Africa: Stop Dumping Hazardous Waste on Continent's Shores

analysis

At the Maritime & Coastal Security Africa (MCSA) conference held in Cape Town from the 26th to 28th October, presenters frequently alluded to the problems posed by toxic waste pollution and the threat it poses to human security in Africa. What emerges from conferences such as these is the fact that there is a clear and lamentable dearth of knowledge in regards to the dumping, and trade, of hazardous waste in Africa. Despite these tacit acknowledgements the scale and severity of the problem remains largely unknown.

All too often awareness of the problems posed by toxic and hazardous waste is only noted when it literally leaks out and causes death, disease and environmental degradation. Lamentably such incidents are likely to remain marginalised unless they catch the attention of the media, governments, businesses and researchers in the aftermath of a preventable tragedy.

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