FIRST REGIONAL TEAM MEETING
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, NIGERIA
24-26 JULY 2001
REPORT OF MEETING
Attendance
Chief. Dr. Ime T Okopido
Honourable Federal Minister
of State for Environment, and
Special Guest of Honour
Prof. Ayodele O Falase
Vice Chancellor, University
of Ibadan
Prof. Oladele Osibanjo (Nigeria)
Regional Coordinator/ Sub-
Sahara Africa
Prof. Nabil Bashir (Sudan)
Regional Team Member
Dr. Robert Choongkwet Yvie (Mauritius)
Regional Team Member
Prof. Henk Bouwman (South Africa.)
Regional Team Member
Engr. Hosseah Onyoyo (Kenya)
Regional Team Member
Ms Mah Adinwo (Cameroon)
Regional Team Member (on
behalf of Mr.Dudley Achu-
Sama)
Prof. Jose Okondahoka (Republic of Congo)
Regional Team Member
Mrs. Dupe Dawodu
Assistant to Prof. Osibanjo
Mr. Bayu. Ajao
Assistant to Prof. Osibanjo
Mr. Tayo Osunkunle
Assistant to Prof. Osibanjo
1. Opening Remarks
1.1
Remarks by: Prof. Ayodele O. Falase, Vice Chancellor, and
University of Ibadan
Prof. Falase welcomed the participants to the meeting and the University of Ibadan.
He noted that chemicals in particular occupy a unique niche in the complex
environmental problems facing mankind. They are elixirs of life being of
multifarious beneficial uses to humans in medicine and agriculture for example and
yet are harbingers of death if not properly managed, as some are toxic and
hazardous to all living things. He then drew the attention of the participants to the
life threatening effects of hazardous chemicals manifesting in organic diseases such
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as cancer and birth defects which have brought to international focus the urgent
need to control international trade in toxic chemicals. According to him this has
driven the multiplicity of international instruments introduced in the last ten years to
control and minimise the damages and threats to human health and the environment
by chemicals. It is against the foregoing that he expressed satisfaction with the
recent initiative by Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations
Environment Programme in conceptualising and commencing the project.
Furthermore he expressed concern at the low level of public awareness of the toxic
nature of these chemicals in view of the pervading misuse and abuse of these
chemicals in the Africa Region. Finally he declared that it augurs well for the
sustainability of the project as the implementation mechanism relies on a network of
African experts.
1.2 Remarks by: Prof. Oladele Osibanjo
Prof. Osibanjo welcome the participants as well as the Honourable Minister, the
Vice Chancellor, the Registrar, Deans of faculties, Heads of academic departments,
academicians, postgraduate students, non-academicians, representatives of non-
governmental organisations, NGOs and representatives of the press) to the opening
ceremony of the first Regional Team meeting of Region V. He introduced members
of the Regional Team. He acknowledged the support of Prof. Ayodele O. Falase
(Vice chancellor, University of Ibadan and host of the Regional Team Meeting) to
the project. He also thanked especially the Honourable Minister for finding time out
of his busy schedule to be present physically and lending support to the project in
the Federal Ministry of Environment. He thereafter gave a briefing on the
justification, objective, implementation programmes and strategies of the project
and emphasised the special need for stakeholders' participation in the data gathering
phase of the project.
1.3 Final Remarks by: Chief Dr. Ime T. Okopido, Honourable Federal Minister of
State for Environment.
The Minister expressed his pleasure in being invited to the opening ceremony. He
considered the project as being of historical importance as a process was being
initiated on the scientific assessment of persistent toxic substances in sub-Sahara
Africa as part of a global assessment at seeking science based solutions to problems
of chemicals safety and contamination of the environment. As the current President
of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) he was delighted
that African scientists are cooperating in this project through a network of experts
within the continent. He also re -echoed the fact that awareness is lacking in
developing countries of Africa without exception about the health risks and threat to
lives associated with the misuse and abuse of chemicals in various forms. He was
concerned that compounding the problem of the ordinary Africans with chemicals
induced health problems will jeopardize their chance to sound healthy living in the
face of crushing poverty. He pledged the support of the Ministry of Environment
towards ensuring the success of the GEF/UNEP project on PTS in Nigeria. Finally he
pledged to use the platform of AMCEN to solicit full cooperation and support of
African governments for the project and formally declared the meeting open.
1.4 At the conclusion of the official opening ceremony, there was a group photograph
of the regional team members and other participants with the Honourable Minis ter
and the Vice Chancellor.
