Arusha - Green Customs Initiative

support. Also, this may involve diplomatic incentives by assisting countries to achieve
compliance through capacity building including technical and financial assistance.
Referring to explanation that only four African Countries are represented in the Chemical
Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention, a delegate from Uganda wanted to
know the criteria used in selecting countries for the CRC. Dr. Mashimba and Ms. Mrema
explained that the experts are selected by the PIC regions. Names are then submitted to the
meeting of the COP and the countries need to confirm the names.
A delegate from Uganda asked for clarification on what ought to be done when imported
products has some hazardous components in it. Dr. Mashimba informed that in this case,
national legislation will have to be applied irrespective of whether the said chemicals are
included in any of the MEAs or not, so long they are known to have adverse effects to human
health and the environment. He gave an example of Tanzania where the Industrial and
Consumer Chemicals Act (2003) regulates chemicals that are not included in the Rotterdam
Convention (PIC procedure).
Introduction to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
In her presentation, Ms. Angelina Madete, Assistant Director of Environment in the Vice
President’s Office, Tanzania, highlighted on the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs). She informed that the Convention came into force in May 17, 2004 and
currently 106 countries are Party to the Convention. She pointed out that the objective of the
Convention is to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants.
Ms Madete said that POPs chemicals are highly toxic, persistent, and semi-volatile and
therefore mobile as they can be carried long distances from the original source and bio
accumulate. She revealed that currently there are 12 POPs including pesticides (Aldrin,
Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Toxaphene, Mirex), industrial chemicals
(Hexachloro-benzene and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and unintentional by-products
(Dioxins and Furans).
She outlined some of the obligations of the Stockholm Convention including
prohibition/taking measures to eliminate/restrict production, use, import and export of POPs
chemicals and taking measures to ensure that POPs chemicals or imported only for
environmentally sound disposal or for a specially permitted use. She mentioned that there are
some permitted uses and purposes allowed for some intentionally produced POPs chemicals.
The Convention allows use of Chlordane, DDT, HCB, mirex for the outlined uses in the
Convention. Parties must register for a specific exemption and each exemption has an expiry
date. The Convention bans production of Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor, Toxaphene,
and Polychlorinated Biphenyls. She said further that the Convention also bans any use of
Toxaphene and Endrin.
Ms Madete pointed out that Article 5 of the Convention requires that each Party must take
measures to reduce releases from unintentional production (incineration, open burning of
waste, residential combustion, motor vehicles, destruction of animal carcasses, and
promote/require use of best available techniques (BAT) and best environmental practices
(BEP)). She further enumerated the roles of Customs Officers including control of import and
export of intentionally produced POPs as well as information exchange and maintaining
reliable data for country reporting to the Secretariat.
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