After a first disposal action in 1993, 43 tons of Dieldrin, action conducted by the Direction for Plant Protection, GTZ and the Shell Company, a first survey on the existence of obsolete pesticide stocks was started in 1994.

In 1996, a complete nation-wide inventory was initiated by the Direction for Plant Protection in close collaboration with Voarisoa, an environmental project financed by Switzerland (SDC).

By 1997, first results of the quality analysis of samples taken from 170 tons of suspected pesticides, indicated that at least 80 tons constituted obsolete stocks.

Long negotiations with the owners of some obsolete stocks, rough road and weather conditions, ensuring maximum security in handling and transportation of pesticides, are some of the characteristics of the conditioning and collection operation undertaken during 1998. Some warehouses had to be destroyed, others decontaminated.

Based on the analysis of the reasons that had led to the build-up of unused stocks a prevention program is developed in 1999 to avoid repeating such situations in future.

The collected stocks are re-packed following UN regulations, re-exported in accordance with the Basel Convention and incinerated in Switzerland in April 2000.

Since 1999, the prevention program is implemented in the country and there are no new obsolete stocks reported.