THE Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA) in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have teamed up to spread an awareness and understanding of the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) for classifying and labelling chemicals.
The initiative is intended to enable local professionals to classify and identify effects of chemicals in health and environment as per globally agreed formulas and take precautionary measures.
In the wake of the plan, the GCLA in collaboration with the GHS organised the two-day training workshop in Dar es Salaam to build capacity among chemical experts from public and private sector.
When officially closing the workshop on Wednesday, Chief Government Chemist, Dr Fidelice Mafuniko, said the GHS will enhance the identification of chemicals in Tanzania, hence enable users and those who handle them to take precautions.
“This training will enable our experts to have global understanding over effects and classification of imported and exported chemicals. This understanding will enable people to carry out their duties by following rules and procedures of handling and sing them,” he said.
Furthermore, he said, the GHS will facilitate access to accurate chemical information relating to the effects of hazardous chemicals, including effective supervision of laws and safe use of chemicals for the protection of environmental and human health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, effects of chemicals have been increasing yearly.
“The chemicals that endanger human life are widely spreading with deaths also increasing,” he said
According to 2012 report, there were approximately 1.3 million deaths globally, but in 2016 the deaths reached 1.6 million while the 2019 report the deaths reached 2 million.
On her part, the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) Policy Specialist, Anna Kimaro, said the workshop will benefit their members because they were major users of chemicals.
