Description
Romania needs to have enough competent experts to participate in common EU actions on hazardous chemicals and to implement appropriate measures at national level. Objective: Improve knowledge on chemical management and related skills of competent authority members in order to more effectively reduce health and environmental threats from hazardous chemicals and wastes. Develop knowledge and skills of Romanian authorities for environment, public health and occupational safety, respectively, regarding hazardous properties of Direct beneficiaries are the members of the target group all members of Romanian authorities. Indirect beneficiaries are central, local authorities, universities, research institutes, NGOs, the population that will benefit from a better chemicals management CONOSCEDE will develop the knowledge and practical skills of Romanian participants regarding hazardous substances, including wastes, allowing them and the Romanian authorities to which they are affiliated, to take better informed decisions at national level or to contribute to those taken at EU / international level.
Summary of project results
The project contributes to the objective of reducing the use of hazardous chemicals and their impact , including hazardous wastes, through the training and awareness campaigns to be carried out. Training plans followed the identified trainees 's needs and optimize the selection and presentation of essential information and the schedule of training. The measure of knowledge is given by the ability to make decisions, each at its level of competence and this needs a solid theoretical basis, structured in a logical way as well as practical skills of analyzing data. Objectives and results: 1. It was organised a long postgraduate course (6 months) to improve the knowledge and skills Competent Authorities members (10 experts) on substances and hazardous waste. Results: The experts of the National Agency for Environment, of the Institute of Public Health, Institute of Environmental Engineering and 3 territorial Labor Inspectorates were trained in an innovative course that combined e-learning and training in Norway, where courses were organized, as well as study visits: one on-water monitoring with the research boat of the University of Oslo, one on climate change and ecotoxicologia- at the Boyabreen glacier and one waste management at an eco - landfill in Sogndal. University of Oslo has awarded graduation diplomas. As an added value of the project, because there were economies registered in the budget, four of ten trainees took part in a workshop in Japan (14 to 18 June 2016) where they learned about the latest tools for chemicals management, while 9 trainees from the long course and one from the short course attended a three days training in bio-statistics in Bucharest. 2. It was organised a short course (5 days) for specialists (120 persons) involved in implementing the legislation on chemicals and hazardous waste in order to improve knowledge of legislation, toxicology indicators and support tools. Results: 124 specialists (4 more than planned) from the 8 regions of the country were trained. The training combined e-learning with classroom teaching. Graduates received diplomas from the project consortium. 3. Organization of two conferences, one symposium and two workshops of information and awareness on the importance and means mitigating the risks of hazardous substances and wastes. Results: the total number of participants in the events was over 160; leaflets and brochures for the project presentation and on chemicals management were distributed.
Summary of bilateral results
Collaborative contacts have been established. Connections have been established with the Norwegian experts during visits between the Romanian and Norwegian representatives. For the long course, students traveled to Norway, Oslo and Sogndal accompanied by two representatives of the PP. Visits were made to the host institution's laboratories, and the participants also benefited from a study trip on the Oslo University's research ship, exemplifying the monitoring with sonar systems and water sampling for water, fish and plankton from the Oslo Fjord. Courses took place at Oslo University, the Norwegian Public Health Institute and Vestlandsforskin in Sogndal, all partners in the project. In addition to the project partners, Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency, Oslo Labor Institute - STAMI and the Scientific Committee on Food Security - VKM have also been involved in training. The participants also exchanged experience at the NEA headquarters and an organic waste disposal facility near Sogndal where a KOWI consultant was invited. Representatives of the University of Oslo and Vestlansdforsking - Western Norway Research Institute WNRI and the Norwegian Public Health Institute participated in the opening / closing conferences and the project team meetings as well as the courses. Professor Ketil Hylland and Assist. Unic Line Karlsoen from University of Oslo took part in the 6-month graduation exam on March 30th. In November 2015 and January, February and March 2016, representatives of WNRI, Torunn Honsi Gauteplas and Otto Andersen participated in the short courses in Ploieşti, Bucharest, Brasov, Iaşi, Craiova, Timişoara, Cluj and Constanţa. On this occasion, they met with trainees from the environmental, public health and safety at work authorities, a total of 124 participants from all development regions.