1.5 Thereafter the Honourable Minister, the Vice Chancellor and other participants
departed while the Regional Team Members went into technical sessions.
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Presentation on Previous, Current and Future Work on POPs/PTS in
the Region by Regional Team Members
Each of the 7 Regional Team Members present out of 8 gave a 30-minute
presentation on POPs/PTS status in the country / sub-region as appropriate as well
as previous, current and future work. Summary of the presentations are indicated
below:
i). Ms Mah Andinwo (Cameroon)
POPs/PTS are not produced in the Cameroon. Those commonly found in the
country are organochlorine pesticides such as Aldrin, Dieldrin etc and industrial
chemicals such as PCBs. The local sources of POPs/PTS release into the
environment are (i) the agricultural Sector; (ii) electrical transformers oil containing
PCBs; (iii) uncontrolled combustion release into air and water (iv) effluent from
textile, paints, petrochemical industries and refineries. Douala and Bakassi
Peninsula areas use a lot of pesticides .. Data is lacking on the production, use and
levels of Dioxins and Furans. Only limited studies have been carried out on PCBs
contamination in the environment.. There is no national programme to phase out
PCBs. More of the POPs poisoning was found in the rural areas due to lack of
awareness and improper handling of chemicals and wastes. The presence of POPs
was found more in areas where women are involved in agriculture. Data from a
research laboratory in Cameroon indicated the presence of Endrin in onions,
Heptachlor in tomatoes, Dieldrin in carrot and Aldrin in lettuce. National data on
POPs is lacking. The problems being encountered on POPs/PTS issues in Cameroon
are lack of awareness and improper handling of chemicals and wastes. The main
route of exposure to POPs was found to be through ingestion of food but data is
lacking on human health impact. Future work plan in Cameroon on POPs includes:
a) Identification of contaminated habitats. b) Reduction of incidence of POPs
through documentation of polluted soils and setting up of a computerized database.
c) looking into sources of POPs. d) Funding alternatives to POPs.
ii).Prof. J. Okondahoka (Democratic Republic of Congo)
POPs/PTS are not produced in the Congo but imported. The major problem with the
issues of POPs in Congo is the absence of national law regulating the use of
pesticides Due to dearth of trained competent scientists there is a paucity of data on
POPs/PTSP in the environment. DDT, HCH, Chlordane and PCBs have been
identified and found to contaminate fish and human fat. The data arose from
Prof.Okondahoka's Ph.D. work 1989-1993 ; and these are the only data available.
The probability of the presence of PCBs in men was found to be 100 % while that
of women was 95%. Most of the people living in the town are found to be more
exposed occupationally. For future work, monitoring of POPs/PTS especially PCBs
in humans is planned. But due to lack of facilities, it is planned that samples will be
sent to Germany for analysis. Hence it is recommended that UNEP should finance
research on POPs, elimination of POPs and training of analytical/environmental
chemists to promote in country data generation.
iii). Mr. H. Onyoyo (Kenya)
Kenya does not produce POPs/PTS . Pesticides based on pyrethrum (not a
POP/PTS) are the only ones manufactured in the country. Importation is the major
source of POPs into the country. Fish kills in rivers caused by heavy metal pollution
catalysed the enactment of national environmental legislation last year.
Consequently a Pest Control Board has been established which registers all
pesticide products that are imported and manufactured. Consequently 9 pesticides
are no longer being imported, although, they still come in through the back door.
There is no serious problem with PCBs because most of the PCBs have been
replaced. Furans and dioxins were detected and chorine plants were found to be
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responsible. The first phase of removal of chlorine plants has been done , by
replacing it with H202 plant. Incineration plant was established near Nairobi on
commercial basis, for elimination of POPs and other industrial chemicals. .Also ,
the country is making efforts to replace chemical use such as insecticides and
herbicides with Integrated Pest Management System. The challenges facing the
research work on POPs in Kenya are (i)Funding ; (ii) availability of technology and
(iii) coordination of the research already done in the country.
iv).Dr.R.C. Yive ( Mauritius)
Mauritius is an agricultural country and POPs such as Aldrin, Dieldrin and Lindane
were used in the 1960s in the cane fields to control grasshopper's invasion. All
`pesticides used are imported. In the 1980s all the organochorine pesticides
including the dirty dozen in the POPs list have been banned from use in Mauritius.
