LAST week I read an article where some consumers expressed concern over the proliferation of unlabelled products on the market especially detergent powder in Kitwe and Lusaka.
This concern needs serious attention because no one would ascertain how safe it is to use the washing powder whose contents are not verifiable thus putting users’ lives could in danger as well as the environment.
I am sure most of you would have seen street vendors selling various unlabelled products including chemicals like rat or cockroach killers that are repackaged in small plastics.
People buy such products without realising that unverified contents pose a threat to both human health and the environment.
It is actually an offence to sell a product without a label or a distorted one.
Under Statutory Instrument number 112 of 2013, Regulation 35 provides that a person shall not deal in a pesticide or toxic substance in a container or package without a label or a container or package that has a label which is not approved by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency.
This under the Environmental Management Act (EMA) Section 65 of the EMA number 12 of 2011 states that a person who intends to manufacture, import, export, store, distribute, transport, blend, process, re-process or change the composition of a pesticide or toxic substance or who intends to reprocess an existing pesticide or toxic substance for a significantly new use, shall apply to ZEMA for a licence.
But I really doubt if the vendors selling repackaged chemicals on the streets have licences to support their trading.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act section 50 also states that all products sold in Zambia should be fully labelled with details of the manufacturer such as physical address, expiry and manufacturing dates as well as ingredients.
But I have seen products like some imported biscuits with labels stating that they shall not be sold outside the country of origin, however, they are on our shelves and we are chewing them.
Another example, some insecticides have foreign contacts which make it difficult for someone to make query in an event of a raw deal.
Against this background I want to explain the importance of labelling products.
The purpose of product labelling is to provide complete information on the content and composition of products in order to protect the consumer’s health and interest.
In turn, the incentive for manufacturers is that a well labelled product significantly decreases liability.
Therefore, it is in the best interests of both the consumers and manufacturer that all product labelling is kept up to date with the requisite legal standard.
A label provides complete information regarding the product. It mainly includes ingredients of the product, its usage, and caution in use, cares to be taken while using it, date of manufacturing and batch number. It is easier to identify a particular product among many with the help of labelling.
When a product has different qualities, labelling helps to find out which pack contains what type of quality. The other function of labelling is to promote sales. Sometimes a consumer gets encouraged to buy a product simply due to attractive label. Nowadays labelling is used as an effective sales promoting tool.
Another important function performed by labelling is to provide statutory warning as required by law.
To put ‘smoking is injurious to health’ on the package of cigarette and is an example of statutory warning?
Similarly, in case of hazardous or poisonous products, appropriate statutory warning need to be put on the label. This includes keep locked away and out of reach of children, highly flammable liquid and vapour, Toxic in contact with skin, and very toxic to aquatic life. Another example is the warning on baby cereals that ‘this product is not a substitute for breastfeeding.’ But imagine if this cereal is repackaged without labelling it. It would be difficult to tell if the baby food is expired but the public tend to ignore such important issues.
All products, therefore, need labels and the law should not relax because of the devastating effects this could bring on human beings and the environment especially chemicals if they are not properly handled. May I conclude by producing the feedback I received from some followers of this column?
Good Morning Mr Stanslous Ngosa Your article in the Times of Zambia of March 14 kindled my desire to approach you to give a talk to the members and well-wishers of Wildlife and Environment Conservation Society of Zambia (WECSZ).
You are of great service as you are able to translate issues in a meaningful and clear manner. I enjoy your articles and as a field scientist with a reasonable record of work I fully value your contribution.  Wish we had few more journalists such as yourself so that the public can get well informed.
The Society prides in conservation of Zambia’s flora and fauna resources, safeguarding our clean environment and prevention and combating of pollution. We hold monthly talk for the benefit of members on issues related to environment and conservation. These are held on the last Thursday of the month at Ndeke Hotel or other suitable venue at 18.30 hours.  The talk is for around 30-40 minutes followed by a 30 minute discussion. I would like to invite you to give us a talk to our members on a topic of your choice related to “Pollution and Its Prevention”. Tell us when (this month or next) you are available.
Remember to interact: Stanslous.ngosa@times.co.zm, ngosastan@gmail.com  www.stanslousngosa.blogspot.com