The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Government of Guyana/United Nations Development Programme (GoG/UNDP) Capacity Building for the Management of Natural Resources and the Environment Project is undertaking a survey for the compilation of a National Inventory for Hazardous Waste in Guyana. The national survey will commence this month and is intended to gather data on the types and amount of Hazardous Wastes generated in Guyana and their location.

Why A Survey?
Hazardous waste as defined by the Environmental Protection Hazardous Wastes Management Regulations, 2000 is “waste, or combination of wastes, which, because of its quality, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics, may pose a substantial hazard to human health”. In Guyana, the generation of hazardous wastes has been steadily increasing and is likely to continue to increase as the country develops, international trade is expanded, and the road network on the South American mainland is expanded. Over time therefore, it is estimated that substances classified as hazardous wastes have accumulated since there are limited disposal options available. Apart from this, the improper management, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste is a significant environmental problem. There is also a general lack of awareness of hazardous waste issues in Guyana.

The EPA is responsible for ensuring that the management and disposal of hazardous waste is done in a manner that prevents harm to human health and the environment. In meeting its responsibility, the EPA has undertaken some steps including establishing the legal framework for the management of all hazardous wastes, i.e. Environmental Protection Hazardous Wastes Management Regulations, 2000, and actively participates in the accession to the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. However, the EPA is constrained from adequately fulfilling its mandate by the lack of data, limited resources, experienced personnel and technical expertise required to discharge this mandate.

The reference point to prudent management is a comprehensive strategy to address these issues, but this is currently not available. This is primarily due to the lack of data on hazardous waste materials in the country. In this regard, the objective of the National Inventory for Hazardous Waste in Guyana is to prepare an inventory which will include data on the types and quantities of hazardous wastes generated in priority sectors and the locations. The survey data collected will be used to establish an electronic database on the location, types and quantities of hazardous waste generated in Guyana. This database will then be used to develop a comprehensive strategy for the management of hazardous wastes. In addition, the data will guide decisions in relation to hazardous wastes management and disposal, especially in relation to the setting up of appropriate infrastructure and resource requirements for effective management.

Additionally, the inventory and the development of a management strategy for hazardous wastes will allow the EPA to implement requirements under the Environmental Protection Hazardous Wastes Management Regulations, 2000. The inventory will also allow Guyana to meet its international reporting obligations of the Basel Convention and receive the necessary support for the management of hazardous wastes from the Basel Convention Secretariat and Regional Centre.

Who’s to be involved?
The survey will target a number of priority sectors, some of which are as follows:

* Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing

* Construction

* Energy Sector

* Hotels / Restaurants / Resorts

* Manufacturing / Processing

* Mining

* Retail Trade

* Community / Social / Personal Services

* Transportation / Communication / Utilities

* Wholesale Trade

* Health & Social Work

The Survey Underway
For the survey, the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) of the University of Guyana (UG) has been engaged to conduct the data collection and analysis. To properly execute and manage the survey, students and supervisors from the University participated in intensive training sessions, facilitated by Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), on the Basel Convention Methodology on Conducting Hazardous Wastes Inventory. Staff of the EPA and Officers of the Solid Waste Management Department of the Mayor & City Council of Georgetown also benefited from the training exercise. During the data collection exercise, all Field Officers involved in the survey will be identified by means of identification badges and letters of introduction, officially authorized by the EPA.

During the survey, we hope to meet with an appropriate representative (s) from business entities/industries targeted to provide to the interviewer the relevant information needed for the inventory. The information obtained will be used in future planning for the management of hazardous wastes and will benefit all participating entities and Guyana as a whole through the identification of disposal routes, treatment and other procedures required for the proper management of hazardous wastes in Guyana.

All stakeholder Agencies, Industries and Businesses identified for participation in this survey are urged to cooperate with the field officers and their supervisors during the exercise to ensure an accurate and credible inventory of hazardous wastes. All information gathered from this inventory will be strictly confidential and national reporting on the generation of hazardous wastes will be presented by sector. No individual, entities or companies will be identified.

Next week, we’ll focus on common types of hazardous wastes and their disposal.