The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has destroyed substandard goods worth Ugx.3.5billion impounded from traders and manufacturers in Kampala City during an import inspection.
Among the destroyed items are cement, mattresses, electrical appliances, detergents, soaps, cosmetics, toilet paper, foodstuffs, energy drinks among others. The items measured up to 302 metric tons.
According to Victoria Namutebi Wamala, the Public Relations officer at UNBS, some of the impounded cosmetics contained hydroquinone and mercury which were banned for causing cancer but traders were found selling them.
“To the customers what I can say is that when you go to buy products look out for the UNBS quality mark, it’s the only way you can grantee safety of the products that you are buying. And also look out for the expiring date, product labels, manufacturer’s address, contact just for tractability purposes in case of anything. And also look out for the ingenuities, so that you avoid buying products that you are allergic to,” she said.
According to Namutebi, the culprits were fined by court before an order was issued to destroy the impounded items.
“After obtaining the court order, UNBS destroyed the impounded items at Luwero Industries Limited in Nakasongola,” she said.
UNBS informs Importers of general goods that it is a regulatory requirement for all Goods that are covered by the Compulsory Uganda Standards to be subjected to Inspection and Testing from their Countries of Origin/Export before being imported into Uganda under the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVOC) Program. This is meant to ensure that substandard and harmful commodities that affect the Health and Safety of the Public and the Environment are not imported into the country.
Selling products without certification attracts a fine of up to Shillings 20 million or a jail term of not less than three years.
