1.3 PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK

This handbook should assist businesses operating in Tanzania today in knowing the types of environmental problems which may be caused by their practices. Second, from the analysis provided herein, businesses should know which government bodies are responsible for regulating their operations and ensuring environmentally sound practices. Third, an explanation is included of the relevant laws and regulations which govern the various sectors of the economy. Fourth, sample copies of the required permits and licenses are included in Appendix A to this handbook, so that businesses will successfully operate within the legal frameworks established by the government. With this handbook, then, businesses should be in a position to operate in an environmentally friendly manner, while following the appropriate laws and requirements, in order to contribute to sustainable, rather than unsustainable, development.

When the word "environment" is mentioned, often a vision of farmers planting trees comes to mind. However, "environment" has a broader meaning, and in this handbook encompasses such diverse issues as worker health and safety in factories and appropriate uses of pesticides and export of live animals. Environment should be viewed as the whole of the natural and the human environment. Therefore, this handbook covers a variety of topics which might be surprising for those readers with the tree-planting-farmer vision.

Finally, it is important to understand not only the structures of the existing laws, but the overall legal and regulatory methods which are used to ensure sustainability of environmental practices. In some cases, these methods are already in place in Tanzania; in other cases, they are being developed and are likely to be included in the future regulatory system. The following chapter analyses environmental regulatory concepts and trends.