This blog post is based on the remarks of Professor Borhane Mahjoub on the Global Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) roundtable “National Implementation Plans: Research needs and opportunities in Africa” held on 10 June 2025.
Regional Context and Ongoing Challenges
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remain a critical environmental and public health challenge across North Africa, with Tunisia’s experience reflecting the region’s broader struggles and opportunities for action. Despite international bans, legacy POPs such as pesticides continue to contaminate soils, sediments, and even food, especially in urban and industrial coastal areas. The region’s high aridity and heat, coupled with rapid urbanisation, e-waste, open burning, and uncontrolled landfills, amplify the mobility and risk of these pollutants. Food chain exposure is a significant concern especially for fish in dense coastal communities, but also for dairy and meat.
At the same time, water scarcity is driving increased recycling and reuse, often without adequate chemical controls, while monitoring capacity, laboratory infrastructure, and trained personnel still lag behind. Nevertheless, with all North African countries having ratified the Stockholm Convention and submitted National Implementation Plans (NIPs), political will for progress is growing.
Tunisia’s Progress on Legacy POPs
Tunisia has made notable progress in addressing legacy POPs. Nearly 1,800 tonnes of banned pesticides have been eliminated, and over 1,200 tonnes of equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) have been safely disposed of, with around 400 tonnes still pending. Around 1.2 million litres of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)-containing fire-fighting foam stock are being phased out. Tunisia has also completed two national inventories and participated in global monitoring programme (GMP) including for PFOS. Recent air sampling in Tunis has shown some of the highest PCB levels in Africa (~419 ng/PUF), highlighting the need for more sustained monitoring.
Data Gaps and Monitoring Needs for Emerging POPs
Emerging POPs such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) present new risks but remain as uncertain territories. The first PFAS data in Tunisian seafood showed concentrations of 2.24 ng/g dry weight, which is a clear warning sign. Sediment analyses have revealed both old and new flame retardants, and there are significant data gaps for PFOS in aviation fluids and electronic waste.
Routine monitoring of POPs remains largely absent in Tunisia, with substances like short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) remaining virtually unstudied. Limited stakeholder cooperation, lack of access to industrial data, and the complete invisibility of the informal waste sector further obscure the true scale of exposure and risk. Without addressing these critical gaps, the region cannot fully grasp the extent of its chemical burden—or the opportunities to mitigate it.
Laboratory and Infrastructure Barriers
A major challenge remains the limited analytical capacity and infrastructure across the region. Advanced instruments such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are scarce, and only a handful of laboratories are equipped to reliably analyse substances like PFAS or SCCPs. Even where equipment exists, the absence of validated methodologies and trained personnel hampers effective analysis. Much of the current monitoring is tied to short-term, project-based initiatives, making sustained data collection and long-term trend analysis difficult. Tunisia’s NIP notably advocates for the creation of regional Centres of Excellence to bridge these gaps and strengthen analytical capacity across the region.
Policy Links to Circular Economy and Missing Controls
Tunisia is aligning POPs management with broader waste management and circular economy strategies. However, some crucial links are still missing. Recycled plastics are not screened for flame retardants, and wastewater reuse is not monitored for PFAS or other emerging pollutants. This raises the risk of reintroducing POPs into products and the environment, potentially turning the circular economy into a cycle of toxicity. It is essential to ensure that circular economy strategies do not inadvertently reintroduce pollutants into recycled materials.
Key Research Gaps
Several critical research gaps persist in Tunisia and the wider North Africa region. There is a lack of harmonised and robust environmental monitoring systems, with limited regional data and little understanding of how POPs behave in local ecosystems—particularly in arid climates marked by water scarcity.
“Long-term studies on health impacts and human exposure are almost absent, and toxicological and risk assessment capacity remains very limited.”
There is an urgent need for research into the local sources and pathways of POPs, including informal waste burning and agricultural practices. Additionally, studies on co-exposure to multiple pollutants and emerging POPs are largely missing, as is research into context-appropriate and safer alternative
From Detection to Action
Tackling these persistent challenges calls for bold, coordinated action across the region. National laboratories must be better equipped—particularly with mass spectrometry (MS) tools—and supported by well-trained staff to ensure credible and timely analysis. Establishing regional hubs for POPs monitoring and laboratory excellence will be critical to scaling impact. National implementation plans must go further by explicitly including PFAS and SCCPs, while integrating POPs into broader circular economy and reuse strategies.
Standardised monitoring protocols, aligned with UNEP and Stockholm Convention guidance, are essential to ensure data comparability and policy relevance. At the same time, universities and research institutions must play a more active role—not only in advancing science, but also in raising awareness and training the next generation of experts.
“The presence of POPs in Tunisia and across North Africa is no longer in question—we know they’re here, and we know how to detect them. Now is the time to act—systematically, strategically, and with scientific integrity.”
With international cooperation and committed national leadership, the region can turn knowledge into prevention and move towards a future where people and ecosystems are no longer exposed to avoidable toxic risks.
This blog post was developed drawing on insights from the Global Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) roundtable “National Implementation Plans: Research needs and opportunities in Africa” held on 10 June 2025. As part of the Global NIP Update project (GEF ID 10785), funded by GEF and led by UNEP, this roundtable brought together national authorities, researchers, and laboratories to strengthen the science-policy collaboration in NIP development and implementation.
To learn more about the Global NIP Update project, visit Global NIP Update | Green Policy Platform
For a deeper dive into the GGKP regional roundtable focused on Africa, you can access the full recordings and materials here: https://www.greenpolicyplatform.org/webinar/national-implementation-plans-research-needs-and-opportunities-africa
Authors:
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Professor Borhane Mahjoub (National Institute of Research and Chemical-Physical Analysis Biotechpole Sidi-Thabet)
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Ms. Soomin Bae, Knowledge Management Support Consultant (GGKP, GGGI)
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