15.7.3  Environmental Pollution Control Proclamation (No. 300/2002)

Pollution is defined in this proclamation as: ‘any condition which is hazardous or potentially hazardous to human health, safety, or welfare or to living things created by altering any physical, radioactive, thermal, chemical, biological or other property of any part of the environment in contravention of any condition, limitation or restriction made under this Proclamation or under any other relevant law’ (FDRE, 2002b).

The proclamation states that ‘no person shall pollute … the environment’ but also includes provisions for prevention and penalties if pollution does occur. It follows the ‘polluter pays principle’ and requires the person who causes pollution to pay for any clean up. Specific articles detail the need for proper management of hazardous and municipal waste and the adoption of environmental standards with reference to wastewater effluents, air, soil, noise and waste.