GOVERNMENT Chemist Laboratory Agency (GCLA) plans to investigate the existence and uses of the newly listed hazardous chemicals in the country before proposing control measures.
Carbofuran, Short-chain chlorinated
paraffins, Tributyltin compounds and Trichlorfon were recently added to
the blacklisted substances, described as most hazardous to human health
and environment. The just-ended international conference on chemicals
management in Geneva, Switzerland, blacklisted it.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
convenes the meeting after every two years to look at the implementation
of the three conventions of Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm on chemical
management, with this year’s theme basing on sound management of
chemicals and waste.
Briefing journalists, Chief Government Chemist Prof Samwel Manyele said the chemicals were under the Rotterdam convention.
According to the convention, after the
chemicals were listed as most dangerous, each country is duty bound to
give position on whether or not the chemicals could enter into the
country, considering their serious health and environmental effects.
But, GCLA’s Department of Product
Quality Services acting Director Daniel Ndiyo pointed out that the
agency will conduct investigations to establish whether the chemicals
exist and their uses as well as effects under Tanzanian context.
“After our probe, we will submit the
report to the government, proposing control measures, including review
of our laws and listing the chemicals as outlawed substances,” he said.
Prof Manyele elaborated that the
investigations aim at working on a whole spectrum of imported chemicals
because the blacklisted chemicals could be imported as part of other
chemical substances intended for other uses.
“We have a list of outlawed chemicals so
far. But the people whom we trusted have turned to be culprits, they
import the banned chemicals,” he revealed, adding that those arrested
with outlawed chemicals should be treated as criminals.
The data available at the GCLA shows that currently there are about 1,600 registered importers of chemicals.
The Geneva conference did not reach
agreement on other four chemicals of Carbosulfan, Chrysotile asbestos
Paraquat dichloride at or above 276 g/L, and Fenthion (ultra-low-volume
(ULV) formulations at or above 640g active ingredient/L) after a hot
debate over their safety
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