30. POPs Management-Related Activities in Rwanda

by

Mr. Frank Karemera

Direction of Environment, Ministry of Environment

Kigali-Rwanda

 

 

 

A. TNTRODUCTION

 

Rwanda is a landlocked country covering an area of 26336 km2 . The total population is estimated at 8,5 million. After the 1994 civil war, there is now a heavy influx of the people to the urban and rural settlement arcs. About 60 % of the people live in crowded areas posing many sanitary and environmental problems.

According to the social, economic and political indicators, Rwanda ranks among the least developed countries (L.D.C.) in the world.

The country is mainly agricultural on a peasantry level. The few industries operative so far are mainly service, secondary and tertiary ones. We rely on heavy importation of all processed goods, foods, chemicals, drugs, petroleum and machinery.

It lamentable that scientific and technological advancement is low. Hence the knowledge of POPs is lacking, and there is no research so far in this field. However, in the light of this sad background, information, we give a brief report on the government policy on environmental issues, the suspected sources of POPs, the pesticides use, and the status of the problem in the country.

 

B. GOVERNMENT POLICY

 

For nearly a decade, or so the Rwanda Governments of the day have had positive politics on the concern for clean environment. So far to date, the highest steps the government is taking in this direction are the following:

· Through the environmental department, the government participates in international environmental concerns. The country is a willing signatory to a number of conventions and treaties including the current arrangement to construct a legally binding instrument on POPs.

· The government cherishes the role of other countries worldwide, UNEP, and other local, international and non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental issues.

· The government is organizing an update of National Environmental strategy and a fully-fledged national environmental law consistent with the Internation Environmental laws; This, it is hoped, will be achieved by the end of 1998

With these in place, it is the intention of the government by policy to

· Develop and operate a comprehensive monitoring network on chemicals;

· Regularly review present air, water and soil quality improvement strategies and formulate new ones, conduct scientific studies on pollution mechanisms and their associated problems;

· Control and decrease emissions from both stationary and ambient sources;

· Implement a licensing and quota control system on import, export and use of POPs and prohibite their production;

· Encourage methods of substitutive use for PCBs and pesticides

· Avoid stock piles

 

 

 

C. POTENTIAL OR IDENTIFIED MAJOR SOURCES OF POPs IN RWANDA

 

Sources Quantity Released Relative Importance Comment

Per year major/minor

Chlorinated Compounds N/A Major Used in water treatment

Heavy Oil Electric N/A Major Disposal of old ones
Transformers

Contaminated Obsolete N/A Major Buried in Landfill (some
Pesticides are banned)

High Temperature N/A No heavy steel industries
processes / Arc welding or incinerator exists

Fuel co Forest / N/A Major Dry weather
Grass Fires

Fuel combustion N/A Major Domestic

Wood combustion N/A Major Domestic

Wastes incinerators N/A Major Unknown

Industrial Processes N/A Major Small scale industries

Iron works N/A Major

Traffic Emissions Minor
Wastes Incineration Minor
(hazardous, municipal &
medical

Dry Cleaning Major

Hair Treatment Major

Other Chemicals Minor

N/A: not available

 

 

D. PROBLEMS

The POPs related problems are worsened by lack of inventory of the following:

· POPs releases and risk assessment;

· PCBs-containing equipment, metal or plastic empty drums, tins;

· Potential sources of dioxins and furans

· Unwanted POPs, Pesticides stock piles as well as the lack of:

· Internationally approved Technologies for POPs disposal

 

E. THE BANNED PESTICIDES

The following are banned pesticides of which continued import and use in Rwanda cannot be totally ruled out: Aldrin, DDT, Dieldrin, EDB (1,2 Dibromoethane)

Fluoroacetamine, ACH Gamma (Lindane), Chlorodimeforme.

 

F. CONCLUSION

In view of the increasing POPs related problems, the Rwanda government has decided to tackle the management of those chemicals, from a single "strengthening of National Capabilities and Capacities-oriented" policy framework (e.g. public awareness raising, research, participatory involvement in international chemical management programmes)