INTRODUCTION
About the Program
frica’s economy is growing rapidly, however its industry is heavily dependent on imports of chemicals. Africa’s economic growth stabilized at 3.4 in 2019 and was forecast to rise to 4.1 percent in 2020. Due to the formidable challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, economic growth is expected to contract to between -2.1 and -5.1% in 2020. The industrial sector is progressively gaining ground and represents 4 to 32 percent of the national Gross Domestic Products (GDPs) in most African countries. But many countries import chemicals for industrial, domestic, and agricultural uses. As a result, the region has witnessed a significant increase in the trade of hazardous materials, with serious impacts on environment and health. Among the most critical pollution management issues in Sub-Saharan Africa are those related to mercury use in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, and management of electronic waste (e-waste).
No Pollution
Afforstation
Clean water
Good health
Animal Habitat
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An estimated two to three million people in Africa are at risk of exposure to toxic chemicals from ASGM4. Rising international gold prices have made ASGM an attractive employment alternative for struggling farmers, poor rural communities, and migrant laborers. Ghana and Tanzania each have ASGM workforces estimated at more than 1 million people. However, ASGM has been consistently listed as a major source of water and soil pollution. Serious health concerns associated with heavy metal poisoning from metals such as cadmium and mercury are disproportionally affecting poor and vulnerable people. It is estimated that gold production from small-scale mining accounts for about 38 percent of total mercury emissions on the continent. A mercury trade diagnostic study conducted by the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice estimated that 90 to 95 percent of mercury used is smuggled from neighboring nations. However, there is limited data and knowledge about the amount of mercury used or the extent of mercury contamination and its health, environmental, and social impacts.
Reducing the health risks caused by exposure to mercury and e-waste is high priority for Sub-Saharan countries. The project responds to this priority in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. The choice of countries was based on client demand and ownership, strength of baseline activities, and National Implementation Plan (NIP) readiness. The next phase will consider scaling up the project’s activities to additional countries as they meet readiness requirements. Countries in the pipeline are Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Malawi, Mali, Niger and for ASGM, and Benin and Togo for e-waste.