Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board inspectors this week seized a number of repackaged and improperly labelled products during an inspection exercise conducted at a number of premises on the East Coast of Demerara.
A press release from the Office of the Registrar of Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals said that all of the products seized were from unlicenced vendors, including a pharmacy at Logwood.
The products included Grassknife, Karatine, Roundup, Dragnet, 2,4-D, Monocrotophos, Malathion, Drexel, Diazinon, Glyphosate, Cutlish, Weedkiller, and Farmizone along with a substantial amount of undetermined products stored in drink and pharmaceutical bottles.
And a number of labels were also seized for these products. The release also said that some of the chemicals which were repackaged are Igran, Round-up, S-Metalchlor and Merlin, but these are only imported by the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the entity has been informed of this development.
The Board noted that the use of drink and other kinds of bottles is a breach of the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals (Control) Act 2000 (No.13 of 2000) and its associated regulations, as well as offering for sale pesticides and toxic chemicals without a vending licence.
The Board also reiterated that it is an offence punishable by law to offer for sale chemicals which are not properly packaged and without the requisite licence.
Meantime the Board is calling on members of the public to notify the authorities via telephone 220-8880/8838 of such illegal activities.
The Board also advised that use of sub-standard formulations can result in ineffective pest control operations and lead to the development of pest resistance to pesticides.
It was also pointed out that substandard formulations may contain chemicals which can increase the toxicity of the pesticides to mammals and other non-target species, including humans.
And they may also contain degradation products, some of which are known to be more toxic than parent compounds, the release concluded.
