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Quarterly Newsletter April - June 2010Issue 7 - Volume 1

Rwanda BuReau of StandaRdS

NewsletterNewsletter

Foreword from the DIRECTOR GENERAL

Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 7th issue of the Quarterly News-letter of the Rwanda Bureau of Standards. I hope it contains some of the answers to the frequently asked questions related to product and service standards; both imported and exported. The major questions always are: are the products on our market safe, do they meet quality standards, what can be done for our products to be competitive globally? This issue therefore focuses on the Quality Management System (QMS) and its contribution to national competitiveness. The quarter, April to June, saw RBS responding to our internal and external business opera-tors especially coffee exporters trade requirements. In this issue we report a number of standards in the fields of mechani-cal engineering, electrical engineering and civil engineering; important standards for industrial growth and safety. We also update our readers on the readiness of RBS in enabling national stakeholders’ competitive-ness within the East African Common Market. The race to fight sub standards products on the market goes on. This issue includes the list of rejected goods due to non compliance includ-ing adulterated petroleum products and waste of used computers which were destined for dumping Rwanda market in the guise of our national drive to be leaders and information technology based economy. In the interest of safety, a campaign against products containing hydroquinone (skin bleaching product) has been launched in Rubavu District and it will cover the whole country. On behalf of the Management and RBS staff, I would like to express grati-tude to the organizations that support RBS work in executing its obliga-tions. In particular, the European Union has been in the forefront, complement-ing our efforts in capacity building of our staff, standards awareness campaign and enabling exporters meet international trade requirements. I told you in the issue that RBS recently acquired an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) to test up to 27 heavy (toxic) metals including lead, mercury and cadmium. Such tests will inevitably improve the competi-tiveness of our products on the international market. In the next issue we shall be reporting our widened scope in testing for pesticide residues in food products; a service that will certainly increase safety confidence and export of food products. Our heart-felt gratitude goes to the German Institute of Metrology (PTB) for the unceasing support in Metrology infrastructure; equipments and experts to the Bureau, facilitating East African Technical working groups for standards harmonization. On behalf of RBS team and on my own behalf, I wish to recognize the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for providing technical training on standards requirements to stakeholders and for the forthcoming major programs in standards awareness and product certification for a wider market horizon. I would also like to acknowledge the United Nations Industrial Develop-ment Organization (UNIDO) for support regarding training of stakehold-ers, equip RBS laboratories and train RBS Staff in the quest for food safety.

Dr Mark Cyubahiro BagabeDirector General

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Rwanda Bureau of Standards April - June Newsletter

In the last issue, we looked at three factors why Quality Management Systems certification is para-mount to any system, process or even a person aspiring to prove that he is globally standardized and therefore recognized. We also critically analyzed factors like customer focus, leadership and involvement of all personnel or be-cause they are the most valuable asset of any organi-zation. In this issue, we look at other relevant factors such as certification. Let us first see the 2008 statistics on the number of certifications attained by 10 countries. The survey was randomly done.

Number of ISO 9001 Certificate for 10 randomly selected countries. Note: The figure is expected to have doubled in 2012 with many companies widening their market base due to globalisation.

Processes approach Every business; be it car manufacturing, operating a shop, or bakery has a number of interrelated proc-esses that finally make up the business. Poor manage-ment of one process will affect the business negatively just as good management of the process (es) will spur the business to greater heights. Managing in this way will enable greater efficiencies through a clearer view of what is happening. At Rwanda Bureau of Standards, we employ these processes and they include: Inspection, Sampling for testing, Testing, Certification, Calibration, Verification and many others. The aforementioned are done as a proof of conformity to standards, guidelines, customer requirements and where necessary regulations. Rwanda Bureau of standards views each process as critical in delivering on its mandate and therefore pays particular attention to all its processes within their required magnitude.

Relevance of Quality Management Systems Certification.

Country No.ofcertificatesChina 224616

Italy 118309

Spain 68730

Japan 62746

Germany 48324

United Kingdom 41150

India 37958

USA 32400

France 23837

South Korea 23036


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System approach to management Successful business operations demand that management views all business activities and interre-lated processes as an integrated system. Taking business as an integrated process encourages greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the organization. On the other hand, business components driven by pride or selfish ambitions may take themselves to be “untouchables” and end up destroying themselves.

Continual improvement “If you aren’t moving, you are about to wither off” so goes the saying. Continual improvement should be a permanent objective of any organisation that really wishes to succeed and excel within its mar-ketplace. Whatever the organisation does to improve quality and performance should be subject to a continuing cycle of review, and this should result in further raising of targets and goals to new levels. This is necessary in order to keep ahead in the competition race. The organization has to prove that it is not static as the world moves.

At Rwanda Bureau of Standards, this principle is perhaps one of the most respected and sought after. Continuous training of our staff, new objectives, new standards and guidelines developed, continuous increase on the scope of services we offer, increased customer and community outreach activities, among others, are some of the engagements that demonstrate our commitment to this principle.

Watch out for the last article of these series in the next issue.

