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The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is consulting farmers, pesticide manufacturers, traders, pesticide application service providers and related parties on proposals to improve pesticide control.
AFCD Assistant Director (Inspection and Quarantine), Dr Thomas Sit, said today (February 13) the current pesticide registration system under the Pesticides Ordinance would be revised to better safeguard public health and the environment.
"It is proposed that the current registration on active ingredient be replaced with a registration system that covers active and inert ingredients, concentration, formulation, and intended usage of each individual pesticide product," said Dr Sit.
"We plan to expand the Register to four parts to better reflect the differences in toxicity, persistence, use pattern, and environmental and health hazards."
Under the proposed legislative amendments, pesticides registered under Part I and Part II, covering domestic ready-to-use and general use concentrate pesticides, will be classified as General Pesticides. Pesticides for agricultural and special pest control applications will be classified under Part III and Part IV as Restricted Pesticides.
"It is also proposed that the availability of the more hazardous pesticides be restricted only to qualified and trained users. Restricted Pesticides will only be made available to authorised individuals and licensed pesticide application service providers," said Dr Sit.
To ensure safe application of pesticides, the AFCD will license pesticide application service providers and register pesticide applicators.
"A pesticide application service provider who applies registered pesticides in public areas or on other peoplesˇ¦properties will have to apply for a licence to operate and access restricted pesticides."
"Service providers can only employ trained pesticide applicators, who are required to complete an approved training course provided by local training institutes or pass an assessment test and be registered with the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation," said Dr Sit.
Individuals who wish to apply restricted pesticides are required to be trained or pass an assessment before they are authorised to purchase and use such pesticides.
"There will be a transition period of six months to register pesticides under the new registration system. A longer grace period of two years will be given to license pesticide application service providers, to register pesticide applicators, and to authorise individuals to apply restricted pesticides."
The Government will brief traders and relevant parties on the proposed legislative amendments. Views will also be solicited from the NGOs and the general public.
The consultation document is available on the department's website at www.afcd.gov.hk. Copies of the consultation document are also available from the Plant and Pesticides Regulatory Division, 5th Floor, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon. For enquiries, the public can call at 2150 7007.
Comments should be forwarded to the Plant and Pesticides Regulatory Division by mail, by fax at 2736 9904 or e-mail at pesticides@afcd.gov.hk on or before March 20, 2007.
A public consultation forum on the proposed amendments will be held on March 9, 2007. Members of the public may make reservation for the forum on or before March 5, 2007 by filling out the reply slip available on the department's website.
Ends/Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:58
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