Overview Of Emerging Contaminants In South Africa Ms Noluzuko Gwayi Protea Hotel, Centurion, 22 July 2015

Transcription

1 Overview Of Emerging Contaminants In South Africa Ms Noluzuko Gwayi Protea Hotel, Centurion, 22 July 2015 Directorate: International Chemicals & Waste Cooperation

2 CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT: o o o SA Constitution, Section 24- right to a safe environment National Development Plan: 6 Pillars: Focusing on key capabilities of both people and the country Capabilities include skills, infrastructure, strong institutions and partnerships locally & internationally Building a capable and developmental state Strong leadership- society works together to solve its problems Chapter 2: Demographic trends (decreasing fertility; feminisation) Chapter 5: Environmental Sustainability: build consumer awareness and behavioural change (Outcome 10: Protect & enhance our environmental assets and natural resources ) o o Investment in skills, technology and institutional capacity Coordinated planning -environmental pressures o Investment in consumer awareness, green product design (UNEP s Chemicals in Products (CiP); SA s CiP????) Chapter 7: Positioning South Africa globally Chapter 9: Improving education, training and innovation (cutting edge research) Chapter 10: Promoting Health, improving human capacity 2030 Targets: Establish a competitive base of infrastructure, human resources and regulatory frameworks. Play a leading role in continental development, economic integration and human rights. 2

3 CHALLENGES WRT CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH IN SA Lack of awareness and knowledge amongst the general public. Serious problems with illiteracy and lack of knowledge. Some awareness programmes developed (e.g. at the workplace), are not extended to end-users. There is lack of easily accessible, user-friendly information on chemical hazards, production, and use. No information of chemicals in products, no tracking or audit system exists whereby chemicals are tracked from production or import to secondary use and final disposal. Industry is often the custodian of information on chemical risks to human health and the environment. Very few chemicals have been thoroughly assessed for risk before they are introduced into the market, and impacts are largely undetermined. 3

4 CHALLENGES.. Cont1 There s a fragmented approach to dealing with chemicals mngnt. Fragmentation and duplication of legislative responsibilities amongst Government Departments. Certain overlaps in mandates exist; eg., Hazardous Substance Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Fertiliser, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act 36). No specific Act aimed at domesticating chemicals and waste MEA s; DEA is busy with the Chemicals Mngnt Bill. General lack of monitoring and enforcement throughout the life cycle. Most research in the chemicals is on an ad hoc basis, not coordinated to address country needs and priorities, & mainly based on the academic interests or funding specifications. 4

5 SAICM Emerging Policy Issues The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework to promote chemical safety. Overall objective: achieving ESM of chemicals throughout their life-cycle so that by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimise significant adverse impacts on human health & the environment. Emerging issues: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Hazardous substances within the life cycle of electrical & electrical products Lead in Paint Chemicals in products Nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials Proposed emerging issues: Environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (EPPPs) Highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) Perfluorinated chemicals

6 Other Emerging Policy Issues UNEA: Lead & Cadmium Minamata: Mercury Stockholm Convention : DDT & PCBs Rotterdam Convention: Annex III chemicals Newly listed chemicals under the Stockholm & Rotterdam Conventions SC 2013: Hexabromocyclododecane (flame retardant). SC 2015: Hexachlorobutadiene (industrial solvent) Polychlorinated naphthalenes (industrial chemical) Pentachlorophenol & its salts and esters (pesticide & wood preservative). RC 2015: Methamidophos: Insecticide, eg., Citrus, peaches, potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes. Problem: Aphids, bollworms, cutworms, looper, miner, moth, psylla and thrips. RSA to conduct a situational analysis

