmental regulations whilst at the same time attracting more customers that prefer doing business with eco-responsible enterprises.  320. The GreenChem project solutions supports sustainable production &amp; purchasing, which motivates suppliers to activate the green raw-material production lines thereby encouraging competitiveness towards a green economy.   Energy reductions are direct benefits from the use of green-based raw materials as the extraction, operation will be less costly. Ideally, this should be less expensive for the implementing companies, whilst reducing CO2 emissions and contributing to a green economy.  321. The integration of Green Chemistry solutions and its associated capacity building, nurturing of green researchers &amp; entrepreneurs create job opportunities which in turn promote economic development.  322. For the case of Serbia, the benefit-cost the ratio of eliminating and subsequently phasing out PBDE-a POP chemical its estimated that more than € 68million over 5years could be saved from medical treatment on carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases arising from occupational hazards. And about 24.5 million is estimated as the cost of disposal and de-contamination scenario for a 5-year phase-out.  323. Elimination of toxic substances in raw materials and waste means no special requirements for storage, handling and waste of chemicals. This translate in costs reduction for waste management and disposal of POPs.     324. Envisaged Challenges/ Drawbacks  325. In different sectorial markets (textiles, paper, pulp, paints, insulation, etc.) where GreenChem alternatives will be demonstrated, some drawbacks from participating enterprises are envisaged:    326. Replacement of POPs by GreenChem alternatives may affect the final product quality:  - Safer end products could however be more expensive which is offset by the lower cost of treating health problems, additionally meet the high international standards and reaching more health-concerning markets like EU who pays more for better productsimplementation of a GreenChem alternative most likely may result in an increased production cost which may offset prices for consumers;  - High price tag set for the GreenChem alternatives hinder the purchase and supply process especially for SMEs;  - GreenChem alternative non-compliance with performance and product specifications;  - Delayed formalization of Orders and import process due to detailed internal procedures and delayed delivery of raw materials from the supplier  - Consider trials for all available fluorine free alternatives so as to ensure that customer needs for repellence in the final product is not lost as a result of eliminating the use of PFHxS containing substances.