During the past century, environmental economics has joined the mainstream  discourse. Hence, factors that pollute our environment are given attention with a view to spin sustainable development.

In the meantime, environmental pollution is becoming a tradable commodity for developing countries, a lip service lubricant for politicians battling an electoral race, a passion for NGOs, a source of frustration for environmentalists, and a matter of life and death for the rest of us. Any country that wishes to embark on the sustainable development path needs to subscribe realistic policies against the shiny ones prescribed solely for publicity consumption.

In this regard, Ethiopia compiled an official environmental policy document several years ago. Since its introduction, the Federal Environmental Protection Authority (FEPA) has ceaselessly claimed that it has been striving to implement the policy. However, so far, no part of the policy has been translated from paper to practice. As months melt into years and years into a decade, the problem is exacerbated, possibly causing irreversible environmental damage.

In a parallel development, UNIDO  has facilitated the installation of a dozen fancy waste treatment plants (WTP) for several tanneries on a soft loan basis.  On average, the investment cost of each WTP is three million Birr. The Leather and Leather Products Institute has created a display for WTP models for the benefit of the leather sector. The National Cleaner Production Centre, under the auspices of the Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission, has been introducing a new breed of clean technology packages. The Addis Abeba Environmental Protection Authority has established an environmental monitoring laboratory of NASA standard. Amazing!

In spite of all these efforts (at the country’s expense), the problem has not been reduced by an inch,  Apparently, the FEPA’s inaction, as an option or due to limitation or as a result of the government’s indecision, has encouraged free riders to freely damage the environment in opposition to firms that are said to be refraining from doing so.

One can easily identify numerous cases to exhibit the magnitude of the problem.

Emerging from  the northern part of Addis Abeba, the Akaki River travels across the centre of the city, incessantly receiving industrial waste of various forms. The river has been polluted to death. Studies reveal that it contains almost all chemical elements of the Periodic Table, over a quarter of compounds known in the world of chemistry and a number of banned chemicals.

No doubt the river, with all its content, has entered our food chain; one of which is the vegetable farms flourishing along the Akaki banks.

Among our industries, tanneries spearhead pollution, and that is since the first tannery, Addis Ababa Tannery, was established in 1926 close to the source of the river. It has discharged liquid, solid and gaseous waste without treatment or reservation. Such unacceptable irresponsibility holds true for the majority of the other 20 or so tanneries.

Surprisingly, areas around the tanneries have emerged as man-made chromium compound deposit sites, because the victims of absolute poverty living in the areas are using chrome tanned leather, trimming shaving wastes as a source of fuel to cook their daily food. As the leather’s protein fibre smokes out of the tanneries, the chrome (+3) compound is deposited in their kitchens through green ash. In the process of heating, chrome (+3) compound could be charged into its deadly form, chrome (+6), which is easily soluble in water and affects living organisms.

Stray dogs living nearby tanneries have fed on trimming of rawhide and skins, pulled out of tannery wastewater. Unfortunately, the chemical in the wastewater damages their hair, making their skins look like that of a bald man. Their puppies are not spared either.

The country’s environmental problems are not limited to the capital. They sprawl all over the country.  For instance, natural and man-made causes are attributed to the dying Abiyata Lake. It has been swiftly shrinking and its bird colony is disappearing by the day. However, the Lake is still used to harvest sodium carbonate for industrial purposes.

Though we are saddened by the catastrophe, we are consoled by a newly born “baby ocean” in the Afar region.

Gold fever of the world makes businessmen rush from Wall Street to South Africa and to Adola to grab readily available gold. As a result, traditional gold miners have been spawned at an alarming speed with adverse environmental consequences. They use the old method of gold purification, through mercury, which easily escapes into the environment.

Silver, the old currency metal, now comes out from x-ray and photo dark rooms, proliferated all over the country. X-ray and film processing solutions contain, at least, silver and sodium hypo-sulphite (fixer), which are harmful to the environment.

However, collection of the used processing solution has emerged as a lucrative business as judged by the high price of the used solution. Although technically possible to recover silver from the used solution, their exorbitant price has instigated questions as to the purpose of the used solution collection in Addis.  Even after the recovery, the discharge may be harmful, depending on the type of technology applied in the recycling process.

Lead, which was used excessively in antiquity as a household item, is now forgone from use; but it still poisons living organisms. Plants absorb lead and cause poisoning to animals and humans if consumed.

Now, lead is generated from used car batteries, lead based paints, motor oils, petrol and film forming varnishes that are made from linseed oil.  Many countries have banned lead in pesticides, paints and toys.

It is not needless to mention the debate on rose gardens, which are associated with the use of chemicals and pesticides, although the government (without an attempt to understand their adverse effects) applauds the flower’s cash-generating potential. The country’s use of pesticide needs to be seriously dealt with.

The list of pollutants is exhaustive; others include textile, paper, oil, alcohol and soap factories. Nevertheless, the cases so far mentioned are more than enough to take unconditional and urgent measures.

Recently, the Action Professionals’ Association for People (APAP), a local non-profit organization that provides pro bono consultation, expressed its concern about a person who has shown symptoms of health problems caused by the use of water from the Akaki River. APAP is poised to sue the government under the public litigation act.

Well, the attempt of the APAP is not bad; however, it seems to be an unsuccessful strategy under the absence of an independent judiciary. After all, the government seems to be so busy in translating its own version of the constitution.

On the eve of the 2006 World Environment Day celebration, the government agencies are busy in reactivating and polishing issues and policy related to the environment such as impact assessments, audits, laws, awards, but with no penalties, deterring measures or even simple admonishments for the polluters mentioned.

Environmental law allows a five-year grace period before polluters must meet environmental standards. Ironically therefore, polluters are granted a license to pollute the environment for an additional five years.

What if they fail to deliver on their promises? Will they be shutdown or will their license be renewed?

After all, the government declared that the country’s economy is growing. If this is true, we should not ignore environmental pollution associated with booming China.

Can we afford the problem anymore? Should we continue crying out with different mood, tones and styles during lavishly organized and colourfully orchestrated workshops, maybe under a new theme like “Revisiting Environmental Problems”?

My answer is “enough!” You can find yours. As of this day, let any polluter pay the equivalent to the amount of pollution they generate. In the meantime, let them organize themselves to refrain from polluting within the allowed five years. If they fail to do so, the payment should be raised in such a way as to progressively reduce their profit margin. The money should be awarded to the public on World Environment Day and used to finance environmental related projects.

By Wondired Seifu