New laws on pesticide use

New regulations on the use of pesticide will be gazetted this year to ensure the safe use of pesticides, said senior research officer of the Peradeniya Registrar of Pesticides, Sumith Jayakody.

Addressing a media awareness program organised by the Health Education Bureau together with CropLife and Toxicology Society, he said new regulations will be applied to pest control services, labelling information, training of pesticides applicators and penalty structure.

“The fine for the misuse of pesticides will be increased to Rs. 500,000 from Rs. 10,000. One thousand two hundred and forty two deaths were recorded due to pesticide poisoning in 2006 while 16,876 people were admitted to hospital. In the same year, 2,787 people had committed suicide by taking pesticides,” Jayakody said.

He pointed out that the majority of pesticide users (70 percent) used more than the stipulated dosage and majority (82 percent) had symptoms of intense toxicity following spraying.

He emphasised that the users must take adequate protective measures while using them and this cannot be done simply by enacting laws.

Jayakody also noted that when using pesticides not only personal safety but also the impact on environment and beneficial insects should be of concern.

The users are also encouraged to use novel approaches in pesticide products such as “insecticide treated bed nets” for mosquitoes, in which chemicals are embedded in polymer capsules, and “Splash packs” for crops, which minimise the exposure by keeping the sprayers away, he said.

Rejecting the claim that any pesticide can be transported into the country easily, he said: “We are following Stockholm, Basel, Rotterdam and Montreal International Conventions related to the production, export and import of hazardous chemicals and therefore bringing in banned chemicals to the country is highly restricted.

Also as an island, by nature itself, trans-boundary movements are limited and it is a comparative advantage for us,” he said.