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Since the year 2005, in coordinated effort and with support from the Rwanda Coffee Development Authority (OCIR CAFE), we have been exploring possible ways of exporting Rwanda processed coffee (roasted coffee beans and roasted ground coffee) to the Asia Pacific Region. Our main target was particularly the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.), Mainland China, and the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region).

In that perspective, Rwanda finest coffees regularly participated in trade fairs, coffee exhibitions and other promotional events annually organized throughout China. For example, the best coffees from Rwanda were exhibited at the African Commodities Exhibition during the 3rd FOCAC (Forum on China Africa Cooperation) held in Beijing in November 2006. Exhibitions were also held at the 101st Session of the Canton Fair in Guangzhou in April 2007, the 2007 China Coffee Festival in Guangzhou in May 2007 and the 2007 COFFEX (China International Coffee Industry Exhibition) in Beijing in July 2007.

With that beginning and other cooperation efforts, we managed to penetrate the Chinese coffee market and establish business relationships in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Despite these successful exhibitions, we faced a thick barrier to our coffee trade. Our Rwanda processed coffee products were not certified; had no “Quality Mark”. We could not trade since our coffee was not meeting the standard quality requirements for foods and beverages to be exported to China and sold on the retail market; a requirement by the China Quality Administration Authorities. This was frustrating as at that time we had already made some investment in promoting our coffee in China and the market there

was quite large and promising.

OCIR CAFÉ as the coffee sector coordinator handled the situation adequately and applied for the “Standardization Mark” offered by the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS). After, a series of audits and assistance by RBS certification team, our “Green Coffee, Roasted Coffee Beans and Roasted Ground Coffee” brands were granted the Standardization Mark on the 4th April 2010. This RBS Quality Mark is a testimony to our efforts and also to our coffee being in compliance with the requirements of coffee standards:

-RS 199:2007 1st ed. - Green coffee specifications; and

-RS 39:2005: Roasted coffee beans and roasted ground coffee-specifications; Further, the entire process of certification has helped us to implement the requirements of the General Principles for Food Hygiene. The process has also offered us an opportunity to understand the benefits of implementing the ISO 22000:2005-Food Safety Management system. This is our next step to having our coffee certified with RBS Quality

Mark of Excellence.

Our experience in exporting coffee certified with RBS Quality Mark- RCIMG


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our business in China has taken off and the profits are going to accrue in the very near

This undertaking was a blessing for our company in order to begin exporting Rwandan processed coffee to Hong Kong SAR and the Mainland China. In fact, the Quality Mark issued by RBS was ac-cepted by China General Administration of Qual-ity Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Our key partners in this business are currently China Coffee Association (CCAB) and Hong Kong Specialty Coffee Association that are umbrella organizations comprised of coffee roasters, coffee distribution chains, coffee professionals and cof-fee lovers. Though we are at the initial stage of this en-deavor, our business in China has taken off and the profits are going to accrue in the very near future; we are even getting more potential buyers from Japan, South Korea and other prospective importers from the South East Asia Region that are requesting for our coffee brands. Our government has put in place institutions, laws and cooperation efforts that are primarily meant to assist local manufacturers and business people to gain access to international markets and, Rwanda Bureau of Standards is one of those institutions. We have various products produced or/and proc-essed in Rwanda such as horticulture products, milk products, skin and hides…. that would be easily sold on international markets if they com-ply with quality standards. Processing industries in Rwanda need to invest their efforts in working hand in hand with Rwanda Bureau of Standards to have their products certified. This will help them meet international quality requirements and hence gain export markets. In that way we can guarantee our country exports revenues to increase. I take this opportunity to encourage the Rwanda business community especially those involved in agro-processing industry to draw a lesson from our experience when targeting the international market; to add value to their products through certification.

Emmanuel NGOMIRARONKA, PhD Economist, GENERAL MANAGER, Rwandan Coffee Interna-tional Marketing Group (RCIMG) S.a.r.l E-mail: [email protected] Tel:0750382634 KIGALI - RWANDA

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Triggering the Rwandan Agro-processing Sector

In June, as part of Rwanda Bureau of Stand-ards’ activities, a team led by Director General, comprising Standards Education and Quality Assurance staff visited different processing units around Kigali. The aim of paying these visits was to ensure standards compliance in processing and final product released by these industries after having been trained and inspected in the quest for meeting market requirements as demanded by the East African Community Common Market due to start on July 1st 2010. Industrial Units visited are Rice Millers in Bugarama, Rusizi district, Maize flour proces-sors, bakeries, banana beer and honey wine processing units and mushroom growers in Kigali City. During the visit, it was apparent that RBS work considerably impacted on the sustainability and improvement of business of these industries with except of maize millers along Poids Lourd road whose processes and products quality still fall far short of health and safety standards. They still need special help. However, it was gratifying to find that whoever takes RBS advice seriously has by all means moved a step towards Standards compliance. This was noted from the changes that the team observed among some units when compared with the situation when business started. The owners of the visited units attest to this. Despite the remarkable improvement noted during these visits, most of the Rwandan industries do not yet comply with competi-tive requirements at EAC common market as products without National standards body’s marks will not be allowed. To this end, RBS wishes to call upon all industrialists to make use of RBS certification services if they would like to survive on market. In need of technical advice or assistance, just address a request to the Bureau, your need will be met as efficiently as possible.


