The BBC reports that Swiss firms have been criticised in a report for their links to the African trade in diesel with toxin levels that are illegal in Europe.
Campaign group Public Eye says retailers are exploiting weak regulatory standards.
Vitol, Trafigura, Addax & Oryx and Lynx Energy have been named because they are shareholders of the fuel retailers.
Trafigura and Vitol say the report is misconceived and retailers work within legal limits enforced in the countries.
Three of the distribution companies mentioned in the report have responded by saying that they meet the regulatory requirements of the market and have no vested interest in keeping sulphur levels higher than they need to be.
Although this is within the limits set by national governments, the sulphur contained in the fumes from the diesel fuel could increase respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis in affected countries, health experts say.
Why are regulations so lax?
The picture is changing but there are still several African countries which allow diesel to have a sulphur content of more than 2,000 parts per million (ppm), with some allowing more than 5,000ppm, whereas the European standard is less than 10ppm.
Rob de Jong from the UN Environment Programme (Unep) told the BBC that there was a lack of awareness among some policy makers about the significance of the sulphur content.
For a long time countries relied on colonial-era standards, which have only been revised in recent years.
Another issue is that in the countries where there are refineries, these are unable, for technical reasons, to reduce the sulphur levels to the standard acceptable in Europe. This means that the regulatory standard is kept at the level that the refineries can operate at.
Some governments are also worried that cleaner diesel would be more expensive, therefore pushing up the price of transport.
But Mr De Jong argued that the difference was minimal and oil price fluctuations were much more significant in determining the diesel price.
What’s so bad about sulphur?
The sulphur particles emitted by a diesel engine are considered to be a major contributor to air pollution, which the World Health Organization (WHO) ranks as one of the top global health risks.
It is associated with heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems.
The WHO says that pollution is particularly bad in low and middle income countries.
Reducing the sulphur content in diesel would go some way to reducing the risk that air pollution poses.
What’s being done about it?
Unep is at the forefront of trying to persuade governments to tighten up the sulphur content regulations and is gradually making progress.
In 2015, the East African Community introduced new regulations for Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. Diesel cannot now have more than 50ppm in those countries.
It is clear that the situation has improved since 2005.
UNEP’s Jane Akumu is currently working with the West African regional grouping ECOWAS and its Southern African counterpart SADC to try and change the regulations there.
She told the BBC that she was optimistic that governments would bring down the legal sulphur limits as the arguments in favour are compelling.
Africa is the toxic ‘electronic graveyard’ for rich countries. Africa where the West dumps its old PCs, laptops, microwaves, fridges, phones scrap cars, USED underwear, shoes, toys, clothes, beddings, in short Africa is the dumpsite for rubbishfrom rich countries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
True dat Betty.
You should see how our clueless people wriggle their waists at KK international after an even more clueless minister has signed a loan that enslaves us for another 30 years.
It’s not time for politics. Elections are over and ecl is President for the next five years. Take it or leave. Even your hh can do nothing about fuel Africa is receiving include Zambia. It’s time we talked about your hh to hand over power to Dr Banda. Let’s see changes in your party first before talking about changes in country which your so called economist cannot bring.
Such will only change if Africans change their attitude and mindset. all these ministers thing their pocket first and end up compromising on quality to cheap quantity.
Its a shame to see how our people are taken advantage of.
In relation to the amount of Sulphur In the Fuel supplied to Zambia, can I say that the Standard of Acceptance and Specification is set by Zambia and not by the Supplier. I think you will also find that Indeni Refinery produces most of the Zambian Fuel and this is where the problem is, as its quite an old refinery and the finished fuel it produces is quite high in Sulphur Content.
@Musonda Katrine, when you have weak leadership, you become a dumping site.
Don’t blame the West. Blame the *****s who accept and tolerate this.
Dununa iye ayeeee Dununa reverse. This is what happens when you have a pf government that is used to begging for everything from rich nations. So when they dump toxic stuff you are not at liberty to say no. This is only the beginning
Solustions please!!!!!! not ati dununa reverse when you have already been dununad. This is the beginning of what iwe mumpapa? Yes mistakes are made but its irritating to hear people saying dununa or its the beginning of bla bla bla, apply your mind NEZ, where in the world are you anyway, have you not learnt anything out there?
