making recommendations for National actions on them in respect of continued import/use. Some of the chemicals/pesticides under the PIC procedure on which national decisions have been made are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

The POPs currently allowed for importation under severe restrictions, are the PCBs and Hexachlorobenzene. There is however a national trend towards the phase out of all POPs by the year 2000.

In spite of these control actions however, POPs are still in wide use in Nigeria in the agricultural, trading and public health sectors especially among subsistence farmers and the rural populace.

Documented information on local status of POPs in Nigeria in respect of, extent of use; toxicology; residues, occupational accidents; persistence and bioaccumulation is very scanty.

The available information is derived from researches carried out at these levels which indicate the presence of residues of some of the identified POPs in human breast milk, some food crops and the environment. These studies also revealed that a number of these POPs i.e. Aldrin, Dieldrin, DDT, Chlordane, Toxaphene and Heptachlor, are still being widely used by the rural populace for eradicative and non-eradicative treatment of timber, pre-planting treatment of seeds and treatment of wooden rafters against termite attack in homes, offices, and industry. Aldrin dust was also found to be used for treatment of yam seedlings against yam beetle attack.

These studies also indicated the presence of stocks of these pesticides in many parts of the country, although details of quantities and locations could not be given.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Polychlorinated terphenyl (PCTs) and Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are a class of persistent organic compounds which have wide application in electrical, mining and other industrial sectors due to their peculiar physical and chemical characteristics especially their fire resistance property. In Nigeria PCB-containing transformer oils are used extensively by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), in the supply of electric power to the Nation

In spite of the importance of PCI3 to the national economy, however they are known to cause various adverse health and environmental problems much like other POPs. These problems are further compounded by the inadequate capacity, administrative and legislative framework to ensure that management of these chemicals substances is in such a manner as to reduce or eliminate their health and environmental risks.

Although only one case of stockpiled PCB contained in transformer oil has been identified,' it is certain that there will be many others since many industrial facilities, housing estates, individuals and other large establishments have their individual transformers. The disposal of these PCB wastes remains a major challenge as there is inadequate capacity to carry out environmentally sound disposal in the nation. At present, efforts are being made to ship one such stock overseas for disposal.

Efforts have also been made to introduce alternatives to the farmers. However this has met with some resistance because of their familiarity with the old POP pesticides and their lack of awareness of the associated risks to health and the environment that the use of these POPs pose.

Although the efforts so far made have achieved considerable success in regulating the importation of hazardous chemicals into Nigeria, and in particular controlling the import of these POPs, through bans, there is an urgent need to address the peculiar problems associated with current and past uses of POPs in view of their toxicity and persistence in the environment and the tendency to bio-magnify and accumulate in fatty tissues.

The following priority concerns have been identified for which further action is required:

1. The inadequate technical and financial capacity to determine/identify sources and locations of these stocks in the country in view of the large stock of these POP pesticides at cheap prices.