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Interview with Mr.Nsabimana

After a long walk with technical assistance from Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS), complimented by personal motivated entrepreneurship, stakeholders are now enjoying business growth due to the strides made in compliance with standards. We hear Mr. Gerard NSABIMANA the Owner of INOZAMISANGO banana beer processing unit in an interview with Simeon KWIZERA of RBS.

KS: Can you please introduce yourself?

NG: I am NSABIMANA Gerard, the owner of INOZAMISANGO banana beer processing unit; I am married to Claudine NYIRANEZA and have three children. I live in Gikondo Sector, Kicukiro District and I am secondary education certificate holder in Latin-Sciences.

KS: How did you think of this project and start it?

NG: I was a primary school teacher for ten years before the genocide of Tutsi of 1994. From 1995 to 1998, I was working for Concern World Wide organization; and in 1998 I was terminated from my work and got my terminal benefits worth RFW 800,000. With this amount, I paid my debts and remained with very little money. Later on, I got the idea of buying and selling banana beer from GICUMBI-KARENGE market. At the beginning, I could only afford five jelly cans. At that time, I was renting a small house where I could do my business. As my business got on a good track, I started hiring a car for banana beer transportation and also learnt how to make banana juice and tried to improve the process for better business. As my business grew, I got Frw 18 million loan. Afterwards, I got another one of Frw36 million from the bank to build a house for banana beer processing unit. From then on,

I shifted from banana beer buying and selling to banana beer processing unit (banana ripening, juice making, and fermentation, bottling and selling).

KS: What is the secret for your quick business growth?

NG: I am one of the local leaders in Gikondo Sector. During the grass meetings, we were told that Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) could help us improve our business. I then made an appointment with the bureau official who in turn referred me to officers in charge. The said officers came for a visit and began to help me.

KS: How did they help you?

NG: I received Standards documents to refer to. I was advised on hygienic care of my workplace and regular testing of my products in Laboratories for consumer confidence and safety. In addition to this, I was advised to hire qualified staff for proper running of the business referring to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP); now I have a food scientist who is the production manager, etc. It has been a long journey!!!

KS: How did that advice impact on your business?

NG: The impact was very positive! You can see I used to buy five jelly cans of banana

As my business grew, I got Frw 18 million loan. Afterwards, I got another one of Frw36 million from the bank to build a house for banana beer processing unit.

RBS Technical Assistance to Small and Medium Industry

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beer, but today I have built banana beer processing unit with the minimum equipment. I buy banana from villages, ripen them, make juice, ferment it, bottle banana beer and distribute it to different pubs and bars in Kigali city using my own five cars. Also, I am working well with banks and paying taxes accordingly. Another important thing to note is that from my business, I have been able to build my own house worth Frw 83 million.

KS: What weaknesses and challenges have you been facing so far?

NG: Money is always the most recurrent challenge. For example, we have been advised by RBS Director General during his visit to change our packaging; move from Heineken bottles of BRALIRWA to my own bottles as use of Heineken may limit our marketing potential and is an infringement of proprietary trademark. We are striving to change this in the near future via the Umbrella of Banana Beer Processors. Among other challenges we face, is the shortage of a distilling machine and our own Microbiological Laboratory.

KS: What are your future prospects to improve your business and make it competitive within the context of the

East African Common Market?

NG: I envisage strengthening the Good Manufacturing Practices in my Unit through avoiding manual processing and reinforcing hygienic care. I need more equipment, specialized staff, build a new Plant for both banana beer and juice production. I can say I will strive for to have in place technical standards based system so as to have certified products which will be competitive within the East African Common Market. The common market opens more business opportunities to producers.

KS: What message can you give to other business managers?

NG: I can advise them to be courageous and work hard to achieve their goals. They should always ask for advice as this is all that helped me. Access to RBS is free! It is a good, welcoming and helpful institution; I must say a good business partner.


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A part of the core mission of Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) is to develop and publish national standards. Standards are documents that provide for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics and their related processes, or produc-tion methods. The process of standards development, involves many stakeholders, who convene to discuss and approve draft standards. The draft standards are then presented to RBS Board of Directors for scrutiny and approval as Rwanda Standards. In our last issue, the list of avail-able standards on food and agricultural products was pre-sented. The present issue contains the list of engineering standards: mechanical engineering, electri-cal engineering, building materials and civil engineering standards.

