Overview

Tanzania is endowed with valuable renewable natural resources such as forests, freshwater, fisheries, and coral reefs. The Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests are globally recognized biodiversity hotspots that contain some of the highest densities of endemic plant and animal species in the world. The country’s biodiversity and unparalleled wildlife are globally renowned. Tanzania hosts diverse, distinct, and iconic ecosystems and species. The country also hosts a wide range of nonrenewable natural resources like minerals and natural gas. It is endowed with a variety of mineral deposits including gold, tanzanite, diamond, nickel, copper, uranium, kaolin, titanium, cobalt and platinum.

Pollution Issues

Tanzania´s environment and natural resources are degrading; population and economic growth are driving the depletion of natural resources, and the degradation of ecosystems and habitats. The ecosystem services these resources provide are vital for the country’s population. Particularly rural communities will be negatively affected by their degradation and overexploitation, as natural resources are a primary source of food and energy for them. Inland pollution and degradation of coastal and aquatic environments are threatening the sustainability of Tanzania’s fisheries resources, and their capacity to provide food and generate income. Water pollution is further exacerbated by the high sediment load caused by unchecked erosion in upper catchments and the discharge of untreated municipal and industrial waste associated with unsustainable land management, rural subsistence livelihoods, and dense population centers.
Environmental pollution has increased over the years and Tanzania is no exception to the many countries in Africa that are facing the rapid increase in environmental pollution. In Tanzania, although the awareness of the negative impacts of environmental pollution has increased, there still exists significant knowledge gaps in data and information regarding its causes, magnitude, and effects.

Solid Waste Management 
Tanzania is faced with the problem of improper Solid waste management which has significant effects on the environment in the form of air, water, and land pollution as well as serious public health effects. For instance, in Dar es Salaam, poor solid waste management is one of the main causes of the devastating flood experienced in the city and a major driver of water quality degradation. Solid waste often includes infectious and hazardous waste, which can contaminate the soil, groundwater, and surface water through leachates and pollute the air with toxic gases released when such waste is burned. Waste collection services and disposal facilities are insufficient across the country, and this puts the communities at risk. Managing municipal solid waste effectively is critical to minimizing associated environmental and health impacts. Although Tanzania has a solid regulatory framework to guide the management of solid waste, its implementation needs strengthening.

E-Waste
While e-waste generation is relatively low in Tanzania in comparison with other African countries, low collection rates, and informal disposal points pose significant environmental and health risks. Informal recycling practices, for example, open-air burning to retrieve valuable components such as gold, are common in Tanzania and serve as a large source of pollution-related problems. Also, the dismantling of e-waste containing hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium causes chemicals to accumulate in soil and water, thereby posing significant environmental risks. In addition to an overall lack of adequate disposal facilities for waste, there is also no designated facility for environmentally sound treatment and or disposal of e-waste in the country. E-waste generation is expected to increase with time since the use of ICT equipment has been rising rapidly in the country. While Tanzania has a few policies and regulations aimed at protecting the environment and human health, a specific policy or regulation related to e-waste management is still forthcoming.

Artisanal Small- Scale Gold Mining
Small-scale mining in Tanzania has boomed in recent years, particularly around Lake Victoria in the central and southwestern. 

Regions. Small-scale miners often cannot sustainably conduct their activities due to the lack of resources and knowledge, and their failure to meet all relevant legal requirements. Due to practices such as open-pit mining and cyanide heap leaching, a large amount of toxic waste is produced for every ounce of gold mined. Although some mines construct tailing dams where toxic waste is stored, the waste often leaches into the groundwater and nearby waterbodies which affects the health of people in the communities. Mercury, which is found to be harmful to the environment and the health of people, is used by most miners in their extraction processes. Tanzania ranks among the 10 leading countries in mercury consumption for artisanal and small-scale gold mining, with an estimated annual consumption of 45 tons per year.

References

https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/356211556727592882/pdf/Tanzania-Country-Environmental-Analysis-Environmental-Trends-and-Threats-and-Pathways-to-Improved-Sustainability.pdf https://www.vpo.go.tz/uploads/publications/en-1592643909-GUIDELINES-FOR-MANAGEMENT-OF-HAZARDOUS-WASTE.pdf