The much awaited K12.4 billion Malawi Bureau of Standard (MBS) laboratory, under construction in Blantyre, will be operational from March, 2020, as MBS Director General, Symon Mandala, said 91% of work has been done.

The news was revealed when the Minister of Industry Trade and Tourism, Salim Bagus, toured the site on Tuesday this week. Inspecting the Bagus expressed satisfaction with progress made.

He outlined that the laboratory would screening and testing hazardous imports, as the country has become a dumping site for products made elsewhere. The laboratory, constructed under the Standardization, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology was funded by the European Union, the United Nations Development Program and the Malawi Government.

On the other hand, MBS Director General, revealed that the air conditioning system at the lab, will be up in January.