Regarding 20 years since establishment of CETI – Interview of executive director Nada Medenica

Regarding 20 years since establishment of CETI – Interview of executive director Nada Medenica “Through quality to leading position” in Glasnik, Chamber of commerce Montenegro, page 40.

You can read interview on this link.

Interview about phtalates – show “Consumer Code” RTCG

Bojan Beljkas, engineer of food technology in Center for eco-toxicological research – phatalates, their use, impact on health and allowed concentration in toys.

Bojans interview in the show “Consumer code”, which is broadcasted on RTCG, you can watch on this link.

Presentation of business model „Chemical leasing” in Chamber of commerce on session of Committee for energy efficiency and environmental protection

Bojan Beljkas from Center for eco-toxicological research presented „Chemical leasing” as a new business model, which originated along with development of cleaner production idea. Model is focused on providing services to the user, and shifts the focus from increasing sales volume of chemicals towards selling of chemical function itself.

Result of applying the model is more efficient use of chemicals and reducing the risk associated with their use, as well as protection of human health. The model itself promotes idea of pollution prevention, and not elimination of effects when they already occur.

Presentation resulted in great expression of interest from the Committee members. It was agreed to put in Work program of the Committee for 2017. , promotion of this model for business entities. CETI will take active role in promotion and presentation of this model. It will also strive to, while communicating with UNIDO, provide funds for this project.

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Start of the project „Minamata initial assessment for Montenegro”

Inception meeting for project „Minamata initial assessment for Montenegro” was held in Ministry for sustainable development and tourism (MORiT) during which representatives of MORiT and United Nations Development Programe (UNDP) presented concept of the project, it’s objectives, as well as upcoming phases and activities within its realization.

Role of the Center for ecotoxicological research is to make mercury inventory which will be used as a basis for further activities in the project.

Objective of the project is to make initial assessment of amount of mercury with aim to create preconditions for ratification of “Minamata mercury convention”. Also, this project will set foundation for implementation of this convention.

You can find more information on this link.

Press conference regarding completion of the Project “Capacity strengthening in Montenegro in the event of incidents at sea”

On October 26 2016, final press conference was held regarding successful completion of the Project “Capacity strengthening in Montenegro in the event of incidents at sea” which was financed by Ministry of foreign affairs, Kingdom of Norway.  Project is worth 2 600 000 NOK or 260 000 EUR.

Environmental protection, including sea, has a special importance and it is one of the main problems globally. Rapid development of nautical and cruise tourism in Montenegro increases the risk for various types of incidents at sea.

Montenegro has established legal and institutional framework and National plan for emergency response in case of marine pollution from vessels and defined response system in case of oil spills, as well as role and responsibility of competent authorities and institutions.

Objective of the Project was to contribute strengthening of professional and technical capacities of the important factors in the in the implementation of the National Plan for emergency response in case of marine pollution from vessels.  On that way risk of possible spread of pollution caused by incident is reduced.

Project coordinator is Center for ecotoxicological research LLC – CETI. CETI carried out all procurement, organized trainings for other institutions for sampling in cooperation with partners on the project, organized training in the reference center in EU and coordinated all planned project activities.

Partners in the project were:

  • Maritime Safety Administration and the Port Authority of Bar and Kotor – Ministry of Transportation and Maritime Affairs
  • Department of border security, maritime police – Police Directorate – Ministry of Internal Affairs

In the implementation of the project were also included Navy of Montenegro and Environmental protection agency (EPA).

Within this project equipment for laboratory testing grades of oil was purchased, as well as other chemical agents, standard reference materials and chemicals, equipment for sampling and analysis in the field, and dispersants (liquid mixture of agents that act on the surface of one or more organic solvents and which are specially formulated for the promotion of natural dispersion of oil in the water column by reducing the interfacial tension between oil and water).

In order to strengthen the professional capacity of relevant institutions workshop was organized for the participants of the project in a reference center in the EU (Great Britain). Also CETI has organized training in Kotor harbor master’s office regarding presentation of field equipment – equipment for sampling and measurement of pollution and training for managing the equipment.

Main results of the project are better professional and technical qualifications of institutions in Montenegro for intervention in the case of sea pollution from oil, and which is particularly important strengthened inter-institutional cooperation.

Executive Director Nada Medenica thanked donator, Ministry of foreign affairs, Kingdom of Norway for understanding the needs of Montenegro and countries institutions in resolving problems in the area of environment and for the second time given confidence to Center for ecotoxicological research. She also expressed gratitude towards partners for quality cooperation and successfully completed activities of the project with desire that this project may be basis for future projects and future cooperation in the area of protection of the sea from pollution.

