Remediation of contaminated sites in São Tomé and Príncipe

This UNIDO-funded project aimed to manage and remediate two pesticide-contaminated sites on the island of São Tomé.

Client: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
Vienna international centre
P.O Box 300
A-1400 Vienna,Austria

Country: São Tomé a Príncipe

Implementation period: 12/2016 - 6/2019

Completion date: June 2019

Contract value: 300,776 $

More about the project

The primary objective was to secure, export, and dispose of 31.2 tons of obsolete pesticides and pesticide-contaminated materials from two storage facilities. Soil samples were collected for analysis to assess contamination levels, and an awareness campaign was conducted to inform the local community living near one of the sites about the health risks associated with obsolete pesticides.

As the project lead, we were responsible for establishing and operating work sites, implementing health and safety protocols, and overseeing the material securing process. The project also included training local workers in hazardous waste management techniques and capacity building for national experts from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Environment. The training covered on-site chemical analysis and procedures under the Basel Convention for hazardous waste export. Additionally, we coordinated the notification process for export and ensured the proper disposal of hazardous materials.

We provided

Securing and exporting 31.2 tons of obsolete pesticides and contaminated materials
Soil sampling and contamination assessment
Implementation of safety protocols at remediation sites
Training of local workers and national experts in hazardous waste management
Coordination of the Basel Convention notification process for hazardous waste export
Awareness campaign on pesticide-related risks for the local community