Belize has long been lauded for its beauty and distinctive ecosystems, enjoyed by those lucky enough to call the Central American country home and the visitor who dreams of retiring there. Filled with tropical jungles, forests, mountains, and mangrove swamps, the country features many types of terrains within its 22,966 square kilometers.[i] Reportedly, it is also home to many friendly people. From Gallup polls to tourist blogs, Belize, whose current population stands at 404,000, is often noted as one of the happiest and most peaceful countries in the region.[ii],[iii],[iv]
The Belizean government is keen to preserve the country’s good reputation, as well as to improve it in areas found to be lacking. Among its challenges are those surrounding chemicals and waste management. While Belize is party to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the country has not made much headway in implementing these agreements, owed mostly to the lack of a clear strategy, coordination, and the necessary resources.
To counter these obstacles, Belize is partnering with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Chemicals and Waste Management Programme. Through a 2-year, UNEP-supported project, the country will rapidly tackle the challenges preventing the sound management of chemicals and wastes.
Crafting a national strategy to fully implement the BRS Conventions is the first project goal. To develop the strategy, the Belizean government will gather its best minds dedicated to chemicals and waste management, as well as experts within academia and the private and public sector. Their aim will be finding and closing gaps within existing legislation and processes focused on chemicals and waste management, to be outlined in the strategy. The team will also ensure the strategy sets a clear path forward—based on Belize’s current and expected capabilities—that the government, industries in all sectors, and the public can follow.
Once devised, the national strategy will be launched by a newly formed Chemical Management Unit, whose creation is funded under the project. This unit will be housed within the Department of the Environment, which was formerly charged with resolving the country’s chemicals and waste management issues but has been overburdened.
Armed with a solid national strategy and a dedicated Chemicals Management Unit, the department will now be capable of strengthening Belize’s national institutional capacity to manage chemicals. Its primary duty will be coordinating with key stakeholders on activities related to the national strategy and implementation of the BRS Conventions, as well as other agreements expected to be signed into law, such as the National Integrated Chemicals Bill and Draft Industrial Chemicals Management Regulations.
Equally important, the unit will update documents developed under other projects focused on chemicals and waste management to ensure they align with the national strategy. The unit will also coordinate and routinely work to improve information sharing and timely reporting among all relevant agencies.
Beyond increasing its capacity through the Chemicals Management Unit, the Department of the Environment will be bolstered by the project funding a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This equipment can be used to detect the presence of persistent organic pollutants and other pesticides of concern in water, soil, and animal and plant life, making it vital for any effort focused on chemicals and waste management. Training is needed, however, and thus the project supports one staff member within the Department of Environment to receive training at a foreign university or other organization with vast experience in operating laboratories equipped with GC-MS. Upon the staff’s return, they will train others on the use of this essential equipment.
Educating the public about sound chemicals and waste management—and the part they play—is the last project priority. Videos, posters, billboards, and other materials will be developed and circulated widely throughout the country as part of a national public awareness and outreach campaign. Given that both mercury and persistent organic pollutants have been identified as significant threats, emphasis will be placed on informing the public about these pollutant’s dangers, where they can be found, and how they can be both properly disposed of or avoided.
Belize is excited to embark on this journey toward better protecting both its people and land. Once the project’s objectives are realized, the country will be fast on its way toward achieving an even more ambitious goal: becoming a regional leader in the sound management of chemicals and wastes.
For further information, please contact the Special Programme Secretariat at unepchemicalsspecialprogramme@un.org
