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CHAPTER 11
CHEMICALS
Lead Authors: Nelson Manda, Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere
The goal of balancing the economic and social benefits of chemicals with their health and
environmental risks is easy to understand and agree to. But how to achieve this balance is a
highly complex problem or rather, it requires understanding and solving many complex
problems. Managing the risks of chemicals is interconnected with many other issues,
including wastes and pollution, global warming, resource depletion, agriculture,
biotechnology, loss of biodiversity, poverty and womens rights.
UNEP 2004a
eradication
and
infrastructure
development.
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
chemical-related illness; their well-being may be further
Chemicals
OECD
351
countries
to
non-OECD
countries.
STATE-AND-TRENDS
CHEMICALS INDUSTRY
Chemical processing/refining
BASIC
CHEMICALS
SPECIALITY CHEMICALS
Rubber and plastic goods, paints,
adhesives, performance chemicals.
LIFE SCIENCE
Pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals,
biotechnology
Consumers
OTHER INDUSTRIES
Metals, glass, automobiles (brake
fluids), paper, textiles, etc
352
800 000
700 000
EU 15
Japan
EU 10
China
Rest of Asia
600 000
500 000
and
well-developed
infrastructure
and
300 000
200 000
0
European
Union (25)
Asia
United States
Latin
America
other**
rest of
Europe*
* Switzerland, Norway, and other Central & Eastern European countries (excluding the new EU 10 countries)
** including Canada, Mexico, Africa & Oceania
on coal.
Although it is relatively small by international
standards, South Africas chemical industry is the
medium term, this sector can be expected to grow. The
are investing in oil and gas, which are key drivers for the
thousand tonnes
1 200
1 000
Africa
South America
North America
Asia
Europe
800
600
400
7 per cent, but this has also declined from 537 tonnes
in 1998 to 369 tonnes in 2002 (CropLife Africa
0
1998
Source: UNSTATS 2005
1999
2000
2001
2002
chemicals
requires
investment
in
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
353
Chemicals
Africa as
metric tonnes
percentage of global
Product
Global
Africa
production
Gasoline
771 101
24 095
3.12
Naphthas
183 226
Kerosene
82 882
10 401
5.68
6 280
7.58
Biggest producers
in Africa
Country
Tonnes
South Africa
7 948
Egypt
5 616
Egypt
2 801
Libya
2 606
Nigeria
1 210
Egypt
Diesel
1 102 541
Lubricants
39 229
145 913
100 011
36 055
3.27
1 123
2.86
10 334
7.08
2 572
2.57
966
South Africa
7 150
Egypt
6 635
South Africa
402
Egypt
277
Algeria
569
Egypt
517
South Africa
7 150
Egypt
6 635
in other areas.
TRADE
Figure 4: Growth in trade in chemicals between 1979-96 (real terms, per cent/year)
%
20
exports
imports
15
10
0
Western
Europe
Source: OECD 2001
US and
Canada
Australia and
New Zealand
Japan
China
other
Far East
countries
Indian subcontinent
Middle
East
Africa
World
total
354
chemicals to Africa.
chemicals,
(FAOSTAT 2006).
World total
15 382.76 million
Imports
Africa total
805.41 million
Exports
= 2 000 million
World total
15 589.35 million
Africa total
196.55 million
0.51
120
20150
> 150
no data
has
contributed
to
environmental
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
Chemicals
in
the
industrial
sector
creates
new
growth:
in
2003
the
average
rate
of
percentage
of
the
profits
generated
from
AGRICULTURE
Increasing
agricultural
production
is
widely
355
356
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
Chemicals
Genera
carcinogenic; and
infesting
wooden
structures
include
PCBs into the fat in their meat and milk. In fact, most
SECURITY
Management 2003).
357
358
management
systems
based
on
alternatives.
pesticide-related research;
monitoring;
is also threatened.
Groundnuts
Maize
Cotton
insecticides.
Sugar cane
Source: UNEP/FAO/Global IPM Facility Expert Group on Termite Biology and Management 2003
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Chapter 11
Chemicals
expensive
pre-construction.
expensive post-construction.
when
implemented
359
CONTROL OF DISEASES
DDT spraying in
Namibia.
Source: N. Duplaix /
Still Pictures
360
WATER
functioning
ecosystems
absorb
and
remove
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
361
Chemicals
Children filling used
containers with water
for cooking and
drinking, Rwanda.
Source: A. Mohamed
Africa still did not have access to safe water (WHO and
362
CHEMICAL EXPOSURE
to lead after eating food from cans that contain lead solder
in the seams.
removed;
women, workers);
Water treatment;
Source: UNEP/FAO/Global IPM Facility Expert Group on Termite Biology and Management 2003
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
Chemicals
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
environmental
International
standards
adopted
Standards
by
Organization
the
(ISO).
integrated approaches.
IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY
so
that,
once
released
to
the
to be persistent.
alternatives.
Persistent
chemicals
distances,
leading
to
can,
through
regional
and
natural
global
363
364
affects wetlands and favours invasion of these areas by invasive species such as
Typha and Salvinia molesta. The potential of Senegalese fisheries resources is
electrical appliances.
decrease in the catches and a loss of quality. From 1969 to 1988, official catches
decreased from 20 000 to 8 000 tonnes.
MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
(SAICM 2006).
contamination.
(WWF 2004a):
The
management
of
obsolete
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
365
Chemicals
Low-cost mosquito netting as on the windows of this hut can reduce the need for chemical
sprays to control mosquitoes.
Source: P. Virot/WHO
deaths per year and that nearly three million people may
and state has not been carried out. Nevertheless, information gathered
Tanzania*
since 1988.
Trade name
Common name
Quantity
Gesaprim
Atrazine
470 litres
10 kg
Benlate
benomyl
11 kg
40 tonnes
DDT
Thiodan
endosulfan
DNOC
8 tonnes
3 000 litres
366
chemical stockpiles
economically acceptable;
Management
and
requires
undertaking
complete
United
Nations
(FAO),
the
United
Nations
Agenda 21 (1992);
accumulation
so
as
to
protect
human
and
includes:
Industrial Accidents);
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Chapter 11
Chemicals
CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
committed
the
global
community
to
support
Box 8: Agenda 21, Chapter 19: Priority programme areas for managing toxic chemicals
1. Expanding and accelerating international
cycle analyses.
5. Strengthening of national capabilities and
367
368
14000 standards.
liability
management.
and
accountability
approaches
in
management.
priority.
signatories
ratifications
Source: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 2006
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Chapter 11
Chemicals
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
at national level.
369
370
NATIONAL LEGISLATION
synergies
regulatory
building
and
and
coordination
technical
among
illegal
cooperation
and
Strategic Approach.
example,
the
development
of
environmentally
between
technology
complexity
and
the
1990s,
most
African
countries
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E M E R GI N G C H A LLE N G E S
Chapter 11
arrangements
for
environmental
Chemicals
management,
levels.
development objectives.
measurable indicators.
371
Table 2: Priority areas for promoting best practice in chemicals management and usage
Priority areas
Actions
Mining
Agricultural usage
Improve laws, licensing and enforcement; health and safety, education and
training; improve enforcement of existing conventions (eg Bamako); apply
technological developments.
Source: Buccini 2004, ECA 2001, SAICM 2004, UN 1992, UNEP 2006
372
Multi-stakeholder participation;
CONCLUSION
generated
broad
health
benefits
through
the
mechanisms;
poisoned persons;
programmes;
stakeholders.
consumer choice;
releases including:
Manufacturing;
Processing;
Handling;
Transportation;
Disposal.
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Chapter 11
Chemicals
References
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