TANZANIA Bureau of Standards (TBS) has destroyed a consignment of nine tonnes of various products worth 400m/- in Mkuranga District, Coast Region which was found not to meet standard requirements thus unsafe for human consumption.
Verifying that immediately after the burning of the products, TBS Acting Director, Management and Legal Enforcement, Dr Candida Shirima said most of the products destroyed were cosmetics containing toxic ingredients or banned ingredients, foods and other expired products as well as second-hand materials.
“The items were seized at different times in various markets and shops in Dar es Salaam, Coast and Morogoro regions through special inspections conducted by the agency,” Dr Shirima said.
The shipment of destroyed goods weighs 9 tonnes and worth 400m/-.
She said TBS does need to destroy goods, but they have to do so to protect the health of the community.
The low-quality goods are brought to the market by unscrupulous traders who import unscrupulous products by passing them across informal borders or using cover-up techniques.
Dr Shirima continued by saying, there is a rising number of patients due to the use of inferior goods that leads to increasing medical costs, affects the workforce, and increases dependency, which affects the household income and the national economy as a whole.
TBS urged the business owners to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and standards so as not to import, produce, sell or distribute products that do not meet quality and safety criteria to protect consumers and boost our country’s economy.
TBS will continue to strengthen its regulatory measures to ensure that imports and those produced locally meet the requirements of the standards and will continue to take appropriate measures when improper products enter the market,” said Dr Shirima.