7 Ten POPs listed between 2009 and 2011 in the SC (Part of NIP Update for SA) Chemical Applicat ion Annex and Management measure Status in the country Chlordecone Pesticide Annex A Elimination The acquisition, disposal, sale or use of an agricultural and stock remedy which contains Chlordane was prohibited as from the 30 March 2005 Endosulfan Hexabromobiphenyl Pesticide Industrial chemical Annex A -Elimination Annex A Elimination Prohibited as from October 2012 in terms of acquisition, disposal, sale or use of an agricultural remedy containing endosulfan. GN No 853 Not banned Heptabromodiphenyl ether Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane Industrial chemical Pesticide Annex A Elimination for production, exemption for use as articles containing these chemicals for recycling Annex A Elimination. No exemptions Annex C manage unintentional production Not banned Prohibited as stock remedy in June 1987 (GG 10739) and as agricultural remedy in May 2009 (GG No R. 592). Not registered by DAFF Beta hexachlorocyclohexane Pesticide Annex A Elimination. No exemptions Annex C manage unintentional production Prohibited as stock remedy in June 1987 (GG 10739) and as agricultural remedy in May 2009 (GG No R. 592). Not registered by DAFF Lindane Pesticide Annex A Elimination. No exemptions for production in countries registering exemptions for use as a human health pharmaceutical Prohibited as stock remedy in June 1987 (GG 10739) and as agricultural remedy in May 2009 (GG No R. 592) - Only used for pharmaceutical control of head lice and scabies Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) Pesticide Annex A Elimination. No exemptions Annex C manage unintentionally produced Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) its salts & perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS-F) Tetrabromodiphenyl ether Industrial chemical Industrial chemical Annex B phase out with acceptable purpose and specific exemptions Annex A Elimination for production, exemption for use as articles containing these chemicals for recycling Not banned & not registered by DAFF No current application in agriculture, the only application was in flame retardant applications. PeCB is also produced as a by-product of industrial processes such as municipal solid waste incineration, hazardous waste incineration, magnesium production and iron and steel mills. Annex B phase out with acceptable purpose and specific exemptions Annex A Elimination for production, exemption for use as articles containing these chemicals for recycling Penta-bromodiphenyl ether Industrial chemical Annex A Elimination for production, exemption for use as articles containing these chemicals for recycling Annex A Elimination for production, exemption for use as articles containing these chemicals for recycling

8 Percentage (%) distribution of imported chemicals derived from PIC database (2011) Paraquat, 26% 1,3 dichloropropene, 26% Atrazine, 3% Nonylphenol ethoxylates and Nonylphenols, 16% Cyanamide, 23%

9 Percentage (%) distribution of imported chemicals derived from PIC database (2012) Paraquat, 4% 1,3 dichloropropene, 6% Cyanamide, 7% Dichloropropene, 6% Nonylphenol ethoxylates and Nonylphenols, 72%

10 Percentage (%) distribution of imported chemicals derived from PIC database (2013). CREOSOTE, 7% Cyanamide, 1% Dichloropropene, 1% Nonylphenol ethoxylates and Nonylphenols, 16% Sodium Chlorate, 72%

11 ChemObs in a South African Context 2: 11

12 Chemicals Observatory (ChemObs): SA Emerging Issues / Chemicals Research Priorities?????? WHO: Situation Analysis and Need Assessment SA Chemicals Profile (ongoing-dea) WHAT IS A ChemObs? An advanced knowledge/information management system and decision making tool to be established in a national body linked to chemicals and waste mngnt. Aims: Collate and collect information from stakeholders including end-users, vulnerable groups, etc., to allow policy advisors & decision makers to make recommendations on use, restriction and bans on chemicals based on evidence collected on impacts at local & national levels. To facilitate the link between diverse sources of information & coordination. To raise priority given to the ESM of chemicals through their integration into national plans and processes. 12

13 JUSTIFICATION AND RATIONALE: People have a right to know. People have a right to comprehend the information made available to them. Situation Analysis and Need Assessment exercise (SANA) completed in 2013 in 34 African countries revealed that quantitative up-to-date data for immediate use in decision making and action is crucially missing: Incomplete information systems, fragmentation of surveillance activities, and insufficient coordination, obsolete surveillance tools and lack of standardized indicators. Where data is available, its analysis to adequately inform decision-making processes remains poor. Where policy recommendations exist, implementation very poor. The expected improvements on timely decision-making for policy making and actions to predict and prevent environmental degradation and to minimize its impact on disease and associated risk factors are still unsatisfactory. In 2010-African Ministers of Health and Ministers of Environment identified chemicals management as one of the top continental health and environment priorities. In 2013, a programme to Reduce Chemical Risks to Health and the Environment in Africa was established and adopted by the Ministers of environment at 12th AMCEN. 13

