Efforts are underway towards sound chemicals management in Kenya

The Kenyan economy is growing at a steady rate, with an increasing per-capita income and a general shift towards becoming a middle-income country.

Much of this growth is due to export-driven agricultural activities, such as flowers and fresh produce for the United Kingdom and European markets. Other small and medium-sized industrial activities are also benefiting the economy, as is mining and drilling for extractive chemicals such as sodium carbonate, calcium fluoride, titanium, gold, and petroleum.

All of the country’s industries require significant amounts of chemicals. According to the Kenya Statistical Survey (2008), chemicals account for 6 percent of Kenya’s economy in agriculture, industry, and energy. Chemicals, therefore, provide critical input to Kenya’s economy, its people’s quality of life and the environment.

But these chemicals are now imported into the country by traders, not chemists. This has resulted in misuse and accidents that harm people and the environment—news headlines in the country often announce the blatant misuse of chemicals negatively affecting unsuspecting Kenyans, with the most recent example being unsafe levels of mercury in sugar.

Chemicals also influence the quality and quantity output of agricultural and industrial products such as energy, water, transport, pharmaceuticals and consumer products, thus impacting all sectors of development. Although Kenya’s production of toxic chemicals is not high, their misuse and poor management lead to greater negative impacts on human health and the environment. Lack of awareness of the potential risks to users is another challenge.

With the help of the UN Environment’s Special Programme on Institutional Strengthening for Chemicals and Waste Management, various measures will be undertaken to help Kenya reach this goal. A key step will be setting up a Chemicals Unit that can promote cooperation within the government and with the private sector. The unit will be responsible for developing policies and legislation on chemicals management and assist in implementing these policies at national and county government levels.

This approach will ensure that Kenya’s continued economic growth is managed responsibly, in a way that doesn’t slow progress or damage the health of country.

Original source: UN Environment 
Published on 21 December 2018