Ethiopia environmental authority receives first field scanner for toxic metals

Ethiopia’s Environmental Protection Authority has received its first specialized field analyzer for detecting lead and other hazardous metals, with screening planned in four cities in September 2026.

Pure Earth, an international nonprofit focused on lead exposure, handed over the handheld X-ray fluorescence analyzer to the authority in Addis Ababa on August 3. The equipment was valued at nearly five million birr.

The authority plans to use it in Addis Ababa, Adama, Hawassa and Bahir Dar, areas identified for priority testing. Officials scheduled the work after the heavy rainy season because excess water can affect sample accuracy.

The non-destructive instrument can screen for nearly 30 elements within seconds, allowing inspectors to identify possible contamination hotspots in the field before more detailed investigation. About 10 authority staff have been trained through Pure Earth’s Toxic Site Identification Program.

Officials said the scanner will support Ethiopia’s five-year lead-poisoning prevention roadmap and help produce evidence for enforcement and remediation. They cautioned that one instrument cannot provide nationwide coverage and said Ethiopia will still need more equipment, laboratory capacity and decentralized monitoring.

Lead exposure is especially dangerous for children because it can cause irreversible harm to the brain and nervous system. Ethiopia’s exposure risks include industrial activity, informal recycling, poorly managed waste and contaminated consumer products.