Standards for the construction industry growth

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MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STANDARDSS/n RefeRence numBeR tItLe

1 RS 207:2009EAS 159:2000 Engine oils — Specification

2 RS 210:2009EAS 158 Gasoline (Petrol)unleaded — Specification

3 RS 211:2009EAS 177 Automotive diesel — Specification

4 RS 258 :2009ISO 8681—1986 Petroleum products and Lubricants — Method of classification — Definition of classes

5 RS 259—3:2009 IS0 8216—3 : 1987

Petroleum products — Fuels (Class F)- classificationPart 3: Family L(Liquefied petroleum gases)

6 RS 260:2009 ISO 6743—99:2002

Lubricants, Industrial oils and related products (class L) — classification — part 99: General

7 RS 259 — 99 ISO 8216—99:2002

Petroleum products — Fuels (Class F) — classificationPart 99: General

8 RS 400 :2009IS0 7—1

Pipe threads where pressure-tight joints are made on the threads — Part 1: Dimensions, tolerances and designation

9 RS 401:2009ISO 4706 Refillable welded steel gas cylinders

10 RS 402:2009ISO 4427—1

Plastics piping systems — Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings for water supply Part 1:General specifications

11 RS 403:2009ISO 1461:1999

Hot dip galvanized coatings on fabricated iron and steel articles— Specification and test methods

12 RS 404:2009ISO 559:1991 Steel tubes for water and sewage

13 RS 405:2009ISO 2531 Ductile iron pipes, fittings, accessories and their joints for gas application

14 RS 406:2009ISO 65 Carbon steel tubes suitable for screwing in accordance with ISO 7/1

15 RS 407:2009ISO 404:1992 Steel and Steel Products — General Technical delivery requirements

16 RS 409:2009ISO 10474:1991 Steel and Steel products— Inspection Documents

17 RS 455—1:2009ISO 4948-1:1982

Steel-Classification — Part 1:Classification of steels into unalloyed and alloy steels based on chemical composition

18 RS 455—2:2009ISO 4948-1:1981

Steel-Classification — Part 2:Classification of steels into unalloyed and alloy steels according to main quality classes and main property or application characteristics

19 RS 456—1:2009ISO 7989-1:2006

Steel wire and wire products — Non – ferrous metallic coatings on steel — Part 1:General principles

20 RS 456—2:2009ISO 7989-2:2007

Steel wire and wire products — Non – ferrous metallic coatings on steel — Part 2:Zinc or zinc alloy coating

21 RS 457:2009ISO 7802:1983 Metallic materials — Wire — Wrapping test

22 RS 458:2009ISO 7900:2006

Steel wire and wire products for fences — Zinc and zinc — alloy coated steel barbed wire

23 RS460:2009ISO 10114:1991 Certification scheme for steel bars and wires for reinforcement of concrete structures


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S/n numBeR tItLe

1 RSIEC 60601 — 1—1:2009

Medical electrical equipment — Part 1 — 1:General requirements for safety

Collateral standard: Safety requirements for medical electrical systems

2RS 273—1

IEC 60364—5—52:2009Electrical installations of buildings — Selection and erection of electrical equipment — Wiring system

3RS273—2

IEC 60364—5—53:2009Electrical installations of buildings — Selection and erection of electrical equipment — Isolation, Switching and Control.

4RS273—3:2009

IEC 60364-5—54:2002

Electrical installations of buildings — Selection and erection of electrical equipment — Earthing arrangement, protective conductors and protective bonding conductors.

5 RSIEC 60335-1:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety: General requirements

6 RSIEC 60335-2-15:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 15 Particular requirements for appliances for heating liquids

7 RSIEC 60335-2-35:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 -35: Particular requirements for instantaneous water heaters

8 RSIEC 60335-2-14:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 14: Particular requirements for kitchen machines

9 RSIEC 60335-2-3:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 3: Particular requirements for electric irons

10 RSIEC 60335-2-8:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 8: Particular requirements for shaves, hair clippers and similar appliances

11 RSIEC 60335-2-24:2006Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 24: Particular requirements for refrigerating appliances and ice-cream appliances and ice-makers

12 RSIEC 60335-2-25:2006 Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 25: Particular requirements for microwave ovens, including combination microwave ovens

13RS 410-—1:2009

IEC 60335—2—9:2008Household and similar electrical appliances— Safety — Part2 - 9: Particular requirements for grills, toasters and similar portable cooking appliances

14RS 410—2:2009

IEC 60335—2 — 29:2008Household and similar electrical appliances — Safety — Part2 - 29: Particular requirements for battery chargers

15RS 410—5:2009

IEC 60335 — 2 —23:2008Household and similar electrical appliances — Safety — Part2 - 23: Particular requirements for appliances for skin or hair care

16 RS IEC 60227 – 1:2006 Polyvinyl chloride insulated cables of rated voltages up to and including 450/750V – Part 1: General requirements.

17 RS IEC 60228:2006 Conductors of insulated cables

18 RS IEC 60086:2005 Primary batteries-Part 1:General requirements

19 RS IEC 60095-1:2005 Lead-acid starter batteries-Part1:General requirements and methods of test

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STANDARDS

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LIST OF RWANDA STANDARDS IN BUILDING MATERIALS AND CIVIL ENGINEERINGno tItLe teSt metHodS

1 RS EAS 18-1:2004 Cements- Part 1: Composition, specification and conformity criteria for common cements 7 Test methods on physical

properties and 1 on chemical properties2 RS EAS 18-2:2004 Cement-Part 2:Conformity evaluation

3 RS EAS180:2005 Specification for aggregates from natural sources for use in concrete

11 Test methods on physical properties

4RS 357-1: 2009

EAS 417-1:2008Concrete —Part 1:Methods of specifying and guidance for the specifier

