adminTanaka Vunganai and Tatenda Charamba
Government is participating in the regional Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) project to reduce environmental and health risks as expected by the Stockholm Convention. Twelve southern African countries are involved in the project where oils and wastes containing PCBs will be shipped outside the continent. PCBs belong to the highly hazardous group of chemicals referred to as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
Acting Secretary for Environment, Water and Climate Mr Tinayeshe Mutazu explained how the project protects the nation from POPs.
“We identified the problems of PCBs as being one of the key issues of concern which needed to be addressed in order to protect society and environment from POPs,” said Mr Mutazu.
“We in Zimbabwe are therefore very excited about the new project because it is one of the first steps towards the implementation of our National Implementation Plan under article 7 of the Stockholm Convention.”
Speaking at the Inception Workshop in Harare, Program Officer of the Africa Institute, Dr Koebu Khalema said $7,7 million funded by the Global Environment Facility has been put aside to run the project.
“The gist of the project is to transport, dispose of these PCBs oils in an environmentally sound manner,” said Dr Khalema.
The Executive Director of the Africa Institute, Dr Taelo Letsela said the project required technical competence.
It would be completed by 2021.
Zimbabwe signed and ratified the Stockholm Convention on POPs in 2013.
Online Reporter