Chemicals play a part in almost all human activities (medicines, water purifiers, agricultural chemicals etc.). Many consumer and industrial products, including fuels, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, paints, and household cleaning disinfectants, contain hazardous substances. Improper management and disposal of these chemicals and its respective wastes can lead to unexpected releases of toxins that are hazardous to humans and harmful to the environment.

Belize is faced with pollution issues associated with improper and unsafe chemicals and waste management practices. Also, safe handling, storage and disposal of seized chemicals, and waste encountered at sites present unique problems to law enforcement and regulatory authorities in Belize.

The Sound Management of Chemicals and Wastes (SMCW) plays a key role in enabling countries to decouple growth from resource use and pollution, by redesigning products and production processes, phasing out toxic materials, minimizing waste generation and optimizing resource use through recycling and reuse.

As a signatory to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the Basel convention, Rotterdam Convention, Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol, the Government of Belize promotes the coherent and sound management of chemicals in Belize.

The Government of Belize, through the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF), is executing the project entitled “Belize Chemicals and Waste Management (BCWM) Project”. The project aims to assist Belize in implementing its relevant obligations under the Stockholm Convention, in particular to reduce the releases of Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants (UPOP’s), as well as to build the country’s capacity to manage chemicals and waste.

The Government of Belize, through the BCWM project is seeking a suitable individual professional with expertise in chemicals management to work with the Department of the Environment to develop a chemicals and waste management Strategy and Action Plan, including a Disposal Plan.

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop a chemicals and waste management Strategy and Action Plan, including a Disposal Plan