PCBs and HCB were also banned in the 1980s and these 2 chemicals are not
intentionally imported in the country. According to officers of the Central
Electricity Board no PCB has ever been used in transformers in Mauritius. DDT has
been used in Mauritius mainly to control malaria. The use of DDT allowed
eradication of malaria in 1953.DDT is still stocked by the Ministry of Health and
may be used in case of an outbreak of malaria disease. However, it is not allowed to
import DDT or to offer it for sale to the public. In Mauritius , there are no activities
that might produce Dioxins and Furans. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment
strictly discourages the burning of solid wastes; only small incinerators are used in
some hospitals. Burning of sugar cane fields just before harvest , for practical
reasons, might generate dioxins or furans but this has never been proved by any
study.
v) Prof.O.Osibanjo (Nigeria)
POPs usage started in Nigeria from the 1940s in Agriculture and Public Health(for
malaria control).Nigeria does not manufacture POPs but there were a few
formulation plants which have since being phased out in the 1990s in response to
international actions restricting/banning them. .In Nigeria there is abuse and misuse
of pesticides and there is no pesticide legislation. Although the Federal Ministry of
Environment has banned POPs pesticides some POPs especially Lindane and Aldrin
are still being used in cocoa plantations and termite control respectively..
Multimedia environmental studies in the 1980s and 1990s carried out principally by
University of Ibadan, Department of Chemistry, including refuse dumps indicate
gross contamination of water, sediments, fresh water and marine fish, wildlife,
human blood, mothers breast milk, etc; with POPs including, DDT, DDE, Lindane,
Heptachlor, Dieldrin, Endosulphan, Aldrin and PCBs. In some cases, especially
inland waters excessive levels of DDT and Lindane were found because people use
these chemicals to kill fish. Nonetheless comprehensive National Data on
POPs/PPTS is lacking. .The awareness about POPs at all levels of society is lacking
in the country. Future Plan is centred on capacity building on POPs/PTS including
the establishment of a national centre on POPs/PTS analysis.; initiation national of
monitoring scheme on POPs/PTS and undertaking a national inventory on dioxins
and furans as there is no national data available.
vi) Prof.H.Bouwman (South Africa)
The history of pesticide use started in South Africa after the Second World War for
agriculture and malaria control. Data about POPs are lacking in the country and the
natural source of POPs have not been looked into .POP pesticides have been
banned. There is no national monitoring scheme for Pops. There are incidences of
soil pollution by PCBs as a result of heavy industrial activities. Dioxins and Furans
will be looked into . There is need to create awareness among people .DDT was
found in breast milk and human fat.
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vii) Prof. .N Bashir (Sudan)
Organochlorines were banned in Sudan in 1981 with the exception of Endoslfan
because many scientists believe it is neither persistent nor harmful ..Heptachlor,
Aldrin and Dieldrin were used to control termites. Toxaphene was also used
extensively. A mixture of DDT and Toxaphene was also used. After the ban on
organochlorines in 1981, pyrethroids were used to substitute DDT as contact
insecticides. New chemicals were also developed. In 1978, studies on residues
started. Residues were found to contaminate about 147 samples of soil. DDT
residues were found to be converted to DDE.POP levels in underground and surface
water, soil and fish were studied. Since 1990, any chemical must pass through
residue analysis; otherwise the chemical will not be registered. There had been laws
about pesticides and environment since 1956, on how to deal with pesticides and
environmental protection. Each state has its own laws. Any chemical in Sudan must
pass through (i) Residue analysis and (ii) Formulation analysis, under National
Pesticides Committee before registration. There are no problems of Furans and
Dioxins because there are no high electrical technologies, but there are plastics
everywhere. Future action is on the disposal of polythene wastes and the country is
contemplating the acquisition of an incinerator for this purpose. There are plans to
introduce studies on environment the curriculum of education in Sudan on Pops,
which is another way of creating the awareness.
3.
Overview of the Project Oladele OSIBANJO
Prof. OSIBANJO presented an overview of the project with references to the
Project document. . The following issues were to be noted :
· Criteria for qualification as a persistent toxic substance.
· The 12 POPs and other PTS
· Emphasis in this project is on collection of existing data and not monitoring to
generate new data.
· The list of 500 country experts from the UNE/GEF should be reviewed and
updated as some of the persons listed are administrators, or scientists who have
no experience on POPs. Hence the regional team members should critically
examine the list update with competent scientists in academia, industry,
government, NGOs, etc
· UNEP had sent letters to POPs Focal points and country experts soliciting for
participation in the project.
