News | Dar plans study to confirm existence of outlawed chemicals

 

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