7 Test methods on physical properties

5RS 357-2:2009

EAS 417-2: 2008

Concrete — Part 2: Specification of constituent materials, production of concrete and compliance of concrete

6RS 88-1:2005

ISO 6935-1:1991

Steel for reinforcement of concrete

Part1:Plain bars

7RS 88-2:2005

ISO 6935-2:1991

Steel for reinforcement of concrete

Part 2:Ribbed bars

8 RS 87:2005 Carbon steel for reinforcement of concrete-Specification

9 RS 91: 2005 Galvanized plain and corrugated steel sheets- Specification

10RS 144 -1:2006

ISO 630-1:1995Structural steels- Part 1:Plates, wide flats, bars, sections and profiles

11RS 144-2:2006

ISO 630-2:1995Structural steels- Part 2:Technical delivery requirements for hollow finished sections

12RS150-1:2006

ISO 4422-1:1996

Pipes and fittings made of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) for water supply-Specification Part 1: General requirements

13RS150-2:2006

ISO 4422-2:1996

Pipes and fittings made of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) for water supply-Specification-Part 2:Pipes with or without integral sockets

14RS150-3:2006

ISO 4422-3:1996

Pipes and fittings made of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) for water supply-Specification-Part 3:Fittings and joints

15RS150-4:2006

ISO 4422-4:1996

Pipes and fittings made of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) for water supply-Specification-Part 4: valves and ancillary equipments

16RS150-5:2006

ISO 4422-5:1996

Pipes and fittings made of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U) for water supply-Specification-Part 5:Fitness for purposes of the system

17RS 359:2009

EAS 54:1999Burnt building bricks-Specifications

18RS 360:2009

EAS 94: 1999Burnt clay building blocks-Specification

19RS 415:2009

EAS 179:2003Precast concrete paving blocks-Specification

20RS 358:2009

EAS 71:2000Burnt clay roofing tiles-Specification

21 RS 446:2009 Building sands -Specifications

22RS 445:2009 Loading for buildings — Code of practice for dead

and imposed loads

23 RS 448-1:2009 Mortar for masonry Part1:Specification 7 Test methods on physical properties


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Mr. Godfrey Ntagungira, a journalist of the New Times Newspaper had an encounter with RBS Director Gen-eral, Dr Mark Bagabe, and asked him views on topical question of the benefits and challenges of the launch of EAC Common Market.

NG: Director General, What do you expect with the coming of the EAC Common Market?

DG: RBS, being a National Standards Body created to provide standards based solutions for Consumer Protection and Trade promotion in a safe and stable environment welcomes the EAC Common Market. The coming of the common market will spur great improvements through harmonization of standards as harmonized standards will speed business by cutting out multiple inspections and testing.

NG: Director General, Can you tell us about the EAC Common Market and how it is linked to standardiza-tion activities?

DG: The Common Market is provided for in the Treaty on the establishment of the East African Community. The article 5 (2) of the latter envisages integration among the countries of EAC to progress from a customs union to a common market. In accordance with the provisions of Articles 76 and 104 of the Treaty, the Protocol on the establishment of EAC Common market provides for:

• The free movement of goods; • The free movement of persons; • The free movement of labour; • The right of establishment; • The right of residence; • The free movement of services; and • The free movement of capital.

Our main concern, as a standardization body, is the free movement of goods and services.

NG: Why is your main focus directed to free movement of goods and not other sections?

DG: In 2006, the EAC Member States established a Standardization, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Test-ing (SQMT) Act. The act entrusts national standard bodies the duty to develop and publish national stand-ards, and harmonize existing standards. These standards are crucial in avoiding technical barriers to trade, hence facilitating free movement of goods.

NG: July 1st is the operationalisation of the common market! How are you prepared?

DG: Preparations have been going well on both at regional and national levels. At the EAC level, National Standards Bodies have been working hard to harmonize standards. Currently, 1085 standards have been harmonized and published. At national level, we have adopted 222 standards from the harmonized EAC standards. In addition to that, RBS has developed 633 national standards which will also help to assure the quality of goods and services.

People may ask themselves why we harmonize standards! We do this mainly to minimize technical barriers to trade which may be created by standards if not harmonized through lengthy inspections and testing as said earlier. Secondly, harmonization helps in the protection of environment where goods that are harm-ful to the environment will not be allowed in any of the member states as all are working to have common standards. Working in a harmonized system will facilitate industrial

The East African Common Market and Rwanda Business competitiveness –RBS Director General

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development because business operators will be free to establish an industry in any of the member states.

NG: What are you doing to ensure that our locally manu-factured products are able to compete with those from the region?

DG: As I have already mentioned, we have developed 633 national standards. In addition to that, RBS has devel-oped two forms of certification; the System Certification and the Product Certification. With this, different marks have been developed including Standards Mark-S, Quality Management System-QMS-ISO 9000, Environmental Management System-EMS-ISO 14000, Food Safety Management Systems-FSMS ISO 22000 and Mark of ex-cellence. Currently, 7 products have acquired Mark of Excellence and Standardization Mark. Among those, Inyange natu-ral mineral water, Nil pure drinking water, Green Tea and Black Tea were certified with the RBS Mark of Excellence; whereas Green Coffee, Roasted Coffee Beans and Roasted Ground Coffee were certified with RBS Standardization Mark. We aim to scale up the line of certified products to 30 by the end of this year. Certification, in-tandem with industrial inspections, training and audits should make them competitive. We herby encourage our industries to apply for these marks since the certification of a product makes it unique, credible, creates consumer confidence, eliminates the need for products to be re-tested and serves as a power-ful marketing tool.

