POPs IN AFRICA HAZARDOUS WASTE TRADE 1980 - 2000 ... - Arte

TOGO
revised inventory. Industry has committed its support for the
project.” 218
BASEL LOMÉ IV / COTONOU BAMAKO
Party Ratified / Party to
National Policy: The country of Togo, as a party to the Lomé Convention, totally
bans waste shipments to its territory. Togo is a signatory to the
Bamako Convention which bans the import of hazardous waste.
On September 7, 1988, the Togolese government passed a strict
law banning the import, sale, transport, or storage of toxic or
radioactive wastes. The law, known as the Environment Code,
imposes heavy fines and up to life in prison for offenders.
Earlier, on May 20, 1988, the Togolese cabinet called on all
Organization of African Unity (OAU) member countries
categorically to refuse to accept wastes “no matter how enticing
the promises made to them.” The ministerial communiqué
continued, “this activity shames those countries which, in order
to protect their own people, turn to our continent to dump their
harmful waste material without thinking of the dangers they
expose us to.” Shipments of wastes to Africa “jeopardize the
future of our nations already faced by indebtedness, drought,
desertification and the threat of locusts.” 219
Waste import schemes: Scheme: Jelly Wax
Date: 1988
Type of Waste: Industrial Residues and Pharmaceutical Products
Source: Italy
Exporter: Mr. Renato Pent, Jelly Wax, Italy
Pretext/Fate: Dumping
Status: Rejected
Renato Pent, the director of Jelly Wax, a major Italian waste
broker firm, claims to have received letters from the governments
of Togo and a number of other countries granting permission to
dump toxic wastes.
The Togolese Minister for Public Health Aissah Agbeta, denied
such permission in a public statement on October 5, 1988.
Agbeta said that an “authorization in principal” was granted to a
Togolese promoter last February. The authorization allowed
restricted industrial residues and pharmaceutical products to be
imported but prohibited toxic, radioactive, explosive, or
218 GCPF 01/2001
219Lomé Radio via BBC Monitoring Service, May 23, 1988, September 9, 1988; Reuters News Reports, May 21, 1988, September 8, 1988; West Africa, September 19-25, 1988;
Xinhua, May 21, 1988.
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