adminHazardous substances are an integral part of our day to day living. The use of these substances is wide spread across individual, household and industrial activity yet their mismanagement can cause fatal irreversible environmental and health impacts.
What are hazardous substances?
Hazardous substances are substances whether solid, liquid or gaseous, or any organism which is injurious to human health or the environment.
Characteristics of hazardous substances
Toxic
Irritant,
Flammable/ inflammable
Explosive
Carcinogenic ie can cause cancer
What is the role of the Environmental Management Agency in handling of hazardous substances?
In a bid to promote the sustainable management of hazardous substances, the Agency regulates the Use, Storage, Transportation, Importation, Exportation, Sale and Distribution of hazardous substances in the country.
The transit and movement of hazardous substances, hazardous waste and oils through and within Zimbabwe, is prohibited unless they are cleared through EMA check points. EMA’s presence at border posts is to ensure compliance with the national legislation and international conventions on all hazardous substances or hazardous waste that are in transit and those destined for use in the country.
Roles of EMA at ports of entry
1. Implementation of the Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27): The Agency conducts inspections at border posts through qualified personnel who have the capacity to identify, categorize and classify hazardous substances according to chemical and physical characteristics as per legislative requirements. This process facilitates comprehensive and relevant information to be complied at the port of entry. It allows efficient tracking of each hazardous substance consignment inland to its final destination and safe transit for those that are destined across the border.
2. Control of hazardous waste movement across borders: Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Basel Convention and the Bamako Convention on importation and exportation of hazardous chemicals. Its provisions are that there should be a focal point and competent authority to enforce these conventions. EMA, being the identified focal point ensures that Zimbabwe does not become a dumping ground for such waste. This prevents an unnecessary exposure of lives to lethal hazardous waste substances.
There are strict protocols defined in the multilateral agreements that regulate the movement of hazardous waste to which Zimbabwe is signatory to. In some cases EMA officials have to escort the transporters of hazardous waste to ensure the hazardous waste safely transits the country without any contamination spillages or criminal dumping on route.
3. Ensure globally harmonised systems for handling, packaging and classification of dangerous goods in transit: EMA personnel are present at the border posts to inspect and verify hazardous substances in different trade and brand names to their correct chemical names.
This ensures that banned hazardous substances that come in using various names and trade names are prohibited from entering the country.
NB: Transporters of hazardous substances must be confined to 0600hours – 1800hours. Any accidental spillage must be reported to EMA both verbally and in writing within 8 hours and the transporter should ensure that the area is cleaned up to retain its usable state.
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Online Reporter