When excellence in aligning economic development and environmental protection are under discussion, not many countries are cited ahead of Rwanda. The government and citizens’ actions reflect that they value both, which has led to the country’s capital city of Kigali being recognized as one of the cleanest cities in Africa. Rwanda was also one of the first countries in the world to ban single-use plastics.
Rwanda has also been intentional with a nationwide tree planting program that has led to over 30% of the country now covered in forest, and many trees lining the capital’s streets. With over 60% of the population under the age of 25, Rwandans recognize that a healthy environment for future generations is critical. Significant economic progress has followed these environmental initiatives. Rwanda now maintains one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
In 2022, Rwanda partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to address its growing chemical and municipal waste. A decade of swift economic and population growth led waste levels to double over the past 10 years. The program focused on developing a waste information management system and expanding training on the proper handling of chemicals and hazardous waste.
Building on this initiative, Rwanda has launched another collaboration with UNEP—this time to mitigate lead exposure and contamination. The project will be carried out by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Health, and other key public, private, and academic institutions.
Lead’s widespread use in products like batteries, paints, and toys has led to increased levels in the environment, with the risk of severely damaging the central nervous system of people exposed to the extremely toxic heavy metal. With Rwanda’s push towards electric vehicle adoption, officials anticipate lead levels may rise as a by-product and are getting ahead of this risk through the UNEP-backed project.
Rwanda has already instituted a legal and policy framework on chemicals and waste management. This project reinforces that foundation and catalyses progress through action. The first step will be forming a stakeholder engagement group with representatives from the National Chemical Steering Committee, lead-based products recycling industries, healthcare, international organizations, waste management experts, and more. This diverse group will provide guidance on executing the project.
While the sources of human exposure to lead are generally known, comprehensive data on contamination sources and levels is limited. The project will fill that gap by evaluating the presence of lead in the cities of Kigali, Musanze, and Rubayu, with a focus on lead in paints, lead acid-batteries, automotive fuel, municipal and irrigation water, and consumer products such as toys and cosmetics. The findings of this assessment will be shared with the appropriate institutions to help tailor awareness-raising programs in the country. By quantifying and reporting on specific lead sources, this assessment, combined with engagement from public and private partners, can directly inform evidence-based policies and programming to mitigate contamination nationwide.
Leveraging assessment findings, Rwanda will develop a national action plan to outline the high-priority focus areas and next steps for tackling lead. This plan will address the regulatory aspects, awareness raising, management procedures, and more. It will be inclusive in its approach and establish channels to engage key stakeholders, including those representing retailers, manufacturers, civil society, and academia, throughout the entire process of dealing with lead contamination. Their perspectives and buy-in will inform both the strategies formulated and the real-world roll out of activities across sectors.
Effective long-term management of lead contamination depends on robust regulatory instruments that target well-defined sectors and consumer products. While Rwanda has existing regulations, this partnership takes a more holistic approach to strengthening lead oversight. New standards will first quantify acceptable safety thresholds for lead in the environment and in consumer goods. These standards will be important in developing laws, regulations, and guidelines for the management of lead exposure.
Finally, this initiative will build capacity among safety and environmental professionals in the manufacturing and recycling industries. Through guidance on proper lead waste protocols, they will enhance technical skills for handling lead waste and monitoring different contamination sources. They will also receive training to bolster tracking mechanisms, following hazardous materials from onset through final disposal. Training these professionals on lead safety will reduce risk. When industries improve practices, it makes national efforts to cut lead pollution more effective.
This latest partnership with the UNEP builds on the nation’s foundation of proactive policies and commitment from government, industry, and society. Through it, Rwanda will continue to set an example for other countries on how to balance economic development and environmental sustainability. (End)