Endosulfan Added To PIC List

Article from Farm Chemicals International , Mar. 28

The insecticide endosulfan has been added to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) list, which requires proof of consent by importing countries before the products are shipped across borders, according to The Business Standard web site.

The decision to add these chemicals to the PIC list was made by an international committee of experts under the Rotterdam Convention regarding global trade in hazardous chemicals. The Rotterdam Convention, jointly supported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN-FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by industry organizations such as CropLife International, enables its member governments to benefit from the experiences of others by promoting transparency and information-sharing about the potential risks of chemical products.

Any trade in the pesticides and industrial chemicals included in the PIC list must first be agreed upon by the governments of the importing countries. This gives the countries the power to decide which potentially hazardous chemicals or pesticides they will allow for import. They can refuse the products which they cannot manage safely.

Endosulfan, which is well known and widely used in cotton-growing countries, will also affect growers of paddy rice and sugarcane. It has been recommended for inclusion in the list on the grounds that it poses unacceptable risks to workers and to the environment, according to a statement issued by the FAO in Rome.

Fuente: http://www.fc-international.com/viewitem.php?ItemID=451