News Highlight
International trade of two new hazardous pesticides has been recommended for “prior informed consent” (PIC) procedure under the Rotterdam Convention.
Key Takeaway
- Iprodione and Terbufos are the two new hazardous pesticides. The chemicals are dangerous for humans and aquatic animals.
- The recommendations were made by the Chemical Review Committee on September 22, 2022, at the 18th meeting of the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee (CRC 18), held in Rome, Italy.
- The 17th meeting of the chemical review committee (CRC 17) had recommended these two pesticides for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention and had decided to prepare the decision guidance documents.
- Annex III includes pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by two or more parties.
- The list will include 54 chemicals after Iprodione and Terbufos were added during the 11th Conference of Parties to the Rotterdam Convention.
Iprodione
- It is a fungicide used on vines, fruits, trees and vegetables and has been classified as carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction.
Terbufos
- It is a soil insecticide commonly used on sorghum, maise, beets, and potatoes. It has also been found to pose a risk to aquatic organisms due to its toxicity.
Rotterdam Convention
- About
- It was adopted in 1998 by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rotterdam, Netherlands and entered into force in 2004.
- Objectives:
- The convention promotes an open exchange of information between importers-exporters of hazardous chemicals.
- It calls on exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labelling, includes directions on safe handling, and informs purchasers of any known restrictions or bans.
- Application:
- The convention applies to pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted by Parties for health or environmental reasons and have been notified for inclusion in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure.
- Members:
- The convention has 163 parties, including 158 UN members, the Cook Islands, the State of Palestine, and the European Union.
- In 2005, India became a party to the Rotterdam Convention.
Prior Informed Consent (PIC).
- It is one of the critical clauses of the Rotterdam Convention.
- The PIC procedure is a mechanism for formally obtaining and disseminating the decisions of importing parties on their willingness to receive future shipments of hazardous chemicals.
- It says that parties must legally obtain and communicate the decision to receive future shipments of the substances listed in Annex III of the Convention before importing them.
- The importing parties must ensure that the exporting parties abide by any judgments on their imports.
Content Source: Down to Earth