AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution is the major type of pollution that causes more trouble than any other type because it is linked to all aspects of environment. Air pollution affects both the atmosphere and biosphere. Air pollution is inevitable but it can be controlled. Major cases that are associated with air pollution are the cases of global warming and ozone layer depreciation just to mention a few. Nations are mandated to take steps in reducing air pollution. In the case of pollution which causes global warming which result into climate change, is  controlled at international level by the United nation framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) as a global legal instrument.  In the case of ozone layer depletion, air pollution that contains the atomic halogens are known to be the culprit. The main source of these halogen atoms in the stratosphere is photo dissociation of man-made halocarbons refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and foam-blowing agents (CFCs, HCFCs, freons, halons). On the global interventions, a lot has been done. Adoption of the Montreal Protocol that bans the production of CFCs, halons, and other ozone-depleting chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane. The most important part is that Malawi is the party to these conventions, but the question is, what has Malawi done so far in combating greenhouse gases and halogen atoms to reduce global warming and ozone depletion?

Malawi has measures in older to combat pollution. In industrial pollution, the Malawi environmental management act section 5.7 stipulate that all industrial development needs pollution control measures. These include industrial emission cleaning devices such as wet precipitators, electrostatic cleaner and cyclone cleaners. But looking on the ground this is not observed. When you are passing by many industries in Malawi you can observe the uncleansed air being released into the atmosphere.

Then you ask yourself what are the statutory agencies which were supposed to put to stop to this climate injustice doing? To make things worse, some industries are complying with the safety emissions but their products does not have special recognition on the market. We have environmental inspectors which are given enormous power with reference to environmental management act part 9 section 46. But what you observe around the cities, you ask yourself if the environmental inspectors really exists.  

Most cars which are found on the Malawian roads, do not burn fuel efficiently. This implies that, a lot of green gas emissions are also coming from the cars especially in the cities. The department of environmental affairs are doing nothing to these emissions.  This is the major challenge which we are facing in Malawi, we have very good and powerful regulations but the problem is that, the statutory authorities are not enforcing them.

Malawi being a signatory to the Montreal protocol, it made steps into banning of CFCs producing products/appliances. But what is shocking is that no mechanism was put in place to regulate the importation of these products. After the banning of the CFCs producing devices you could even see these products being imported without being impounded or destroyed. The environmental management act stipulates clearly in part 7 section 41.3, that no person shall import or export any appliance, equipment or any other thing which uses substances that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer except under a license issued by the Minister and subject to such conditions as the Minister may determine. It farther talks on the director carrying out studies related to the ozone depletion, of which the minister?s decisions can be based on. But regardless of this powerful and well written regulations, no effort has been manifested on the ground. Up to now people are still using the appliances that releases ozone depleting substances. Then the question has to be, what should be done to deal with these shortfalls?