· Original project period of September 2000-August 20002 has been extended to
December 2002.
· Consequently original data collection period of April 2001-November 2001 has
been extended to December/January 2002.
· Regional Team Members have liberty to select method of data collection.
· One of the project goals is to have 15-20 people excluding regional team
members at each of the technical workshops.
· It is important that a representative from each country be present at the
Regional Priority Setting Workshop.
The consensus reached on the various issues discussed were as follows:
1).
Plastics is to be included into the list of 27 Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS)
and so , it is now a list of 28 compounds. If the regional team members identify
other compounds, they are to send them to the Regional Coordinator.
Information on the half-lives of such compounds is to be sent bearing in mind
that the compounds must be persistent in the environment.
2).
There was a decision on how to get unpublished data, which are useful for this
project from scientists. About 500 experts are to be used for this purpose,
and the Regional Coordinator has already circulated lists of the experts, to the
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regional team members. The lists are to be reviewed by the regional team
members; later new names can be added, in order to ensure that people who will
be very useful for the project are used. Expert scientists in academics,
institutions, Non-Governments, Government, Industrial associations etc who are
dealing with PTS issues, especially , the POP focal points are to be contacted
.The reviewed lists of the experts are to be submitted to the Regional
Coordinator who will then forward them to the Project Manager at the earliest
opportunity.. The original data collection has been extended to December
2001/January 2002.
3) .The first workshop WS1 for the PTS project will be on Sources and
Concentration of PTS. Since the budget indicated that 50 participants
can attend, and there are 47 countries in the region . Hence:
i.)
Every country will be represented at the workshop. Duration of the
workshop is 6 days.
ii.)
There should be a time frame (deadline) for the countries contacted
(i.e. invited) for the workshop to indicate their interest and confirm
participation.
iii.)
Experts will be invited to give lectures at the workshop.
iv.)
The venue of the workshop will be a place where the particular
problem to be addressed is real.
4) Every regional team member is expected to send his/her curriculum vitae to the
Regional Coordinator by the 3rd of August, 2001.The Regional Coordinator will
send all the curriculum vitae received to the Project Manager in Geneva.
5) After the first workshop WS1, there will be a second workshop WS2 on Impact
and Transport of PTS in which all the 47 countries in this region 5 are still
expected to be represented. The participants can stay on to do the 2nd regional
meeting. The 2nd workshop WS2 and the 2nd regional meeting will last 6 days. Later,
there will be Regional Priority Setting Meeting and 3rd Regional team meeting,
lasting for 4 days.
6) he representatives at the workshops should not be just politicians but scientists, who
have data and so, be able to contribute usefully.
3.1 Documents Circulated to Regional Team Members
The Regional Coordinator made the photocopies of the following documents
available to participants:
1) GEF: Bibliography for a Selected Number of Persistent Toxic Substances
2) Guidance Document for the Collection , Assembly and Evaluation of Data
on Sources, Environmental Levels and Impacts of Persistent Toxic
Substances
3) List of Pops Focal Points as at March 15 2001
4) List of Pop Experts for Region V, sub-Sahara Africa
5) UNEP : PTS Project Action Sheet
6) Current Status of Pesticide in Africa;
4. Objectives/Work Plan/Time Table
The Regional Coordinator explained the content of the hand out on the Project
Document/ ACTION SHEET to the regional team members. The regional
coordinator enjoined all the regional team members to study the action sheet
very well. The following decisions were made:
i)
There is need to look into the peculiar conditions in the region as conditions
vary from one region to the other.
ii) Reliance will be placed on questionnaires to get information.
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iii) About country level contributions, it was recommended that some people
should be held responsible for the supply of the necessary data and not just the
institutions , faculty or department. And the people to be held responsible
should have official addresses.
iv) On the assessment of regional capacity , needs to manage PTS and the root
causes of the problems, section 4.2.2.9 of the action sheet indicated that one
individual from the Regional Team will be responsible for collecting and
collating information regarding the regional capacity to manage PTS; and
analyzing the root causes of the problems. And that an overall report will be
prepared that will be submitted as a discussion paper to the Regional Priority
Setting Meeting. However, the meeting recommended that 2 individuals should
be used for this purpose rather than only one since there are different levels of
expertise.
v) On the Regional Priority Setting Meeting. Section 4.2.30 of the action sheet
indicated that approximately 30 participants should attend, whereas, the
meeting recommended that 50 participants should be allowed in this region due
to the size of the region.
vi)
It was stated in the meeting that the work on data gathering is to be completed
before December. 2001
5. Terms of Reference for Regional Team
The functions and duties of the Regional Team and Regional Team Members
as enunciated in pages 51 and 52 of Annex H of the project brief were
presented and reviewed by Prof. O. Osibanjo. Additional issues discussed and
consensus reached were :
· The 8 Regional Team Members in the region were considered inadequate. A 2nd
tier of team members was recommended in order to get quality results.