NG: What has been RBS input regarding the awareness of different stakeholders?

DG: The Bureau has been offering training to the indus-trialists on the development of quality products, hygiene in the functionality of the industry and documentation to ease traceability of products. We have also been work-ing on the RBS structure with the aim to strengthen the education and communication services. We have been visiting different industries to advise them on quality compliance aiming at promoting industrial competitive-ness and consumer safety.

NG: What would you do if some of the imported products from the EAC member states do not conform to stand-ards?

DG: In such cases where products are found on the mar-ket and yet do not comply with the standards, the import-er or supplier of the product will be asked to remove the product from the market, he or she can either be asked to return it to the country of origin or have the product destroyed if no danger to the environment.

Rwanda Bureau of Standards in collaboration of Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) and Rwanda Revenue Au-thority impounded several substandard trucks of diesel and petrol adulterated to the extent that they could be allowed on the market. Those trucks were sent back to the country of origin for further refinement. This was a resolution made after having tests results indicated lack of conformity with standards requirements. Adulteration is the act of making substance impure by the addition of a foreign or inferior substance or element. It is usually done replacing more valuable with less valuable or inert ingredients in order to increase the profit dividends Adulteration of gasoline (pet-rol) and diesel with lower-priced materials is common in the region as elsewhere and this can result in sub-optimal performance of transportation of fuels. Some adulterants increase emissions of harmful pollutants from vehicles, worsening urban air pollution and lung related diseases.

Types of Adulteration Financial incentives arising from differential taxes on the different petroleum products are generally the primary cause of fuel adulteration; gasoline carries a much higher tax than diesel, which in turn is taxed more than kerosene solvents. Specific types of adulteration may be broadly clas-sified as follows: Blending relatively small amounts of distil-

Fighting Substandard Petroleum Products on Rwandan Market


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late fuels like diesel or kerosene into automo-tive gasoline. Blending variable amounts (30%) of gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons such as industrial solvents into automotive gasolines. Blending small amounts of spent waste industri-al solvents such as used lubricants which would be costly to dispose of in an environmentally approved manner into gasolines and diesel. Blending kerosene into diesel, often as much as 20-30 %. Blending small amounts of heavier fuel oils into diesel fuels.

Impact of adulterations on Emissions and HealthThough there is an impact of adulteration on emissions and health, not all forms of adultera-tion are harmful to public health. Some adulter-ants increase emissions of harmful pollutants significantly whereas others have little or no effect on air quality. In some cases health effects are indirect for example; large scale diversion of rationed kerosene subsidized for household use to the diesel sector does not increase emissions from diesel vehicles, but deprives the poor of kerosene which can otherwise be used for cooking. This diversion of subsidized kerosene forces the poor to continue using biomass, which exposes them to high levels of indoor air pollution and death at times when exposed to carbon monoxide. Whenever considering the impact of fuel adulteration on air quality, it is therefore important to keep the effect of adulteration on human health and safety into perspective.

The effects on emissions of basic engine design and maintenance usually far outweigh those of changes in fuel composition. When engines are out of tune with the specifications set by the manufacturers, or are poorly maintained, they will emit substantially more pollutants even when operating on fuels that meet all specifica-tion requirements than properly maintained vehicles. Fuel adulteration can increase the tailpipe emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). Air toxin emissions which fall into the category of unregulated emissions of primary concern are benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), both well known carcinogens. Air toxin emissions such as benzene depend mostly on fuel composition and catalyst performance.

PAHs in the exhaust are due primarily to the presence of PAHs in the fuel itself and, in the

case of gasoline, in part are due to PAH formation by fuel combustion in the engine. Aside from fuel quality, the amounts of pollutants emitted depend on such parameters as the air-to-fuel ratio, engine speed, engine load, operating temperatures, and the condition of the catalytic converter when the vehicle is equipped one.

Gasoline adulteration Kerosene is more difficult to burn than gasoline, so that its addition to gasoline results in higher levels of HC, CO and PM emissions even from catalyst-equipped cars. If too much kerosene is added, octane quality will fall below the octane require-ment of the gasoline engine and engine knocking can occur. Besides possibly damaging the engine mechanically, knock can increase PM, HC and NOx emissions. The latter two are, amongst others, ozone precursors. With gasoline vehicles not equipped with catalysts, the exhaust smell from kerosene is often rather acrid, creating unpleasant conditions in crowded city streets. When gasoline is adulterated with diesel fuels, the same general effects occur but usually at lower levels of added diesel fuel. Both diesel and kerosene added to gasoline will increase engine deposit formation including in fuel injec-tors, potentially leading to increased emissions of PM, HC and CO. Gasoline may also be adulterated with gasoline boiling range solvents such as toluene, xylenes and other aromatics, or light materials such as pentanes and hexanes available at low or zero tax for their normal industrial use. The gasolines in these cases may well continue to meet all specifi-cations. The adulterated gasoline itself could also have increased potential human toxicity if frequent skin contact is allowed. This is a challenge standards people will need to overcome. Extremely high levels of toluene (45 percent or higher) could cause prema-ture failure of neoprene, styrene butadiene rubber and butyl rubber components in the fuel systems. This has caused vehicle fires in other parts of the world, especially in older vehicles.

