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Obsolete stocks
Obsolete stocks of pesticides
For many years, Bayer CropScience has been assisting with the issue of obsolete pesticides accumulated by a number of countries. The company voluntarily contributes financial, technical and managerial resources to aid their disposal and is cooperating through CropLife International, the plant science industry association, to find solutions to prevent further accumulation.
Since 1990 the plant science industry (www.croplife.org) has contributed to the safe disposal of more than 10,000 tonnes. Further progress will be achieved through the Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP). This 15-year multi-stakeholder project, involving individual nations, the World Bank, FAO, NGOs, Industry and others, aims to deal with the obsolete stocks issue for continental Africa. In August 2003 the CEOs of the leading companies of CropLife committed US $ 30 million to support the ASP (www.africastockpiles.org ).
The obsolete stocks are owned by national governments and have accumulated particularly in those countries where procurement was governed by planned economies rather than in response to farmers’ needs. In Africa, many stocks are left-overs from pesticide donations provided under international development assistance programmes, often decades ago. The stocks comprise many products from a diverse source of producers, especially generic and local ones. A small proportion originates from the member companies of CropLife.
In 1998 Bayer CropScience contributed to disposal operations in South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia, and 2000 saw the completion of a similar initiative in Brazil. In 2001 a public-private partnership between the Government of Pakistan, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and Bayer CropScience concluded successfully. In 2002 an initiative in Mozambique, run by the Danish Government development agency (DANIDA), was finalized and 2004 saw the completion of a venture with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Dakar, involving Senegal, Mauritania and Cape Verde. A major 2-phase project in Ethiopia led by the FAO (the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) is now nearing completion. Bayer CropScience has contributed to all projects with respect to products originating from the company. Nepal has been offered support by a number of parties, including Bayer CropScience, and discussions are ongoing.
National obsolete stocks disposal projects are complex undertakings and hence a multi-stakeholder initiative is usually the preferred approach. They take, on average, 2 to 4 years from product identification through to final disposal in state-of-the-art facilities, usually in Europe. Many legal, administrative and financial aspects have to be dealt with. Strict compliance with international conventions such as the “Basel Convention on the trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste” is a fundamental requirement.
Since 1990 the plant science industry (www.croplife.org) has contributed to the safe disposal of more than 10,000 tonnes. Further progress will be achieved through the Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP). This 15-year multi-stakeholder project, involving individual nations, the World Bank, FAO, NGOs, Industry and others, aims to deal with the obsolete stocks issue for continental Africa. In August 2003 the CEOs of the leading companies of CropLife committed US $ 30 million to support the ASP (www.africastockpiles.org ).
The obsolete stocks are owned by national governments and have accumulated particularly in those countries where procurement was governed by planned economies rather than in response to farmers’ needs. In Africa, many stocks are left-overs from pesticide donations provided under international development assistance programmes, often decades ago. The stocks comprise many products from a diverse source of producers, especially generic and local ones. A small proportion originates from the member companies of CropLife.
In 1998 Bayer CropScience contributed to disposal operations in South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia, and 2000 saw the completion of a similar initiative in Brazil. In 2001 a public-private partnership between the Government of Pakistan, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and Bayer CropScience concluded successfully. In 2002 an initiative in Mozambique, run by the Danish Government development agency (DANIDA), was finalized and 2004 saw the completion of a venture with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Dakar, involving Senegal, Mauritania and Cape Verde. A major 2-phase project in Ethiopia led by the FAO (the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) is now nearing completion. Bayer CropScience has contributed to all projects with respect to products originating from the company. Nepal has been offered support by a number of parties, including Bayer CropScience, and discussions are ongoing.
National obsolete stocks disposal projects are complex undertakings and hence a multi-stakeholder initiative is usually the preferred approach. They take, on average, 2 to 4 years from product identification through to final disposal in state-of-the-art facilities, usually in Europe. Many legal, administrative and financial aspects have to be dealt with. Strict compliance with international conventions such as the “Basel Convention on the trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste” is a fundamental requirement.
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[ last update: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 ]
