Junor IN THE wake of the theft of 84 canisters of the restricted pesticide Phostoxin from a parked vehicle downtown, the Pesticide Control Authority (PCA) is currently drafting additional regulations to cover the transportation of restricted
pesticides.
The regulations will require that vehicles which transport restricted pesticides, must carry a hazard warning with notices prominently displayed. Vehicles must be locked and where this is not feasible, they should not be left unattended. Owners and operators of vehicles transporting restricted pesticides will also be required to obtain liability insurance or bonds to protect persons who suffer injury or damage to property, as a result of pesticide release.
The existing guidelines for the transportation of pesticides are based on the Food and Agricul-ture Organisation (FAO) Code of Conduct for Transporting Pesti-cides. These guidelines focused on the prevention and management of spills and not on the theft of pesticides.
These additional regulations for the transportation of pesticides are to be included in a broader amendment to the regulations governing the management of restricted pesticides.
Under the new regulations, restricted pesticides such as Phostoxin, will only be sold to certified pest control operators. Last year the PCA began a certification programme for pest control operators in preparation for the passing into law of new
regulations.
These recommendations were outlined in a report to the Minister of Health, John Junor, following the theft of Phostoxin.
