Speech for Hon. Minister of Environment and Sustainable
Development
Inception Workshop for the Mauritius/UNDP/UNEP Partnership
Initiative for Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) Project.
(24 April 2013 La Canelle, Domaine Les Pailles )
Hon. Lormus Bundhoo, Minister of Health & Quality of Life
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr
Simon Springett
Mr Kaj Madsen, Senior Programme Specialist, UNEP
Mrs
Hilda
Van Der
Veen,
International
Expert
on
Chemicals
Management.
Dear Participants,
I am pleased to be in your midst this morning for the opening ceremony of
the Inception Workshop of the Mauritius/UNDP/UNEP Partnership Initiative
for Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
project.
Allow me, at the very outset, to congratulate the Ministry of Health &
Quality of Life for having embarked on this laudable project aimed at
improving chemicals management in the country. I must emphasize that
this project is in line with Government’s policy of greening Mauritius.
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We all agree that the chemical revolution of the last century has changed
our lives and has greatly contributed to the well-being of humanity. We
have many reasons to be grateful to the chemical industry worldwide for its
contribution in the production of a wide range of chemical products.
Without chemicals, it would not have been possible to feed our growing
population, to find cures for diseases and to discover new materials that
make our lives easier, safer and more productive.
Chemicals are now part of our daily existence. They contribute in many
ways to sustainable development and are beneficial in elevating and
maintaining the standard of people. However, the unsound management of
chemicals may negatively affect human health and the environment.
If not handled according to established norms and procedures, chemicals
can cause toxic reactions when they are released in the open air. They
can stay in the environment for years and travel thousands of kilometres
from where they are used, thus threatening people’s lives and living
organisms in different places.
They may also have ecological
consequences that were never anticipated or intended.
Even in small
amounts, chemicals can cause environmental contamination and affect
waterways and wildlife.
It is, therefore, important to manage chemicals in a safe and responsible
manner so that they do not adversely affect human health and the
environment.
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management project will allow us to identify the areas of our national
management governance regime of chemicals that need to be urgently
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strengthened and also to compile a National Chemicals Profile for the
country.
This project will also pave the way for the “2020 goal” which was adopted
by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 as part of the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
In that way, we will be able to
achieve the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle so
that, by 2020, chemicals are produced and used safely with a view to
minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
Moreover, the project will demonstrate how sound chemical management
can help Mauritius in achieving sustainable development goals including
improvement of human health, environmental protection, elevation of living
standard and addressing the gaps in our capacity to manage the risks
posed by chemicals.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I point out that my Ministry is the Focal Point of the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, commonly known as POPs.
As you may be aware my Ministry, together with the Ministry of Health &
Quality of Life, are currently implementing a project whereby a large
amount of obsolete POPs chemicals have been eliminated and sent abroad
for sound disposal. Last year, 137 tons of DDT pesticide, stored at Moulin
à Poudre, were packed and placed in a container under strict safety
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conditions and sent to France for disposal.
Some 290 metre cube of
contaminated soil is also being collected and will be shipped shortly.
In October, this year, hundreds of countries will be signing the Minamata
Convention on Mercury. This Global treaty aims at reducing the emission
and the release of mercury into the air, in water and in the soil. This project
will also enhance the understanding regarding mercury sources and offer
management options for the country to develop an Initial Mercury Action
Plan for Mauritius.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Unsustainable consumption is becoming one of the major problems at
present.
It is not only depleting the planet’s resources but it is also
increasing the generation of wastes resulting in threats to human health
and to the environment.
The amount of solid wastes produced per
inhabitant is on the rise as a result of our unsustainable pattern of
consumption.
In order to reduce the amount of solid wastes being
landfilled at Mare Chicose, my Ministry is carrying out sensitization
programmes on sustainable lifestyles which aim at promoting the Reduce,
Reuse and Recycle principle so as to avoid wastage.
In this connection, My Ministry has initiated several actions such as the
launching of the waste segregation project in primary schools and the
publication of a booklet on “best practices on sustainable consumption and
production indicators in Mauritius”, among others.
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Before ending, let me assure you that Government is fully committed to
pursue the path of sustainable development and to translate the “Maurice
Ile Durable” vision into reality. It will continue to play its role as a catalyst
and as a facilitator. However, to be successful in this field, we need the
involvement of all stakeholders, specially the private sector.
I therefore make a strong appeal to you to participate actively in this project
and to contribute in our common endeavour of making Mauritius a
sustainable island. Let us create the right synergy, forge a new partnership
and act together so that we can legate a better future to the coming
generations.
My Ministry will provide its full support for the successful implementation of
this project, in particular the development of a National Chemicals Profile
for Mauritius. We are fully confident that the comprehensive workshop
program and the remarkable status of the resource persons, together with
the positive participation of all of you, will certainly enable this workshop to
meet its ambitious goals.
I thank you for your attention.
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