THE PESTICIDE Control Authority (PCA) will be accelerating its programme to reduce the number of unregistered pesticides available at farm stores.
Hyacinth Chin-Sue, registrar at the PCA, in a release, said it has become necessary to organise drives to pull unregistered pesticides off the shelves of farm stores. This, she said, was due to the blatant disregard by several operators for the regulations stipulated by the PCA.
"I think farm store operators have been provided with enough information to realise that if the product is not registered, there are channels to get some kind of compliance," she said.
The PCA, she said, would not only prosecute offending farm store operators, but also the manufacturer of the product not registered with the Authority.
According to the registrar, there were two main ways of registering a product made locally:
One was to satisfy the PCA that the facility in which the product was developed, was safe for both the worker and the environment. This was very important, she said, in the event of accidents while mixing chemicals.
The other requirement, she noted, was to provide the PCA with proof of the contents of the product, such as the toxicity of active ingredients. The product would be tested to verify the contents. A proper label identifying the manufacturer and the address would be affixed to the product.
Mrs Chin-Sue said the PCA was currently examining the distribution system as it related to the repackaging of pesticides. She explained that so far, the PCA has visited most of the farm stores in Jamaica and observed that "over 70 per cent" bought pesticides products in bulk containers and "then break down the big packages into smaller ones because it is more economical."
She added that the customers who requested small quantities of pesticides, because of limited financial resources, were encouraging this practice.
The PCA, she noted, kept a record of all the farm stores that repackaged products and the product they repackaged. She said that the operators of these stores "were told to install certain facilities or they would not be allowed to continue repackaging products."
"The PCA is prepared to work with the operators once they show a willingness and understanding that special precautions and facilities have to be in place for the safety of persons who repackage the product as well as the consumer," she added.
A major problem which arose from repackaging, she said, had to do with the inability of many consumers to have access to the correct and proper labelling of the repackaged product.
"In many instances, the repackaged product is not labelled properly, leading to mix-ups regarding the use of the product and the safety of the user of the product," she said.
As part of Pesticides Awareness Week, being observed from today, September 23 to Sunday September 29, the registrar said that emphasis will be placed on the adherence to regulations by farm store operators.
Activities for the Week includes an Open Day at the new Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) regional office in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay today. This is in addition to a live radio broadcast by HOT 102 from the office, and a poster display.
On September 24, there will be a live radio broadcast by POWER 106, from the headquarters of the PCA, at the Ministry of Health on King Street, and a poster display throughout the week.
The Registrar said that throughout the week, radio listeners would be bombarded with public service announcements on most radio stations, highlighting pesticides safety awareness.