Consultants within and outside Africa will be depended on for information that
is not available. Such expertise may be requested for a month. A set of
consultants may be asked to give data while a set may be asked to criticize.
Consultants are to receive a maximum of 6000 US dollars per month. Those
who are to critique the reports at the workshops may be paid per diem. Each
RTM should look into the type of assistance or expertise required in his/her sub
region, a nd later , the 8 Regional Team Members will look into the
recommendations together and take a decision. Each RTM was asked to send
his/her request ahead of time, to the regional coordinator as regards the
information (assistance) required and the period.
· Additional Experts who have a regional perspective may be sought. .
· Some experts may be required to present papers at workshops while some
will just contribute by asking questions or by criticism.2 experts can be
considered from each sub region.
· Data can be gotten through the focal points or directly from country
experts.
· The experts invited to the workshops should be asked to bring data. They
should also be informed that the returns from the questionnaires would
determine who would be invited.
· The regional report will be based on the conventional 12 POPs and other
Compounds that are of priorities in Africa, whether sub-regionally or
regionally.
· On the regional assessment, each Regional Team Member (RTM) will be
expected to interpret data for his sub-region. So the RTM should first
assess the data, and later, other RTM members will contribute through
correlation and comparison
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· The report from each RTM should be scientific, objective and well
explained.
· For the assessment, a compound by compound approach was
recommended.
· Prof. Henk Bouwman from South Africa was asked to give a proposal, for
uniformity.
· As per the chemicals, division into classes or groups was advised, since the
assessment will be based on the experience of individuals on the
chemicals. This will minimize errors.
· Data can be gotten through the focal points or directly from country
experts.
· The experts invited should be asked to bring data. They should be
informed that the returns from the questionnaires would determine who
would be invited.
· Data should be collected as far back as possible. And the year of the data
generation should be clearly stated.
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Funds for the Project
A copy each of the budget for Region V as contained in the Memorandum of
Understanding was made available to each member. Attention was drawn to the
honorarium due to each member as well as funds available for other activities
such as data gathering. Since mechanism for funding data gathering and
payment of other experts who may assist in data gathering and contribute in
other ways was not available, the regional coordinator was mandated to seek
advice from the Project Manager.
Other decisions taken were as follows:
· UNEP should make some funds available for the Regional Team members
as running cost.1000 US dollars each was suggested.
· The Regional Coordinator should write Regional Team members
indicating the fund due to them.
· The Regional Team Members recommend that the fund due to them should
be paid in three installments. Guidance should be sought from the Project
Manager
· The Regional Coordinator should request for funds from the Project
Manager to cover funds for data gathering budget line.
· Guidance is also being sought from the Project Manager on level /quantum
of honorarium to country experts who participate in data gathering.
· People should be paid after completing the job. Issues on funds for data
gathering will be cleared with the Project Manager.
7.
Review of the Questionnaires
The following decisions were taken in respect of the questionnaires:
· the questionnaires should be given numbers.
· each RTM should still look for other areas necessary to be included in
the questionnaires to take care of the peculiar situations in Africa.
· On how to send out the questionnaires, the meeting noted the use of e-
mail and the need to contact people who are Africans but who may
not be living in Africa but are doing or have done research on African
environment. Also a European man who may not be living in Africa
but is working or have worked on samples from Africa which is
related to environment should be contacted.
· .As there are 47 countries in this region V, each of the 8 RTM will
take care of 6 countries. Proximity of the 6 countries to each of the
Regional Team Member is very important.
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· .The countries allocated to each Re gional Team Member with
responsibility for data gathering are as follows:
· Prof. Henk Bouwman: South Africa , Zimbabwe, Lesotho , Namibia,
Swaziland , Botswana
· Dr. Choong Kwet Yive Robert: Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros,
Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi.
· Prof. Nabil H.H Bashir: Sudan,Tchad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti,
Somalia
· Engr. Hossseah. A Onyoyo: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda,
Burundi, Zambia
· Mr. Dudley Achu-Sama :Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana ,
Liberia, Sierra Leone
· Prof. Oladele Osibanjo: Nigeria, Sao Tome, Principe, Niger, Guinea,
and Guinea Bissau, Benin Republic.