I we chi ideas. You want our solutions which we explained during campaigns and yet you vote clueless chaps because they hail from your poor villages and are your tribal mates. Now you are saying solutions nyo nyo. Where are your ministers to tell us what they will do. Mambala iwe
Chi NEZ ulichitutu, My bad, saying solutions from you was an oversight, where will disorganized people like you get solutions from? 5 losses hmmmmmmmm, give it up………..Just get over yourself and try organizing chi party chanu. Talking nonsense wont help.
I HOPE THAT THE CHEAP OIL FROM SAUDI ARABIA IS NOT ONE OF THE DIRTY OILS THEY SAUDIS PLAN TO DUMP IN ZAMBIA WHILE WE GIVE HUGE TRACKS OF CLEAN (ORGANIC) FARMING PIECES OF LAND WHICH IN SOME OTHE REGIONS ARE EQUIVALENT TO COUNTRIES. I AM SAYING THIS BECAUSE ARABS HAVE NO RESPECT FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND AFRICANS. THEY STILL LOOK AT AFRICANS AS FIT FOR CAPTRING AND SELLING AS SLAVES. SO PEOPLE STILL LOOKING AT YOU IN THAT MANNER CAN’T SELL YOU CLEAN. AFRICA SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY SUBMISSIVE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO ANYONE AND ANYTHING. LET’S THINK BIG AND IMPORTANT OF OURSELVES.
Its a done deal your Lazy Lungu has already sign it off!!
I am not surprised, one of those retailers mentioned also supplies Zambia….and the Political elite are well aware of this scam – if they dunderheads order the wrong fuel last time around…what of poor quality fuel which the pay at grade A prices and pocket the difference.
Problem is Africans don’t even value themselves so why are foreigners going to value us and our precious health free of such alarming pollution?
Parking Lot Scam
I would like to draw attention to what is going on in some parts of Lusaka in relation to the behavior of the so called Parking attendants. I think its about time motorists are alerted to some scam that is going round especially with the parking lots at Barclays Northend Branch and ZRA head office.
There is a team of about 3 to 4 suspicious looking individuals who are in the habit of clamping vehicles considered improperly parked. The council needs to come up a better ID for us to be able to know who is a legitimate parking attendants or not. Law abiding tax payers are being swindled on their hard earned cash by these dimwits. This group of characters are in the habit of clamping vehicles with a very defective spiky device whenever someone parks their car temporary…
As if you care about the emission limit of your cars.Some of you drive old cars which you bought from Japan.Stop whining.2000 ppm of Sulphur in the diesel can be reduced if you start cycling to work instead, I am just saying, contribute a little, go green instead of politicking 247365 bamumbwe.
STOP STOP STOP buying used underwear, the humans here got things and you know AIDS likely came from here but they still put on Africa.
Its not the fault of those companies selling dirty fuel to African countries and Zambian in particular, the problem is in our laws made by clueless MPs and Clueless government.
BTW, that fuel meets Zambian regulations, so you cant blame them. The same fuel cant be sold in Europe, because regulation are strict, and made by governments that are knowledgeable.
That is what happens when you have mediocre governments.
Wow ,East Africa putting the rest of the continent to shame .Now if they can ban import of used underwear,toxic electronic waste and used cars older than 7yrs then we’d be heading somewhere.
Even failed states like DRC , ZIMBABWE & MALAWI have cleaner Diesel.
My friend’s brand new Ford Ranger (2015 Model) parked up due to clogged injectors. Price of 1 injector = K4000x4=K16000
Lets start admitting that Zambia is also a failed state.
Where is ZABS? We can blame the west all we like but the truth of the matter is that people treat you according to the standards you have set. It’s either we lack standards surrounding sulphur levels in fuel or the standards are there but enforcement is poor. This is the fault of our own stupidity. Whats worse is if this report hadn’t have come out of Europe we would still be happily inhaling sulphur polluted air and damaging our vehicles with bad diesel.
Scrap GOOD FOR NOTHING REGULATORS