REMA to set tougher conditions for importers of chemicals

AFRICA is neither the biggest producer nor the biggest consumer of chemicals but it faces a higher risk of being exposed to dangerous chemicals like Carbon than any other continents, because it lacks the technical capacity and the necessary legislation to prohibit the entry of such substances into the continent.

The revelation was made during the ongoing regional workshop for facilitating the understanding between officials responsible for development planning and those responsible for chemical understanding that is currently being held in Kampala.

The meet organized under the Strategic Management to International Chemical Management (SAICM) is aimed at developing the rationale of action that will see Africa free of chemical substances that pose eminent danger to humans and the ecosystem.

The meeting which is one of the 6 regional meetings to be held across the globe seeks to mainstream and integrate sound chemical management practices in development planning where African countries will be encouraged to include chemical management in the annual expenditure budgets, as the global production of chemicals is growing by the day.

The Global Economic Trends in the chemical sector reveal that global chemical output has reached $2.5 Trillion and predictions point towards continued growth in the sector, up to double figures in the next 2 decades.

More countries are into chemical production due to the high demand of chemicals in this era of industrial growth and transformation of the Agro-Processing industry. The chemical industry is growing at a rate of 4% annually compared to the global gas industry which is growing at a rate of 2.8%, with its annual output at $600 bn.

Research further shows that by 2020, developing nations are expected to lead the world in growth rates for high volume industrial chemicals by increasing their share of world chemical production to 31%, with the fastest growth occurring in Asian countries of China, India, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, the Middle East and other African countries following suit.

Statistics also show that in 2007, world exports of chemicals accounted for nearly 18% of global trade in manufactured goods, exceeding in value of world trade in automotive products.

"This can be a positive story for development, but if not carefully managed will leave a legacy of extreme costs to society such as medical bills, pollution and the eminent climate change and the poor are the most affected.

We are experiencing some of the world’s worst domestic levels of pollution like never before” noted Thomas Conway, an environment expert from the UNDP’s Resource Futures International (RFI).

At present, Africa and Asia suffer most from severe implications of pollution resulting from chemical waste generated industrially and domestically and the effects of global warming.

According to a World Bank estimates, health costs in major Asian cities associated with the mismanagement of chemicals take up to 15% to 18% of urban incomes.

The outfall of chemical related stresses has diversely impacted on water bodies, affecting clean water sources, fisheries and other chemical related hazards.

Research done by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) shows that there is an increased demand of chemical based products in form of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and petroleum products to feed Rwanda’s fast growing health, Agro-processing and manufacturing sectors.

REMA, established in 2005 to oversee the integrity of Rwanda’s environment towards sustainable development will reinforce institutions and regulations to prohibit entry of chemical products termed to be dangerous to human health and the environment.

Rwanda is a signatory to a number of international conventions on chemical management like the Stockholm Convention on persisting organic pollutants and the Libreville Declaration on Health and Environmental signed in August 2008.          

The high level meeting attended by participant from Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Mauritania, Malawi and Mali as well as NGO was organized by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in conjunction with Ugandan National Environment Management Authority.

Rwanda was represented by officials from REMA, and the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning as well as Health.

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