Our work

RECETOX fulfils three functions: academic and educational institution, research institution working on transformation of research into practical applications and a body supporting implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and of the sound chemicals management in general.

The Centre builds on almost 40 years of experience and its 300 staff study interactions among chemicals, environment, and biological systems as well as on interdisciplinary links, including consequences at local, regional and global levels.

Since 2003, the Centre carries out atmospheric monitoring of POPs (MONET) in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Africa and Asia. Besides the ambient air monitoring networks, it has also been conducting annual International Summer School training programme on POPs monitoring. It further focuses on laboratory analyses and new approaches to study environmental distribution, transport, bioaccumulation and effects of contaminants, incorporating environmental and human risk assessment, environmental modelling, biostatics and informatics. Other long-term activities include development of on-line data repositories and visualisation systems (GENASIS and Global Monitoring Plan Data Warehouse for Stockholm Convention). In addition, there is a long experience with international and national grants and joint projects in environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology including transfer to applications or policies.

Regional Centre works with partners within its geographical region but also with countries in Africa and Asia. It also cooperates with a number of other Stockholm Convention Regional Centres (Brazil, Mexico, Spain, India, Russian Federation etc.). The Centre closely interacts with the Secretariats of chemical conventions, ECEH WHO and UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch in Geneva.

SCRC in a nutshell:

Main activities:

• assists in capacity building and provides technical assistance on the environmental and human impacts of chemicals management:
• training, coaching, consultation, assistance in developing or adapting national institutional and legislative infrastructure and tools
• monitoring networks on environmental and human toxics, data processing, sampling and laboratory analysis.

We collaborate with the following regional centres: Brazil (Sao Paulo), South Africa Institute, BCRC-SCRC Uruguay, BCRC-SCRC Trinidad and Tobago, SCRC Indonesia, BCRC-Slovakia

Major projects (ongoing or in preparation)

• MONET monitoring network - Africa (8 countries), Europe (23 countries including some EU countries)

• Global Development, Review and Update of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention (SC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (UNEP, GEF 10785) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia

• Global Development, Review and Update of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention (SC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) – Addendum project for Albania, Armenia, Kazakhstan (GEF 10924)

• PCB pilot in Eastern European region (Moldova, Armenia, UNEP) June 2024-March 2025

• Support to Minamata Convention Secretariat (brief project summer until 30 September 2024 – review of existing databases and visualization platforms, pilot tool, proposal for Hg data collection/visualization

• DDT analysis from safeguarding at 2 sites in Ethiopia – samples analyzed

• Sampling and analytical support by active sampler POPs - Mauritius

• In the pipeline – NIP update for Ukraine (re-start by June 2025), + new satellite project for Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Usbekistan

• New programme for POPs+mercury monitoring - GCMP (GEF approved in June 2024) - support to Africa, Asia, Pacific, and global component - start from 2026

• Preparation of legislative acts and training on the implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina (CETEOR/UNDP) - started 11/2020 - by the end of 2022 - successfully completed, 6 trainings

• Updating of methodological guidelines on POPs monitoring - 2022-23, 2024

• Training for sampling and laboratory processing experts on PCBs - Montenegro, Serbia (2022), North Macedonia (2018)