New equipment to boost REMA’s capacity to monitor air pollution

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) has acquired high-tech equipment to enable the watchdog to monitor air and soil quality. The equipment will build the capacity for REMA to carry out supervision and monitoring exercises to ensure that pollution is prevented and controlled. The Director General of REMA, Dr Rose Mukankomeje, said they will be placed in various areas countrywide. “We have already trained our staff who will make good use of the machines,” Mukankomje said.She added that the limited ability to get information about the already polluted land hassignificantly led to losses due to investments done on such land. REMA officials said that this will do away with the challenges that have been affecting the effective implementation of protection, conservation and promotion of the environment as stipulated Organic law No. 04/2005.According to the Ministerial Order article 003/16.01, REMA has a mandate to suspend for at least 30 days activities of any industry that exceeds the amount of air that it emits considering the standard set by Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS). Failure to put in place or comply with, such industry will automatically be closed, according to Norbert Duhuze Remy, the Director of Pollution Control at REMA. “We shall be able to identify which industries are not complying with the air pollution standards and the law will take its course to prevent pollution and protect the environment,” he warned.

National

New equipment to boost REMA’s capacity to monitor air pollution