Mauritius
implementation
On-going Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Project
in Mauritius
The Republic of Mauritius has signed the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
on 23 May 2001 and is committed to comply with its
provisions.
A POPs Enabling activity project, funded by the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), is on-going in Mauritius
so as to meet the reporting and other obligations under
the Convention. The Ministry of Environment and National
Development Unit is the Executing Agency for the implementation
of the project.
To comply with the Stockholm Convention, each State
Party, depending on factors such as the country's size,
present and past use of POPs has to build national
capacity to manage and phase-out these chemicals.
National Implementation Plans
The Stockholm Convention represents the kind of global
partnerships that is needed for good international
environmental governance. Mauritius hails the Convention
as an important landmark to rid the world of Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs).
Mauritius has signed several other Conventions which
are related to the Stockholm Convention. These are:
(1) the Basel Convention on Transboundary Movements
of Hazardous Waste and their disposal; (2) the Bamako
Convention on the Ban of the import into Africa and
the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management
of Hazardous Waste within Africa; (3) the Rotterdam
Convention (1997) for the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
procedure for Banned or Restricted Chemicals in International
Trade.
Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention requires that
State Parties develop National Implementation plans
(NIP). The NIP will describe how Mauritius will meet
its obligations under the Convention to phase-out POPs
sources and facilitate management in an environmentally
sound manner. The NIP would also include proposals
for monitoring activities relevant to the Convention
with specific action plans.
Stakeholders of the project
These include Government ministries, the University
of Mauritius, parastatal organisations, the private
sector and NGOs. Several workshops involving ministries,
parastatals, industry and NGOs have been organised
by the POPs Project Coordination Unit of the Ministry
of Environment.
Awareness Raising
In the context of awareness raising, the Project Coordination
Unit is presently designing a strategy: (1) to publicise
the Stockholm Convention, (2) to raise public interest
on the harmful impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs) on human health and the environment and (3)
to emphasise on the need for a National Implementation
Plan (NIP).
The strategy would target, amongst others, Government
Ministries and departments, parastatals, media, NGOs
and the private sector. The outreach activities will
also address issues related to specific risk groups
(ex: pesticide users) and sensitize the general public.
Project time frame
The project which is on a fifteen month duration was
started in December 2003. The draft National Implementation
Plan (NIP) will be fully discussed by all stakeholders
at a consultation workshop by April 2005.
Inventories
POPs inventories have also been already carried out
throughout Mauritius and Rodrigues. Data on the use,
releases, stockpiles containing POPs has been compiled.
Results indicate that there are three main sources
of POPs in Mauritius. POPs Pesticides, PCBs and Dioxins and Furans have been identified as the main sources
of POP emissions in the country, although in relatively
very small quantities. Capacity assessment for POPs
monitoring has also been carried out.
POPs pesticides
POPs pesticides include aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin,
endrin, heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), mirex
and toxaphene. No POPs pesticides have been used
in Mauritius since the early eighties. Only DDT is
still used on a limited basis for malaria vector
control. The POPs pesticides have not been banned
through legislation but their import had not been
allowed by the Pesticides Control Board.
This has now been addressed by the Dangerous Chemicals
Control Act 2004, which has now replaced the Pesticides
Control Act. Part II of the Eighteen Schedule of the
Dangerous Chemicals Control Act also lists the banned
or prohibited agricultural pesticides which include
the POPs pesticides.
The inventory carried out under
the project also shows the presence of some obsolete
pesticides in the country.
4 POPs pesticides – aldrin, DDT, dieldrin and
mirex and 8 non-POPs banned pesticides – Azinphos-Methyl,
Dimethoate, Endoculphan, Methamidophos, Methmyl 90%,
Monocrotophos, Omethoate and Paraquat have been found,
although in very small quantities.
The report of
the inventory of Pesticides POPs in Mauritius can be
viewed through the links.
PCBs
For Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) used as an industrial
by-product, focus was mainly on electric transformers
and capacitors of the Central Electricity Board (CEB).
Results obtained in the inventory exercise indicate
that only a small proportion (less than 2%) of transformers
in use in Mauritius are likely to be PCB contaminated
whereas all transformers in operation in Rodrigues
seem to be PCB free. In the case of capacitors, they
were all found to be PCB free in both islands.
Dioxins and Furans
Bagasse burning for power generation and medical waste
incineration are main emission sources of dioxins
and furans in Mauritius. According to the analyses
carried out in 15 environmental samples (ash, sediment
and soil), dioxins and furans contamination do not
seem to be a major problem in Mauritius.
For Rodrigues, with an estimated annual emission of
3.7 g TEQ, the dumpsite at Roche Bon Dieu is the major
problem; it is responsible for 80% of the dioxins and
furans release.
The Industrial POPs survey report can be
viewed at the following links:
Capacity assessment for POPs monitoring
The International Chemical Analysis expert of the project
has also assessed the capacity of institutions including
laboratories for the monitoring and analysis of POPs
chemicals. The expert has submitted his recommendations
which essentially prescribes that the various laboratories
in Mauritius should be regrouped and synergised so
as to make optimum use of their personnel and equipments.
He has also provided the cost implications of his
recommendations.
The report is available for
consultation at
Chemical Management
Scheme with regard to POPs in Mauritius
In International Coordination Consultant of the POPs
Project assessed the scheme for chemical management in
Mauritius with particular emphasis on POPs.
His findings as well as recommendations
are available at the following link:
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