Africa Stockpiles Programme

Cleaning up obsolete pesticides in Africa

At the final negotiating session for the POPs treaty in December 2000, WWF initiated the concept of a continent-wide project to clean up obsolete pesticides in Africa. Since then, the Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP) has evolved substantially as a multi-stakeholder partnerships involving NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, and chemical industry representatives.

Virtually every African country has stockpiles of obsolete pesticides and associated wastes that have accumulated over periods as long as 40 years. These pesticides pose serious threats to the health of both rural and urban populations and contribute to land and water degradation.

The objective of the Africa Stockpiles Programme is to clean-up and safely dispose of all obsolete pesticide stocks from Africa and help to prevent future accumulations. WWF is working with partners such as the World Bank, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and Pesticide Action Network to make the goals of ASP a reality.

This innovative and ambitious programme offers real on-the-ground solutions to a difficult problem. By reducing and removing long-standing toxic threats throughout Africa, ASP promotes improved public health, environmental safety, and poverty reduction—critical elements of sustainable development.

For more detailed information visit: www.africastockpiles.org