· Prof. Jose Okond'ahoka: Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo
Brazzaville, Angola, Gabon, Central African Republic
· Ms Nassere Kaba : :Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and
Mauritius, Mali.
7.1
Examination of Questionnaires
The questionnaires were examined carefully and the following
recommendations were made:
a) Air
i)
Generally , there should be an information on how to fill the forms
ii)
People should go by the project list to see things like common name.
iii)
Information source reference should be included in the form. Other
things noted by the meeting, to be included in the form are:
iv)
Sampling Location, Region(area code to be given if relevant),
sampling methods(to indicate whether it is ambient, deposition , dry or
wet) Map reference and/or map area code;
v)
Guidance document page 2 table 6 talks about location and site
description of the source. Page 26 table 9 of the document has
sampling location map reference and general information needed for
all samples.
vi)
It is necessary to replace mean with standard deviation and median
with coefficient of variation
vii)
Because of the particular importance of DDT in developing countries ,
the meeting suggest that DDD and DDE be included in question1 as
follows DDT, DDD,DDE.
viii)
General corrections should be amended to indicate that DDE and DDD
should be reported separately where possibly.
b) On Sediments
The meeting noted that the following should be included in the form:
i.)
Water flow rate..........
ii.)
% organic water..........
iii.)
sampling time.......
iv.)
Other.........
c)
On Humans
The meeting recommended the following :
i.)
Under sampling type; It should include:
Adipose.......
Placenta.......
Urine........
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Other.....
ii.)
Standard deviation and coefficient of variation should be included and
stated where available , for consistency
iii.)
Fluids e.g. blood, breast milk, should be measured in mg/l and not
mg/kg
iv.)
Under exposure , it should include other(indicate).....
v.)
Under dietary characteristics, it should include unknown..........
vi.)
Also under age range, it should include
Unknown.......
Male or female or both.........
All ages.......
d.) On Animal Study
The meeting noted the following:
i.)
The form should include : Urine of Animal
ii.)
Under (5)- sample source , blood, serum, and urine should be
included.
iii.)
Under (7) Fluids should be put) and the unit changed from mg/kg to
mg/l)
iv.)
Under dietary characteristics , it should include
Juvenile
Adult
Both
Unknown
v.)
Sex is added and to be included are:
Both.....
Unknown
vi.)
Under (6), the form should include 2 more circles for:
Alive---
Poisoning suspected.
vii.)
Also, the mean should be changed to standard deviation and the
median changed to coefficient of variation, for consistency.
e.) On Soil
The meeting noted the following:
i.)
Under (5) soil characteristics, it should include
Other......(to take care of carbon etc)
ii.)
Under(6), after unknown
Organic matter should be added.
iii.)
Under range, it should include
Other...
iv.)
The mean should be changed to standard deviation and the median
changed to coefficient of variation
v.)
The form should include :
Other comments...(to include soil condition, soil properties etc
where known).
f.) Under Vegetation
The meeting noted the following:
i.)
Under Concentration to be added is
Wet matter....
ii.)
Under (7) , the mean should be changed to standard deviation and the
median changed to coefficient of variation
g) Under Water
The meeting noted the following:
i.)
River/lake/surface water should be indicated
ii.)
Under 4 , it should include
Other....
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h) Under Open Burning
The meeting noted the following:
i.)
Splash burn should be changed to slash burn.
ii.)
The form should include:
iii.)
Other......(to include accidental burning etc).
i) Under Biotic effects
The meeting noted the following
i.)
The mean should be changed to standard deviation and the median
changed to coefficient of variation
ii.)
Under exposure, it should include:
Other (indicate)......
iii.)
Include disease control.
iv.)
Under 9, Project Manager to clarify or expound.
j). Under Product or Contaminant in Product
The meeting noted that the information of studies done by FAO on s tocks
of obsolete product is valuable here.
8.
Mechanisms for the Technical and Regional Setting Workshops.
The meeting agreed on the following:
1. UNEP should make fund available for the Regional Team Members
(RTM) as running cost.1000 dollars to each RTM was suggested.
2. The Regional Coordinator should write every Regional Team member
indicating the fund due to them.
3. The Regional Team Members recommend that the fund due to them should
be planned in three installments.
4. The Regional Coordinator is to write all the countries in the region about
the project and introduce the Regional Team member (sub-regional) as the
person who will take it up.
