The beautiful archipelago of São Tomé and Príncipe sits on the west coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. Its relative isolation from the rest of the continent affords this island nation an abundance of unique biological diversity, sheltered by diverse land and marine ecosystems such as lush cloud forests, sun-drenched savannah, dense mangroves, and intricate coral reefs.
The nation's ecosystems, like all on Earth, rely on a delicate ecological balance, one that is easily disrupted by external factors such as mismanaged chemicals and wastes, often byproducts of industrial processes.
Given the lack of sound coordination and enforcement of existing laws, much of São Tomé and Príncipe’s waste is either thrown into the sea or burnt in the open, resulting in harmful, persistent organic pollutant (POP) emissions that can cause health issues and environmental degradation. Similar issues can arise from the improper use, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances like mercury, for which the country lacks suitable facilities.
To address these gaps, the government of São Tomé and Príncipe is driving a three-year project in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Chemicals and Waste Management Programme. The aim of the project is to improve institutional capacity and governance structures, strengthen the implementation of, and compliance with, the national chemicals and waste management legislation, and raise awareness of the issues associated with their mismanagement.
A strong national response
A key measure to strengthen national response will be enhancing coordination and building the capacity needed to implement the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and the Minamata Convention, which are international treaties designed to protect human health and the environment from the hazardous potential of chemicals and waste. These treaties will be complemented by effective national level enforcement and stronger national coordination of resources and interventions.
In the initial stages of the project, São Tomé and Príncipe will focus on the following:
- Strengthening the national capacity and governance structures, including enhanced coordination for implementation of the conventions;
- Strengthening the implementation of, and compliance with, existing national chemicals and waste management legislation, including the extended producer responsibility law;
- Developing a comprehensive awareness raising, capacity building and training programme that will contribute to mainstreaming the sound management of chemicals and waste.
Context of commitment
The new project reflects São Tomé and Príncipe’s continuing commitment toward sound chemicals and waste management. The country has already set in place an Extended Producer Responsibility law and an Environmental Impact Tax, both of which hold producers responsible for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. The government also developed a National Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management, focusing on creating incentives to reduce plastic consumption, recover or store recyclable waste, and promote private entrepreneurship in the waste management system.
The project will provide tools to address chemicals and waste issues in a coordinated manner to ensure that all stakeholders—from the private sector to local communities—are involved and benefit.
For further information, please contact the Special Programme Secretariat at unepchemicalsspecialprogramme@un.org.
