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

Greenpeace demands that,
Greenpeace proposes that,
than ever that the chemical industry has a historical, collective
responsibility to act now. A responsibility from which they can
no longer hide.
The Western industry invented, formulated, produced and
marketed these substances into every corner of the globe,
sometimes using rather aggressive and reckless trading
strategies. They can no longer say, let others clean up the mess.
And, Greenpeace documents in this report, how for example
Cameroon continues to accumulate new stockpiles today,
exacerbating and perpetuating the problem. 11
- producers, suppliers and countries of origin assume full logistic,
technical and financial responsibility,
- a swift programme of action is put in place in order to take
comprehensive inventory of all stockpiles in the developing
world and Central and Eastern Europe, and to secure them
through repackaging, shipping them back and destroying them in
an environmentally sound manner using appropriate destruction
technologies that do not dreate POPs.
-alternative destruction options of disposal should be pursued
other than incineration. More environmentally sound alternative
destruction technologies that have been recently developed and
operated should be used due to the fact that incineration is a significant
source of POPs worldwide (e.g., dioxins and furans). 12
The legal and political tools for solving the toxic crisis are finally
being put in place. It is time to ensure they are mobilised and
used NOW, by the international community, regional efforts, and
national governments to safeguard the environment and human
health in Africa and all over the world. Indeed sustainable
development depends on, and requires nothing less. When the
work is done, we can thank Africa for their foresight, and
dedication to the needed solutions.
11
See Cameroon Section of this report
12
In this context FAO has contributed the following statement:
"The FAO/UNEP/WHO guidelines on disposal of bulk quantities of stocks indicate that the preferred means of
disposal at the moment is high temperature incineration. It would be useful to use alternative methods of disposal
than incineration and this is the ultimate desire of FAO. " (A. Wodageneh, letter to Andreas Bernstorff, November
20, 2000)
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