5. We should go through the government, write the focal points and use our
contacts to look for scientists.
6. The workshop should be advertised, have proceedings and published.
7. After the first workshops on sources concentration, it was advised that the
project be advertised. Advertisements through the focal points for people
to bring abstracts. We should inform everybody including organizations
like UNESCO. Those who have something to offer will respond. We can
nominate 50 people, out of which we se select some and train them.
8. In our advert, we can inform that the people who will be invited will attend
the workshop freely and enjoy some other things.
9. It should be made a continuous exercise. The people can be asked to do
certain things as they go back to their countries.
10. The RTM should write discussion papers, and there must be a report at the
end of every workshop
11. The Expert List for the region should be revised within 2 weeks.
12. The need for interaction and information sharing among members was
emphasised. If any team member has any information, it should send it to
others so that everybody will be at the same level. There is need for
transparency.
13. The dates for the workshops were tentatively fixed as follows:
i The 1st Technical Workshop WS1 on Sources Characterization
Date: 14th 18th January 2002
Venue: Mombassa, Kenya
ii The 2nd Technical Workshop WS2 on Impact and transport
Date: 25 th 29 th March 2002
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Venue: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
14. The dates for regional meetings were tentatively fixed as follows.
i.
2nd Regional Team Meeting
Date: 10th 12 th June, 2002
Venue: Mauritius.
ii.
Regional Priority Setting Meeting.
Date: 15th- 19th July 2002
Venue: Nigeria
iii.
3rd Regional Team Meeting
Date :26th 28 th August, 2002
Venue: Sudan
15. French translators should be arranged for the 3 workshops.
16. The hosting Regional Team Member should give a proposal about the cost.
17. The regional coordinator will find out what current per diem is.
18. The hosting regional team member should arrange for a place that has 50
bed spaces and facilities for conferences.
19. The participants should book their flights early enough.
20. The regional team members should develop agenda for the workshops.
9
Review of the Outline for the Regional Report.
The meeting noted the following:
1. After the data gathering, a regional report will be written. The regional
team members shall be members of the editorial board while the
Regional Coordinator is the Editor.
2. The "Draft outline for the Regional Reports" on pages 45-46(Annex
G) of the UNEP PROJECT ACTION SHEET/Project Document was
studied at the meeting and the following points were noted:
i. The report should include: -
·
Executive summary
·
Acronyms and Abbreviations
· The introduction should include the socio-economic overview
of the conditions in the region.
· The 2 page introduction should include maps
· The source characterisation shall be the second chapter.
Under characterization, for information on import and export
statistics of PTS and PTS containing wastes, Basel convention
and FAO secretariat will be useful.
Chapter 4 on "Assessment of Major Pathways of Contaminants
Transport" shall become Chapter 3 while Chapter 3 on "
Environmental levels, Toxicology and Ecotoxicological
Characterization" shall now be Chapter 4 on "Environmental
levels, Toxicological and Ecotoxicological Characterisation" .
It was suggested that sub-section iii on : "Evidences of harmful
effects" be changed to "evidence and/or implications for harmful
effects."
ii. Still under new Chapter 4 sub -section (vii):"Identification of the
major contributors, by sector, to damage to natural resources,
ecosystems, and humans," should be transferred to the new
chapter 3 as sub-section (iv).
iii. Under Chapter 5 under:"Preliminary Assessment of the Regional
capacity and needs to Manage PTS".; and sub-section iv on
"Examples of alternatives or measures for reduction," some of the
success stories of best practices and failures should be indicated
iv. There will be a disclaimer
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v. There should be an additional chapter on-"Validity of
Assessment". Otherwise this should be visibly indicated in the
Conclusions in Chapter 6.
vi. All the Regional Team Members should develop the content of
the UNEP PROJECT ACTION SHEET/Project Document in their
areas of responsibility.
9.1
Consensus on Responsibilities on the Regional Report
The meeting noted the following:
i)
Chapter 1 Introduction
Each regional Team Member should write an introduction to the
report describing aspects of his country especially : a generic
description of the area, agriculture, malaria control etc. This
report, which should give succinct and precise information,
should be in word. And the report should be submitted before the
first workshop. The Regional Coordinator should receive the first
draft by the 14th December 2001.
ii)
Source Characterization
This is to be handled by Prof Henk Bouwan of South Africa (lead
author), Ms Kaba (Cote d'Ivoire) and Prof. Nabil Bashir of Sudan.
