Pesticides like DDT and Parathion have been widely used over the last decades in order to increase the world's food production. Many of these pesticides are now forbidden in many countries, but large quantities of unwanted stocks have been accumulating over time due to various reasons. Poor handling and storage of these obsolete pesticides are causing a threat to human health and the environment. Environmental consultant Tauw helps raising international awareness on the problems related to obsolete pesticides.

In certain areas of the world, stocks have been accumulating during the last decades due to political changes from centrally managed governments to more market-oriented and decentralised government systems. Many products are old and present an increasing risk for the ecosystem due to the fact that packaging materials have started to leak, causing spills of concentrated pesticide formulation into the environment. The situation cannot be solved by removing the obsolete products only: in many cases soil and groundwater pollution has taken place.

Tauw advises governmental organisations and larger industrial clients in various parts of the world aiming to solve the problems related to obsolete pesticides. Tauw has been involved in executing inventories Lithuania and Cape Verde, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Tauw is working together with international partners; with initiatives from the multinational industry, international public (donor-and technical support) organisations and international NGOs. In cooperating we bring in our core expertise on soil and water contamination, process management for specific obsolete pesticide projects, environmental management, sample taking and laboratory analysis.