| Some 50,000 tons of obsolete pesticides have accumulated in stockpiles across Africa over the last 40 years. |
June 23, 2004--Across Africa stacks of unidentifiable substances in leaky containers are stored in dilapidated shacks feet away from the nearest villages. Frayed and illegible labels betray no sign what's in them. These substances are obsolete pesticides whose usage dates have long expired. Too expensive to dispose of, they are left in inadequate storage to slowly seep into the ground water and infiltrate the air, endangering those nearby. Pesticides have revolutionized agriculture, increasing yield and improving harvests, but their leftover stockpiles contaminate the environment and endanger human health. A new international initiative is on the quest to rid the continent of some 50,000 tons of obsolete pesticides over the next 12-15 years. The entire undertaking is estimated to cost some $250 million. The African Stockpiles Programme (ASP) is a partnership between international organizations, non-governmental organizations, governments and industry to eliminate this serious and growing public health and environmental danger confronting nearly every country in Africa. Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, Niger, South Africa, Tanzania and Tunisia are the first countries to participate. The clean up will cost some $50 million, says Aziz Lagnaoui, World Bank Senior Pest Management Specialist. Getting Rid of Waste It's often too expensive for poor countries to dispose of pesticides; it's easier to let them sit in storage facilities. The pesticide removal and disposal is a technically complex and risky task, which includes: - Assessing the condition of stockpiles
- Identifying appropriate disposal technology
- Repackaging pesticides for transport, if current containers are old and leaky
- Analyzing soil for contamination levels
- Devising appropriate clean up
"The pesticide stocks that could be traced back to the original manufacturers will be will be disposed off with the help of CropLife International, which represents the pesticide industry in this partnership" Lagnaoui explains. "We will also work through CropLife International's Pesticide Stewardship Program to prevent future stockpiles." The obsolete stocks will be carefully repackaged and shipped to an incinerator operating within international standards on pesticide removal. Getting Onboard Participating countries understand the gravity of the situation and are excited about this initiative. "Everyone is aboard to get rid of chemicals and ready to face this challenge." says Lagnaoui. Pesticides and POPs Some pesticides belong to a group of highly toxic chemicals known as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which are produced intentionally for use in agriculture, health and industry or as byproducts of combustion and industrial processes. POPs are harmful to people and the environment because they remain in the soil, air and water for a long time, are easily dispersed by water and air, and concentrate in the high-altitude, low-temperature regions. Poor people, who tend to live in more polluted areas, are disproportionately exposed to POPs. Many simply can't afford to move to healthier locations. Also, they aren't aware often of the dangers that pesticides and other POPs pose to their health. | Poor people in rural areas often can't move away from stockpiles of obsolete pesticides or find new, uncontaminated sources of water. In Tin Essako and Anefis, Mali, thousands of local people and nomads depend on two wells, both of which are highly contaminated with POPs and other chemicals from obsolete pesticide stockpiles. |
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, adopted in May 2001, identified 12 chemicals for control, nine of which are pesticides. The issue of POPs cuts across many sectors, including agriculture, health, water supply and sanitation, transportation, industry, energy and mining, and waster disposal. The World Bank is working with countries on chemical and pesticide management through its environmental program and its integrated pest management program. The Bank's activities include raising awareness about POPs and other pesticides among governments, civil society and individuals; setting adequate policy standards; and promoting sound and responsible chemical management, says Lagnaoui. "Our challenge is to figure out how to balance benefits from chemicals and reduce the risks they pose to people," Lagnaoui explains. "We must get people to think in terms of prevention, alternative interventions, not have them simply rely on chemicals."
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