First draft is due by 14 December 2001.
iii)
Assessment of Major Pathways of Contaminants Transport
This is to be handled by Prof. Oladele Osibanjo of Nigeria (lead
author) and Dr. Choong K.Y. Robert of Mauritius. First draft is
due by 10 February 2002.
iv)
Environmental levels, Toxicological and ecotoxicological
Characterization.
This is to be handled by Dr. Okod'ahoka Jose of the democratic
Republic of Congo (lead author) and Prof.Henk Bouwan (south
Africa), Ms Kaba( Cote d'Ivoire), Prof. Nabil Bashir (Sudan),
Prof Oladele Osibanjo (Nigeria), and Dr. Choong Robert
(Mauritius) and Dudley (Cameroon). First draft is due by April 4
2002.
v)
Preliminary Assessment of the Regional Capacity and needs
to Manage PTS
This is to be handled by Engr.Hosseah Onyoyo of Kenya (lead
author), Dudley (Cameroon) and Nassere Kabal (Cote d'Ivoire)
and Prof. O. Osibanjo. First draft is due by April 2002
vi)
Conclusions
This is to be handled by Prof.O. Osibanjo of Nigeria (lead author)
and Prof Henk Bouwan of South Africa. First draft is due by June
1 2002. July 1 2002
vii)
All the draft reports should be submitted according to the
schedule of dates in the foregoing. Therefore the regional
coordinator should submit the draft report to RTMs by June 1
2002.
9.2
Any Other business
It was suggested that there should be a RegionV POPs/PTS newsletter.
Other decisions were as follows:
1. It is necessary to prepare guidelines for the presenters in the technical
workshops and all the regional team members should be involved in
the preparation.
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2. Since the first workshop is to start on 14th of January, 2002.The first
announcement should start on 1st August 2001 .The announcement
should be done by sending e-mail and fax.
3. The first announcement should just mention Mombassa as the venue.
Engr.Hosseah Onyoyo of Kenya should give confirmation of hotel
booking by 15 August 2001.
4. Specific persons should be selected to present papers.
5. The host regional team member should look for a venue that will
contain about 75 people.
6. Competent people should be invited from other regions.
7. The host regional team member should arrange for the chairman and
rappoteur for technical workshops in consultation with the other
RTMs and the Regional Coordinator.
8. Individuals, academia, institutions, NGOs, Government, industry,
associations, WWF and UN agencies such as UNESCO should be
invited for the workshops.
9. The regional coordinator should write a letter to the Vice Chancellor,
University of Gezira, Sudan through Prof. Nabil Bashir, in respect of
the project.
10. About the questionnaires, information on a chemical can have 10
forms. If there are many people who have worked on the chemical,
every one of them should fill the form.
11. The booking for the venues for all workshops and meetings should
start at least 6 weeks earlier.
12. Early information about itineraries will be an advantage as it hastens
process of booking flights.
13. All arrangements for airlines have will be handled by the regional
coordinator..
14. Advance payments where necessary shall be made by the University
of Ibadan through UNDP after clearance by the Project Manager.
15. The regional coordinator is to send a draft for the workshop format to
the regional team members and expect a response within a week.
16. Discussion of the problems in the region and experiences from other
regions and exchange of ideas should be part of RTM meetings.
17. It is necessary to be publish aspects of the regional report in reputable
international journals.
18. Suggestions will be welcomed at any time from members and other
stakeholders.to improve the project.
19. The regional coordinator was mandated to liase with Ms. Kaba of Cote
d'Ivoire who couldn't attend due to flight problem and invite her to
Ibadan for briefing if necessary.
9.3
Prof. Osibanjo thanked the team members for their diligence and useful
contributions as well as comradeship which contributed greatly to the
success of the meeting. He reiterated the importance of transparency in
conducting the affairs of the project and free flow of information among
members of the regional team.
9.4
Prof. Osibanjo thanked the Project Manager, Mr. Paul Whylie of UNEP
Chemicals, Geneva for his support to the project, constant provision of
useful information and other logistic support for the advancement of the
project. It is the hope of the RTMs that he would be able to attend at least
one of the future RTM meetings or/and workshops.
9.5
The support of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and other
principal officers of the university for the successful hosting of the meeting
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was also acknowledged by Prof. Osibanjoand. He also thanked the
Honourable Federal Minister of State for Environment for gracing the
opening ceremony in spite of his very busy schedule.
9.6
The meeting adjourned at about 12.30 p.m.
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