RETRIEVAL OF BANNED, OBSOLETE AND UNWANTED AGROCHEMICALS IN SOUTH AFRICA A PERSPECTIVE Gerhard H Ver

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RETRIEVAL OF BANNED, OBSOLETE AND UNWANTED
AGROCHEMICALS IN SOUTH AFRICAA
PERSPECTIVEGerhard H VerdoornPoison Working
Group Endangered Wildlife Trust PO Box
72334Parkview 2122South Africanesher_at_ewt.org.za
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THANKS TO GCPF (DR CHRIS WALLER) FOR
FUNDINGAdministrative structure 2

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History of the SA retrieval schemeAVCASA
initiated national survey in 1994Estimated 400
tonnes of products!Did brief cost analysis -
ZAR4 millionPresented National Department of
Agriculture (NDA) with the factsNDA decided to
put out tenders!Tenders were postponed three
times! End of 1996 no progress! 3
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Initiatives taken by the PWG and AVCASAPWG
wrote to Agriculture Ministry on 5 January
1998Insisted on action to be taken
immediatelyRecommended appointing AVCASA as
principal for retrieval schemeRecommended
scrapping tender processAVCASA and PWG
reviewed all existing tenders Selected two
feasible optionsCalculated costs of total
operationOffered NDA a R8 million scheme based
on 800 tonnes 4
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Actions implementedNDA appointed AVCASA to
manage schemeNDA pledged R8.5 million to
schemeContracts drawn up between NDA and
AVCASAAVCASA employed project managerAVCASA
approached RECHEM, Waste Tech and transport
companies for quotesAVCASA and PWG planned
strategyPWG implemented information
campaign 5
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Project initiated in April 19981st phaseTotal
audit of stocks 850 tonnes65 Primary 5 main
collection centres establishedRECHEM and Waste
Tech awarded contractsPWG implemented 24 hr
information service 2nd phaseIndividuals and
institutions delivered stocks to primary
collection centresLarge volume stocks collected
- PWG AVCASAStrict records and audit sheets
maintainedStocks sorted into chemical classes at
primary centres 6
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3rd phaseStocks moved to main collection
centresUnknown products analysedChemical
classes grouped togetherUN, SA and UK
certification acquiredFinal phase 760 Tonnes
shipped to Rechem for incinerationRest (300
tonnes) accommodated locally in landfill, ash
blend, lime treatment concrete
bunkering 7
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Problems SA currency depreciated
dramatically!Arsenic - no solution to the
problem! Solutions to problemsNDA granted R3
million moreGTZ granted R300,000 (used for
Namibia)Arsenic kept sealed and in
bondNegotiations with various institutions to
recycle arsenic 8
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Obsolete and unwanted pesticides and empty
container strategyJoint AVCASA and PWG
ventureHoping to establish 15 national
centresRetrieve remaining stocks 50 tonnes(PWG
survey underway)Create buy only as you need
culture Create FIFO culture Assist with
cycling of unwanted pesticide stocksGet buy in
from all stake holdersPublic awareness
campaign 9
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Barriers and opportunities

• Barriers
• Government complacency
• Actions participation
• Funding
• Industry reluctant to fund
• Farming industry
• Expect someone else to do
• Incineration facilities
• No large scale facility

• Opportunities
• Keen and experienced individuals
• PWG, AVCASA, ACDASA
• Government funding
• Willing to fund partially
• Workable infrastructure
• Previous scheme was an enormous success
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