EDC and Africa

Riana Bornman, SHSPH, University of Pretoria

Noluzuku Gwayi, Senior Policy Advisor Dept Env

Conflict of interest statementFunding and support was provided by the following: • Water Research Commission• South African National Research Foundation• Medical Research Council• The respective universities of the co-authors• National Institutes of Health

Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of myself, and are not necessarily to be attributed to the WRC, NRF, or any funder.

None of the funding sources listed here, any of my employers or any previous funders or employers had general or specific expectations or demands that restricted my freedom to design, conduct, interpret, or publish research.

I declare I have no actual or potential competing financial interests.

As scientist I declare that I am not bound by any Government, International Government Organization, Lobby Group, or NGO position or policy on DDT.

The papers I refer to here are published in international, peer reviewed journals.

TRUE size of Africa

Africa’s population

• 1,171,000 000 people

• 52 countries

• 1500-2000 languages

• 50% of <15 years old

• population largely rural

• ~ 20% living towns 20,000

STATUS QUO:EDCs IN AFRICA

• Lack of awareness and knowledge amongst government officials & general public

• Competition national resources/priorities • Lack of easily accessible, user-friendly information• Most countries no monitoring chemical movement• No information of chemicals in products - industry

not expected to divulge information; no tracking chemicals from production or import to secondary use and final disposal.

CONFIDENTIAL 5

• Industry often not required to do rigorous risk assessment on chemicals as a prerequisite before introducing them into the market

• Fragmented policy approach to dealing with chemicals management in general

• Except in RSA, no research or activities are known to have been undertaken on EDCs in Africa.

CONFIDENTIAL 6

STATUS QUO:EDCs IN AFRICA

stream effluent STP, industries, informal settlements, agriculture

RVD: EDC-related health effectsAnimal Area Chemicals EE

ng/mlMale Female Testis

Urban Nature Res -JhB and Pta

industrpesticidesplasticmetals(OCP, p-NP, phthal., Cd, Pb)

>1=adv

health effects

fish

Small or absent penile complex

M:F ratio

disruptedsperm developm.

two types test cancer

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intersex

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Vhembe area, Limpopo Province

• 1945 DDT introduced for IRS, +BHC

• 1966 DDT alone

• DDT annually sprayed malaria control

• ~70 years continuous use

Humans and wildlife exposed

Limpopo:EDC-related health effectsAnimal Area Chem EE

ng/mlOvary Testis

pesticidesindustrplastics

>1 • intersex• disrupted

Vaal area pesticides

eggshell thinning

bird species

Island Rodriques near Mauritius

various pesticides

eggshell thinning 10

survival fertilized fish eggs significantly lowerexternal features appeared normal abnormal ovaries and testes could affect populations

Human Health Effects

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Brenda Eskenazi

1. birth cohort 750 mother-infant pairs birth to 2 yrs

2. levels and determinants of IRS in mothers

3. association of in utero exposure to IRS and neonatal thyroid hormone levels, fetal growth, or preterm birth

4. association of in utero and/or postnatal exposure to IRS insecticides and neurobehavioral development at 12 and 24 months of age.

EDCs MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT: SA Constitution, Section 24-”right to a safe environment” 2030 Targets: Establish a competitive base of infrastructure, human

resources and regulatory frameworks. Play a leading role in continental development, economic integration

and human rights. Currently EDCs are not in the Departmental Strategic Plan for

2015/16; discussions among Environment, Agriculture, Health, Science & Technology, Labour, Researchers & NGOs have been initiated to prioritise EDCs as an emerging issue.

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WORK INITIATED IN SOUTH AFRICA linked to EDCs Management:

A review of the PIC chemicals: Nonylphenols and Nonylphenols ethoxylates are banned EU Other chemicals of concern South Africa still imports these chemicals from these countries but has

initiated a review of the status quo.

South Africa is currently in the process of developing a Chemicals Management Act to address, among other things, gaps not regulated by other existing legal instruments, a pre-requisite for a rigorous risk assessment in industrial chemicals before registration by the chemicals industry, which would address the EDC issue, being one of those gaps to be addressed.

Percentage distribution of imported chemicals derived from PIC database of the Rotterdam Convention (2012)

1,3 dichloropropene; 6%

Cyanamide; 7%

Dichloropropene; 6%

Nonylphenol ethoxy-lates and Nonylphe-

nols; 72%

Paraquat; 4%

Environmental challenges mining, dumping, E-waste

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AFRICAN REGION Maximize resource mobilization, coordination key stakeholders. EDC research: globally, regionally & sub-regionally to provide

coherent platform EDCs and health Strengthen science & policy interface to protect health. Relevant information available for taking appropriate policy

decisions. Need to urgently and actively raise awareness continuously to

mitigate against risks of exposure to known and suspected EDCs.

Chemicals Industry responsibility of product stewardship and responsible care.

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UNEP Report 5 Sep 2012

Chemical 'Intensification' of Economies in

Developing Countries Means Greater Risk of

Exposure to Hazardous Substances.

Challenge in Africa

1. HIV/AIDS

2. Malaria

3. TB

4. acute respiratory infections

5. diarrhoeal disease

6. vaccine-preventable diseases

Infectious killers

~2020 NCD (ie. DM, HT) cause 7/10 deaths

Brundtland, 2002; Boutayeb, 2006

malnutrition common contributor

In any examination of the challenges of Africa, one

natural resource often goes unnoticed:

Africans themselves

Kenyan Winner Nobel Peace Prize

Ro livhuwa!