Argentina, Latin America’s second largest country and one of its major economies, also ranks high among those most visited.[1], [2] And given its many treasures, it’s easy to see why. While its majestic Iguazú Falls in the north and its towering Glaciar Perito Moreno in the south are worth the trip alone, deserts, wetlands, forests, and more lakes than one has time to see also dot the landscape.
Yet, many people might argue that the country’s biggest draw is its city life. A hefty 92% of the population live in urban centers, with one-third calling the capital city of Buenos Aires home. Famous for their nightlife, museums, cafes, and expansive parks, its cities are also whispered to be where the best tango dancers can be found.
But to government officials, the country’s biodiversity and its people are equally impressive. Unfortunately, both are also under threat from the country’s misuse and overuse of chemicals and the improper disposal of wastes. These challenges have largely been driven by the country’s rapid industrial development, most notably within the agricultural sector.
The Argentinian government has long recognized the need to safeguard public and environmental health while growing its economy. To speed this effort, the country became party to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, as well as the Minamata Convention. In 2017, it also partnered with United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Chemicals and Waste Management Programme on a project to set a national standard and consolidate governmental capabilities to improve chemicals management.[3]
Building on this momentum, Argentina has launched a new 3-year project funded by UNEP to further strengthen the country’s institutional capacity for the sound management of chemicals and waste.
Argentina’s previous UNEP project led to the creation of its National Chemicals Directorate. Through the directorate, several regulations for fulfilling commitments under multilateral environmental agreements were implemented. This was primarily accomplished through the unit’s success in convening local government stakeholders responsible for chemicals and waste management, as well as leaders within the public and private sectors.
The current project will support the National Chemicals Directorate to continue coordinating roundtables, training workshops, and awareness campaigns involving different governmental agencies, industrial and scientific-academic sectors, and non-governmental organizations. The directorate will also enrich the National Inventory of Chemicals, a tool critical for providing up-to-date information for decision makers. As well, the directorate will produce a diagnostic report on industrial chemicals in Argentina and technical reports on the environmental and health impacts of known and potentially dangerous industrial chemicals. Chief among these are agrochemicals, lead, and lithium.
As everyone from government authorities to environmental action groups to every-day citizens have found, the expansion of agricultural production has directly led to an increase of agrochemicals into the environment. For example, a recent report detected 80 pesticides in fruit and vegetables across Argentina, many at levels above the maximum allowed limits.[4]
To fully counter this threat, the project will leverage the expertise of professionals within the public, private, scientific-academic, and health sectors. Together, they will generate and exchange information that broadens the current knowledge about agrochemical residues and their effects on the environment and living beings.
Through the knowledge gained, a guide will be produced to help agricultural and livestock producers establish more environmentally friendly production systems. Vulnerable communities, such as those living near farms, will also be encouraged to join the effort to protect themselves from hazardous chemicals and wastes, including through the launch of a communications and outreach plan.
With an eye toward to the future, the project will also tackle contaminants of emerging concern (CESs). Through better technologies for the detection of chemicals, scientists are finding different chemicals in the environment of which there was no evidence of their presence until now. These include chemicals used for intensive animal production, including disinfectants for facilities, as well pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics, that are frequently administered to cows and other animals. The scientific community has also warned about the increase of pharmaceuticals that have been detected in drinking water, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, and antibiotics.
Project funding will go directly toward generating more knowledge about CECs. By knowing the current situation on CECs in Argentina, decision makers and other stakeholders will develop strategies to improve the sound management of these chemicals throughout their lifecycle (production, storage, transportation, distribution, selling, use, and final disposal). It will also contribute to the development of monitoring programs and risk assessments to find and fill legal gaps that inhibit the public’s protection from CECs.
While the Argentinian government knows that safely managing chemicals and waste requires long-term, consistent effort, the success of the project will put it ahead of the game. In the future, Argentina could very well not only be a leader in crop production, but in showing other countries the measures and laws needed to grow the economy while protecting public and environmental health.