Adulteration of gasoline by industrial solvents waste is especially problematic as the adulterants are so varied in composition. Adulterants may contain halogens, silicon, phospho-rous or other metallic elements (found in recycled lu-bricants); these in turn are quite outside the normal gasoline composition range. They will cause increased emissions and may even cause vehicle breakdown by corroding fuel injection systems and carburetors, and by causing deposits on valves, fuel injectors, spark plugs, oxygen sensors

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and exhaust catalysts. Even low levels of adulterants can be very injurious and costly to the vehicle operator. For gasoline, any adulterant that changes its volatility can affect drivability. High volatility (resulting from the addi-tion of light hydrocarbons) in hot weather can cause va-por lock and stalling. Low volatility in cold weather can cause starting problems and poor warm-up. Fuel Dealers stand warned of the potential dangers from adulteration practice and ensuing legal action.

Diesel adulteration The blending of kerosene into automotive diesel fuel is widely and legitimately practiced by the oil industry worldwide as a means of adjusting the low temperature operability of the fuel. This practice is not harmful or detrimental to tailpipe emissions, provided the resulting fuel continues to meet engine manufacturers’ specifica-tions (especially for viscosity and cetane number). How-ever, high-level adulteration of low sulfur (for example, 0.05 percent) diesel fuel with higher-level sulfur kero-sene can cause the fuel to exceed the sulfur maximum. PAHs and nitrogen-containing PAHs in diesel exhaust arise primarily from a “flow-through” effect from the PAHs in the fuel composition. As a result, the addition of kerosene tends to reduce exhaust PAH emissions because kerosene generally does not contain significant amounts of PAHs.

As a simplified picture, black diesel smoke results from inadequate air/fuel mixing in the cylinder with locally over-rich zones. Higher fuel injection rates, dirty injec-tors and injection nozzle tip wear through use can lead to locally over-rich zones in the combustion chamber. The addition of heavier fuels increases in-cylinder depos-its and fouls injectors. Blending of heavier fuel oils with diesel is usually easy to detect. The adulterated diesel is usually darker than normal. Depending on the nature of these heavier fuel oils and the possible presence of additional PAHs, there could be some increase in both exhaust PM and PAH emissions.

Identifying Adulteration as per standard re-quirementsA number of analytical techniques are available to detect adulteration. In all cases described below, it is impor-tant to have good sampling techniques and access to a good petroleum analytical laboratory. Field techniques produce results more quickly but cannot give results that are as detailed or quantitatively accurate as labora-tory tests. For the majority of the tests, accurate data on uncontaminated fuels are also a pre-requisite.

Density Some field tests can be used to identify some of the more gross adulteration taking place. The most rugged of

these is density determination by different hydrometers. At 15°C, automotive gasoline has a density of 0.74-0.75 (kg/l) and kerosene around 0.79-0.80 kg/l. Diesel fuel has a density in the neighborhood of 0.835-0.855 kg/l and all these values depend from one standard to another. Used properly, good-quality hydrometers can detect significant adulteration if an accurate density on the base gasoline, for example at the shipping terminal, is available. Success with this approach hinges on a good analytical testing regime with correlation between field hydrometers and laboratory equipment.

Distillation Distillation methods can be useful for detecting kero-sene and diesel in gasoline and also significant additions of toluene and mixed xylenes in gasoline. Accurate and complete distillation data on the uncontaminated fuels are essential for comparison and some kind of correlative data among the laboratories involved validating test precision. Some values by distillation show that an automotive diesel has the final boiling temperature of 362oC while the gaso-line is 205oC and these figures vary from one standard used to another.

What is being done to combat adulteration in Rwanda?The Rwanda Bureau of Standards, in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Rwanda Revenue Authority, has put in place measures to deter recurrence of fuel adulteration. These include tracking and testing of petroleum that is suspected adulterated and return the trucks to the country of origin when contaminated. Fuel marking at the source and monitoring at the distribution point is seriously controlled by the regulatory authorities responsible for quality, environment and revenue collec-tion. Complementary to these efforts, RBS should in place a fully equipped and functional petroleum testing labora-tory by March 2011.

Campaign against Hydroquinone Usually associated with use in skin lighteners, hydroqui-none is also a contaminant to other cosmetics ingredients. It is one of the worst ingredients used in personal care products and has effects on human skin, if skin lightening products are used. Hydroquinone (benzene-1, 4-diol or quinol the name recommended by IUPAC), is an aromatic organic compound which is a type of phenol, having the chemical formula C6H4 (OH) 2.