Awarded certificate Excellent SME

Center for ecotoxicological research has received Excellent SME certificate. Certificate is awarded by Chamber of commerce Montenegro in cooperation with credit reporting agency Coface, for business results and business excellence of small and medium companies in Montenegro.

Basis for issuing of the certificate is credit report and regular monitoring from credit reporting agency Coface.

Chamber of commerce Montenegro has decided to, using tested internet technology SafeSigned™, invite all good small and medium enterprises from Montenegro to apply for this certificate, and by doing this help to improve quality of there companies.

There is a project in progress to connect carriers of Excellent SME certificate, which is in a final phase, where it will be enabled cooperation of best companies from the region (Slovenia, Macedonia, Romania, Italy) as well as Great Britain.

Verified certificated can be view at this link.

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Expert visit of GIZ representatives

Center for ecotoxicological research hosted a expert visit of GIZ representatives, within project CSBL regarding preservation of biodiversity of Skadar lake. Mr. Nicolaus Fleischmann, expert for priority hazard supstances in surface waters, sediment and biota of Skadar lake, and ms. Jelena Perunicic project manager are representatives from GIZ.

GIZ expert Mr. Nicolaus Fleischmann was in a two day visit in Montenegro with aim to meet all accredited laboratories in order to analyse their capacities, and with all institutions and individuals which carried out so far researches of priority hazard supstances in surface waters, sediment and/or biota of Skadar lake.

Mr. Fleischmann was informed about all activities of CETI, and about all research of surface waters and sediment which were carried out by CETI. He also visited Laboratory and expressed very positive opinion about expert and technical capacities of CETI.

It was agreed that CETI will send all previous research results regarding surface waters and sediment, that are relevant to this project.

Inception meeting and workshop – Project „Review and update of the national implementation plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)”

Project „Review and update of the national implementation plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Montenegro” which is implemented by Center for ecotoxicological research in cooperation with Ministry for sustainable development and tourism and United Nations Environmental Programme, started with inception meeting and workshop held on 26-th and 27-th September.

Main objective of this project is review and update of the national implementation plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Montenegro.

“In order to accomplish main objective of this project, we will gather all available information about current situation regarding management of POPs, as well as information about their impact on environment and human health. This is a complex project and quality cooperation is crucial for the implementation and quality of project results. The result of this workshop should be very concrete – we will determine methodology for work in the future, form working groups and working plan for update of POPs inventory”, said Nada Medenica executive director of CETI.

Pier Carlo Sandei, program manager of project at UNEP office in Vienna, thanked CETI for quick and positive reaction regarding partnership in the project, and Ministry for sustainable development and tourism for their assistance on the project, as well as colleagues from Serbia that came to share their experience in this project.

“Our role here is to help as much as possible and to try to answer to all requests from CETI and Ministry and other working groups in order to make a quality document”, said Sandei.

Ivana Vojinovic, general director of Directorate for environment said that “There are no POPs pesticides in Montenegro because we banned import, production and transit through our country”.

Project will be realized in the next two years.

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CETI co-organized training course Basic Search & Secure

From September 11 to 16-th, training course Basic Search & Secure Workshop was held in Podgorica, initiated and supported by U.S. Department Of Energy, Office of Radiological Security (Sandia National Laboratories Radiation Protection Department). Center for ecotoxicological research was co-organizer of training and logistical support to colleagues from USA.

Workshop consisted from lectures/discussions and field exercises related to search and detection of radioactive material. Field exercises were organized at CETI.

Participants on training course were from Montenegro and Kosovo. Representatives from Kosovo were from Agency for radiation protection and nuclear security, and from Montenegro participants were from Army of Montenegro, Customs, Border Police, Ministry of sustainable development and tourism, Directorate for inspection and CETI.

At the end of training, after certificate hand out, CETI received equipment for search and identification of radionuclides worth 69.480,00 $. Also agreement was made to organize Advanced Search & Secure Workshop at Kosovo, which would include field work (search, identification…).

Colleagues from USA stated that teams from Montenegro have high level of readiness for operation in these situations.

 

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Representatives from Kingdom of Norway embassy visited CETI

Delegation from Kingdom of Norway embassy visited CETI with aim to follow up on implementation of projects which are financed through bilateral cooperation between Kingdom of Norway and Montenegro. Delegation was lead by Mari Timenes Nordmo with colleagues Nela Jović and Sondre Hansen Eriksen.

Representatives from embassy were informed about activities and results of the project “Capacity strengthening in Montenegro in the event of incidents at sea”, whose implementation is finishing soon.

Also meeting attended representatives from Ministry of economy, Ministry of transportation and maritime (Directorate for maritime transportation and Maritime Safety Administration) and Environmental Protection Agency which are counterparts in the project.

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