Arusha — THE Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has failed to explain whether the country's quality controller will be adding a new digit or symbol onto its official seals of approval to be certification for 'environmentally friendly' products.

"The current TBS certification also entails inspections on how products made in the country are manufactured under stringent environment friendly conditions," said Mr Leandri Kinabo, the Acting Director of the Bureau when asked if they intended to come up with new or additional certification for 'green' approval.

Tanzania is currently hosting Technical Committee 207 of the International Standards Organization (ISO/TC 207) Chairs Advisory Group meeting in Arusha whose scope is standardization in the field of environmental management tools and systems.

The meeting is addressing issues related to industrial productions in respect to environmental protection, global warming and its related climate change and how producers can adopt to the situation through effective production that adhered to reduced carbon footprints.

Tanzania, together with Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, making up the five EAC member states, together exude less than 0.1 per cent of the total global carbon dioxide emissions.

The more industrialized Kenya, according to official figures, tops the bill in leading the pack by emitting an annual average of 11.5 million metric tons of Carbon Dioxide gases, but even that accounts for just 0.04 per cent of the total global green-house fumes production.

Tanzania is second in East Africa with an annual 7.0 million metric tons of the green-house gases emissions, equivalent to 0.02 per cent of the total carbon dioxide productions. Uganda produces 0.01 per cent while both Rwanda and Burundi emit less than that.

While East Africa and most of the continent are less industrialized, importation of less energy efficient, old and used machinery and automobiles to aid production, contribute to the countries' increased emissions.

The meeting which has brought into the country over 20 delegates from different countries, members of the CAG and who are mostly leaders of ISO/ TC 207 committees was officially opened by the Arumeru District Commissioner, Mr Nyerembe Munasa Sabi.