06 Mar 2017

Botswana has completed the National Implementation Plan (NIP) for implementation of activities under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2016, says Director of Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control Ms Oarabile Serumola.

She was speaking at the ‘Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) oils contained in transformers and disposal of capacitors containing PCB in Botswana Inception Workshop. Ms Serumola said the NIP identified several activities that the country should take as priorities and address them under the Stockholm convention.
Ms Serumola said one of those priority areas was to eliminate Polychlorinated Biphenyl’s (PCBs).

She noted that Stockholm Convention targets, addresses issues of production, use, import, export, release of by-products, stockpile management and disposal of 22 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) chemicals, PCB included and as such, Botswana is obligated to implement the requirements of this convention.
“Under the terms of the Convention, Parties are to prohibit and/or take the legal and administrative measures necessary to eliminate the production and use of all prohibited POPs chemicals,” she said.

Ms Serumola said the SADC region had a target of 2010 against the Convention target of 2025 citing that 2010 has passed without any significant achievement.
She said the common use of PCBs in Botswana, like in many other countries, is in open, closed or semi closed applications such as heat exchange fluids, hydraulic oils, lubricating oils and as additives in paints, plastics, solvents adhesives, cements. She noted that the dangers that PCB pose includes acute and chronic health effects like liver disorders, potential reproductive disorders and deformation in newly born babies.

“In the environment  PCB accumulates and persists for a long time and it is thus important the set deadline of 2025 to eliminate PCB,” she said.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Mr Jimmy Opelo said PCB is a serious issue and said it is the duty of those who know about this issue to create awareness to the public. 

He urged all stakeholders to participate effectively to face out the PCBs and replace it with the environmentally friendly substances that can be used with same benefits being derived. ENDS