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The Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes Within Africa provides guidelines for the management of hazardous wastes by member states of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). It is named after the Malian capital, Bamako, in which it was adopted.
The Bamako Convention was adopted in January 1991 as an alternative to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes adopted in March 1989 in Switzerland. The OAU members felt that their concerns regarding the total ban on exporting hazardous wastes into Africa and other relevant regional aspects were not adequately addressed by the Basel Convention.
WASTE
Waste is any substance which should be disposed of or that has been disposed of. Main types of unwanted substances include industrial, domestic, hospital and commercial wastes. Some of the waste can be re-used. Virtually all production processes or human activities produce waste, which could either be solid or liquid, hazardous or pollutant to the human and biophysical environments and as such, may poison the land, air and water.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
Hazardous waste is any substance representing a threat to human health or the biophysical environment. In most cases, its disposal is governed by national or international laws. The waste should not be released into the environment. Or put down the sewer, or dispose of on ordinary municipal landfills. High levels of hazardous wastes in Africa are generated from agriculture, industry, mining and household activities.
Categories and characteristics of such wastes as specified in the Bamako Convention include: those containing radionuclides; clinical wastes; pharmaceutical wastes; mineral oils and compounds such as copper, lead and zinc.
IMPACTS OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
Hazardous wastes can cause physical and chemical injury or disease. Human exposure to hazardous waste may immediately cause rashes, burns, illness or poisoning. Long-tern effects include chronic problems such as lung diseases, cancer and genetic disorders. Long-tern effects are usually caused by hazardous metals such as lad, mercury, copper and zinc.
In South Africa, three workers have died and others maimed by mercury poisoning at Thor Chemical plant in Kwa Zulu/Natal. In Kafue, Zambia, the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) discharges huge quantities of toxic residue into its treatment lagoons. The lagoons are being used for sugar cane production by the residents living in surrounding shanty compounds. Health experts have discovered that the toxic materials in the sugar cane cause chest pains and TB-related ailments. A similar incident has been reported in Harare, Zimbabwe. The residents from Rugare high-density suburb are using toxic industrial wastewater to irrigate their maize and vegetable crops. Health experts have warned against such practices as the maize and negetable produce utilising the waste are likely to cause mental retardation in the long run.
Background to Hazardous Waste Importation into Africa
During 1980, a tonne of chemical waste could be dumped in USA landfills for US$15 but the price had increased to US$250 per tonne by 1988. Incineration costs ranged between US$500- US$1,500 per tonne and due to limited facilities arrangements had to be made at least one or two
Years earlier. Prices in Europe were even higher, reaching more than US$2,000 per tonne. However, costs of hazardous waste disposal in Africa were very low, ranging from US$2.50 – US$50 per tonne in 1988. As such, the number of USA companies seeking approval from the USA Environmental Protection Agency to ship toxic waste to developing countries, especially Africa, rose from 12 in 1980 to 522 in June 1988. The International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals believes substantial shipments of dump toxic wastes were sent to Africa between 1970-1980. The Greenpeace reports that South Africa is the only country in Africa that allowed the import of foreign waste.
The biophysical environmental pollution by hazardous wastes may degrade as well as reduce resources available from human use, for example, agricultural or residential land, water, vegetation and wildlife. Hazardous industrial wastes are discharged in ocean waters close to main centres along the entire coastline, from Dar Es Salaam and Maputo on the east coast, past Durban and Cape Town in South Africa, Walvis Bay in Namibia to Baia do Cacuaco north of Luanda in Angola
In Mozambique, hazardous wastes from South African companies have polluted Maputo Bay, making it unsafe for swimming and fishing. The massive fish deaths in March-April 1996 in Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe, have been attributed to the deoxygenation of water, which was compounded by ammonia toxicity. In Botswana, fish and reeds disappeared from the Peleng River due to industrial pollution. Unacceptable pollution levels have been recorded in Maseru’s main water supplies in Lesotho, Umgweni River, the Vaal and Hartebeespoort Dam catchments in South Africa, the Great Usuthu river in Swaziland and Kafue river in Zambia.
TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT OF HAZARDOUS WASTES
Transboundary movement of hazardous wastes (normally catering for solid wastes) refers to any translocation of hazardous wastes from one state to another, including its water and air space. This also covers movement of hazardous wastes through a state of transit or to an area or through an area outside the control of another state.
Transboundary movements of hazardous wastes have taken place between developed countries and Africa. Schemes of hazardous waste shipment and attempted shipment have been revealed in Botswana, Gabon, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.
The Greenpeace, the World Bank and other organisations have revealed a number of
hazardous wastes import deals into Africa. In South Africa, 120 drums of
mercury-contaminated wastes have been imported from the USA annually since 1986. In
another scheme, a South African waste hauling company has been encouraging neighbouring
African countries to participate in a collective effort to import and bury hazardous waste
from the USA. The governments of Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia 41XHš$M,&–K „‰@ bia14šXH,$M&–K ‰„@a bi14šXHM,$–& K‰„@ia b14HšXM,$&–K „‰@bia B$O !]Strx’aPyBupB5\PhšQB"<7+,a~y6) YBLX3 l~,wi6u aE4B5D