5. Prevention and Disposal of Unwanted Pesticide Stocks in Africa

by Dr. Alemayehu Wodageneh

 

Brief description

Tens of thousands of metric tonnes of obsolete pesticides have accumulated in Africa and the Near East. Many of these stocks have deteriorated and are a source of severe pollution posing a threat to human health, the environment and development in general.

1. A Phase I project was executed from July 1994 to September 1996. Phase I fulfilled its objective of laying a foundation for a large scale programme with multi-donor involvement to dispose of obsolete pesticide stocks in Africa and the Near East in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Outputs of Phase I included:

• development of Guidelines on the prevention of accumulation of obsolete pesticide stocks,

• Guidelines on the safe and environmentally-sound disposal of bulk quantities of obsolete pesticides from developing countries,

• a training Manual on pesticide stock management,

• an inventory of obsolete pesticide stocks in Africa and the Near East.

• pilot disposal activities in Yemen, Zambia and Seychelles,

• it played an important role in getting pesticide disposal on the international agenda and in bringing together aid agencies interested to assist with pesticide disposal,

 

2. Project Phase II (November 1996 - November 1999)

The task during Phase II will be a scaling up of disposal activities:

• The project will initiate, coordinate and facilitate the implementation of disposal operations. Costs of disposal operations are not covered by the project budget, but will be mobilised from other sources, both bilateral and multilateral,

• Project activities will include: initiating disposal operations on behalf of developing countries; assistance in acquisition of funds for such operations,

• donor coordination, etc.

• provision of independent monitoring services to ensure that contractors fully comply with international safety and environmental standards,

• review of new disposal methods; investigating solutions to the problem of contaminated soil,

• national seminars on pesticide stock planning and store management to prevent stocks from becoming obsolete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identification and management of obsolete pesticides

Accumulation

Obsolete, unwanted and/or banned pesticide stocks has been on the increase in developing countries. These are pesticides that have accumulated over the years and which could not and cannot be used for the purpose for which they were intended. There are a number of factors that contributed to the accumulation of such stocks. Among others the following are pertinent:

• banning of pesticides after having been imported into a country and while still kept in stores

• difficulties or lack of expertise in forecasting outbreaks of major pests particularly such as locust/s, grasshoppers, grain eating birds (Quelea quelea), etc.

• inappropriate assessment of pesticide requirements,

• insufficient application capacity or equipment,

• inappropriate formulations or containers,

• excessive donations which is inappropriate, untimely, uncoordinated or even dumping which is not uncommon but unethical,

• late arrival of donations (usually out of season after damage occurred to crops and pests left)

• inadequate storage facilities,

• lack of staff trained in storage management (i.e. poor stock taking, lack of records, etc.)

• ineffective distribution or marketing systems for pesticides (involving governments/private sector),

• lack of awareness of the inherent dangers of pesticides,

• over purchase which usually takes place either on seasonal or annual basis,

• misuse of pesticide containers (e.g. for a variety of domestic uses, water containers, pot plants), etc.

 

Inventory

Survey and taking inventory of obsolete pesticide stock in each country is the first major step leading to remove and disposal. Without proper assessment and identification of pesticides concerned, disposal cannot be attempted. With the effort and initiative of the plant protection Services of FAO, it has so far been possible to secure an indication of the level of obsolete pesticides in 42 countries of which 37 are in Africa and 5 in the Near East. A summary of the counties covered and quantities of stocks in each country is given in Annex 1. Although the FAO estimate for Africa alone is up to 20, 000 tonnes, the total so far compiled both for Africa and the Near is 10,061 tonnes.

 

Disposals undertaken

With the involvement of different agencies, so far a total of only up to little over 1,600 tonnes have been possible to dispose of Annex 2. Great effort and commitment will be required to dispose of most of the pesticides identified so far including stocks which still remain to be identified. The cooperation and collaboration of the Chemical Industry will be crucial if the problem has to be solved.

 

Countries where pesticide data is yet t be identified.

Pesticide data is still not secured from 19 African countries. In Alphabetical order, the list is as follows:

(1) Algeria (11) Guinea-Conakry

(2) Angola (12) Liberia

(3) Cape Verde Islands (13) Libya

(4) Chad (14) Mauritius

(5) Comoros Islands (15) Nigeria

(6) Côte d’Ivoire (16) Somalia

(7) Djibouti (17) Tanzania

(8) Egypt (18) Western Sahara

(9) Gabon (19) Zimbabwe

(10) Ghana

 

Inventories could not be secured from some of the above countries because of the reasons given below:

Algeria: Owing to on going political problems, definite action could not be taken in order to secure the necessary data

Côte d’Ivoire: responded indicating that there is no obsolete pesticides in the country. However considering that Côte d’Ivoire is one of the major users of pesticides, this is highly unlikely.

Egypt: Like Côte d’Ivoire, responded indicating that there is no obsolete pesticides in the country. Again considering that Egypt being also one of the major users of pesticides, this is highly unlikely.

Ghana: Although survey of obsolete pesticides has so far been impossible, currently positive steps are being taken and therefore results might be available in the near future.

Liberia: Liberia had civil war for a long time and therefore collection of data could not be attempted. However, with a return of normalcy in the country, problem of securing inventory is expected to be solved in the near future.

Somalia: The situation in Somalia remains to be doubtful also because of civil war which has been raging on for so long.

Tanzania: Survey has been started with technical assistance obtained from the Government of Netherlands specially for the purpose of securing inventory of obsolete pesticides.

 

Guidelines for collecting inventory

In order to maintain standard of survey procedures and collection of data, FAO has prepared appropriate questionnaires which should be used during country surveys. At the end of the questionnaires, a summary sheet is also provided for filling in relevant data corresponding to the questionnaires, Annex 3. Questionnaires together with examples of a summary data has been distributed. It is anticipated that participants of the POPs workshop organized by UNEP in Bamako and whose countries are shown in the list indicated above as lacking data on obsolete pesticides, hopefully would do their utmost to initiate survey activities in their respective countries. Any interested participant in collecting obsolete pesticide stock data should coordinate with officials of his/her country and should contact FAO Rome, officially through the FAO Representative in each of the countries concerned. The matter is important and urgent and therefore participants are encouraged to play a role in protecting their country from the impending environmental hazard and risks to human life. Delaying the matter longer will only lead the countries affected to a situation of irreversible environmental damage.

Summary of what the FAO Prevention and Disposal of obsolete pesticides’ section can do are:

• assessment of the situation in each country (Africa and the Near East)

• assist in surveys and collection of data

• development of appropriate guidelines

• assist in disposal operations such as supervision and monitoring

• advise governments in connection with obsolete pesticides and related areas

• conduct seminars (in-country, inter-country or regional)

• initiation or development of projects in collaboration with countries affected for subsequent submission by the countries concerned to potential donor/s

• negotiation with the chemical industry to secure assistance in disposal operation

• seeking overall donor support through yearly or biannual consultations as part of plans of action for scaled up disposal operations

• coordination and collaboration with other organizations (UN, NGOs and others)

• informing the world and countries affected of impending danger of obsolete pesticide problems and associated risks through press releases and otherwise.