Products that may contain hydroquinone Hydroquinone is commonly found in products marketed to lighten the skin, and is one of the most toxic ingredients still used in cosmetics. It is marketed most aggressively to women who intend to use a greater number of beauty care products.


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Health concerns Skin cancer Hydroquinone works by decreasing the produc-tion of melanin pigments in the skin. Because the chemical lightens skin by reducing melanin, it simultaneously increases exposure to Ultraviolet–A (UVA) and Ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays deep in the skin which in turn amplifies risks to skin cancer in addition to the carcinogenic ef-fects of the chemical itself.

Skin disorders Contact dermatitis, degeneration of collagen, elastic fibers and Ochronosis are main skin disor-ders resulting from use of hydroquinone. Ochronosis is progressive sooty darkening of the skin area exposed to hydroquinone and appears mostly in dark skinned people.

Ban of hydroquinone based skin products in Rwanda The ban is aimed at protecting unsuspecting consumers and discouraging dumping of these

How to avoid buying cosmetics containing hydroquinone? It is simple! Just when choosing your cosmetic products in the shops read the information contained on the labeling especially focusing on the ingredients or consult your dermatologist.

LIST OF REJECTED GOODS FROM APRIL TO JUNE 2010 Goods rejected by the RBS Import Inspection Service, from April to June 2010.

products. The Rwandan Standard RS 66:2005 doesn’t tolerate any amount of hydroquinone in cosmetics i.e. should be 0%. However products containing hydro-quinone may be used for medical purposes under physician prescription. Most of the cosmetic products containing hydroqui-none entering Rwandan market come from the Demo-cratic Republic of Congo. It is this context that RBS has opened an office at La Corniche Border (between Goma & Rubavu) since December 2009 and inspec-tion in the nearby markets/ shops is done regularly. The following is a list of some of the cosmetics con-taining hydroquinone impounded by RBS inspectors and removed off the market: SKIN LIGHT La crème éclaircissante traitante, CARO LIGHT Lightening oil, CARO LIGHT Lightening beauty lotion, CARO LIGHT Lightening cream, Elegance Lemon Plus lotion, SIVO-CLAIR Lait Eclaircissant, MAXI CLAIRE cream, CLAIR-MEN, Elegance RICO, crème éclaircissante.

n0 PRoduct QuantItY ReaSon

01 Wheat flour 23 bags of 50 Kgs each Damaged by water during transportation

02 Mill white sugar 40 bags Damaged by water during transportation

03 Farinha Lactea 114 cartons of 12 bags (*230 gr) Labeled in an unofficial language

04 BEERS (TUSKER lager and PILSNER lager) 548 bottles Expired

05 Magnesium Sulfate 47 boxes of 50 ampoules each Damaged

Rice 6 bags of 50 Kgs each Damaged by water

06 Used computers (CPU) and monitors 1500 CPU and 99 monitors Second hand

07 Assorted medical consumables 15 Kgs Expired

08 Salsa Tomato paste 1 carton of 80 pieces Useful information on tens erased by water and some pieces were broken

09 Computers 30 boxes (donation) Second hand

10 Water heaters 3 cartons of 50 pieces each Rusting quality

11 Blue Band spread (croma catering) 3 cartons(1x10 kgs) Poor labeling-production date, expiry

date & batch number missing

12 Assorted IT equipment 200 desktop computers, 16 printers and 20 laptops Second hand

13 Iron oxide – red PG -110 5 Bags(1x25 kgs) Expired 18


A carbon footprint has been defined as the total set of Green House Gases (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product. It is the simplic-ity often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), or its equivalent to other GHGs, emitted or the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usu-ally expressed in equivalent tons of CO2. Put this way, when you drive your car, the engine burns fuel which creates a certain amount of CO2, depending on its fuel consumption and the driving distance.

When you cook with wood or charcoal you generate CO2 and carbon-monoxide (CO) gases stuffs. When waste paper, you are encouraging tree cutting for paper production, reducing the uptake of CO2 by photosynthesis. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2 which were induced by your activi-ties in a given time frame. Usually a carbon footprint is calculated for the time period of a year.

An individual, nation, or organization’s carbon foot-print can be measured by undertaking a GHG emis-sions assessment. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it, e.g. by technological developments, better process and product management are good examples among oth-ers.

Currently at the global arena, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is develop-ing standards on Carbon footprint of products that is ISO/CD/14067:1(Quantification) and ISO/ CD/14067:2(Communication). These standards will require all exporters from different markets including Rwanda to clearly indicate carbon footprint of their products. Though ISO/CD/14067:1(Quantification) and ISO/CD/14067:2 (Communication) standards are voluntary, they “carry the same weight” in both industrialized and developing countries like Rwanda. With globalization of trade, products with high carbon footprint value may just not be acceptable to some customers in the near future.

The Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) through the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) is help-ing the East African Countries (EAC) to build capacity of the National Standards Bodies to be able to par-ticipate in Standards setting process. So far EAC has participated in two workshops on carbon footprint and the third one on the ISO level will take place in Mexico 11-17/July/2010. Rwanda Bureau of Standards will continue to work with exporters to ensure that even if the standards come into force in 2011, the Bureau will be able to advise exporters.

Carbon Footprint and Standardization


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