14 JUSTIFICATION AND RATIONALE CONT..1: It intends to provide a comprehensive and coherent health and environment inter-sectoral response to the essential capacity building and technical assistance needs. It aims at supporting the actions to reduce health and environment risks caused by unsound management of chemicals. It addresses in particular, the necessary improvements to be made in the fields of knowledge and information on chemicals, institutional coordination and regulatory frameworks and public policy to support and provide an enabling framework for the actions to be taken. Once established, it will facilitate the mainstreaming of chemicals into the national development agenda as it requires close cooperative governance and a multi-stakeholder engagement approach. The observatory will focus on chemicals controlled under MEAs and any other priority chemicals in the country. 14

15 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: To serve as an early warning system to provide timely and evidence based information to predict, prevent and reduce chemicals risks to human health and the environment, in order to raise awareness and create a platform on the possible policy interventions to mitigate against possible risks due to unsound management of chemicals. To contribute, prevent and reduce chemicals risks to the environment & human health and remediate pollution throughout the life cycle of chemicals through costing of inaction and indicating benefit of action. Collect and assess data and information and provide analysis not only data on chemical exposure and health and environment effects, but also on chemicals throughout their lifecycle to provide key indicators for measuring the progress; Report and develop action plan to promote ESM of chemicals and reduce negative impacts on health and environment. To provide information and succinct, policy-relevant messages suitable for various user groups including general public, environmental and health managers, decision makers and scientists. To develop an action plan to substantiate the need to prioritize chemicals in the decision making process and facilitate its integration into the national development plans and processes; Take actions on identified and prioritized main risks through ESM and remediation interventions, while mobilizing resources for their implementation. 15

16 KEY ROLE PLAYERS(not exhaustive) & NEEDS IN SOUTH AFRICA DST-(Mandate of leading research & innovation) DEA-(Focal Point of MEAs & mandate protecting the environment) DOH- Health SAICM Focal Point, Environmental Health Directorate, Poison centres, Research Directorate, Malaria Control Directorate (DDT) & any other relevant one DAFF- (Act 36-pesticides management) DWA- (water as a medium of transport & a crucial resource for life) The dti- (Trade; employment) DOL- (Workplace safety, and exposure) MCCM- (close cooperative governance and input from other relevant major stakeholders) Academia & academic institutions (Universities & Technikons; CSIR, WRC, MRC, ARC, Rand Water, etc.) Chemicals Industry- AVCASA, CROPLIFE, CAIA, DOW Chemicals, Syngenta, Bayer CropSciences, BASF Germany, Vestegaard, Sumitomo, etc., Africa Institute (Regional Perspective & possible funding) NGOs- Groundwork, etc., (engagement of civil society & action at ground level) GEF: UNEP- funding 16

17 WAY FORWARD There is a need to strengthen the science & policy interface as one of the essential initiatives towards protecting the environment and human health. There is a need for government and research institutions to work together in ensuring that S.A has the relevant information at hand by providing the necessary empirical data for the country to take posture on certain issues including taking appropriate policy decisions. Facilitate shared research evidence on the chemicals and hazardous waste sector to provide a coherent platform for Academics working on chemicals and hazardous waste in South Africa and how this links and contributes towards the National Development Plan & International Fora. The early warning system is needed in order to provide timely and evidence based information to predict, prevent and reduce chemicals risks to the environment and human health, and to raise awareness and create a platform on the possible appropriate policy interventions that could be undertaken to mitigate against risks due to unsound management of chemicals. Maximize resource mobilization, and coordination amongst all key stakeholders 17

18 Ms Noluzuko (Zukie) Gwayi Senior Policy Advisor (Director): International Chemicals & Waste Cooperation Tel.: