By Damion Mitchell, Staff ReporterTHE PESTICIDES Control Authority (PCA) has warned that there are legal implications for pesticides control operators found using agricultural pesticides as substitutes for chemicals to destroy household pests.
Addressing the Kiwanis Club of Kingston's weekly luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday, Kerry Helligar, Inspec-tor for the Eastern Region of the PCA, said that the authority could revoke the licences of registered pesticide control operators found in breach of this regulation.
Noting that between 1996 and 2000, there were 88 reported cases of deaths in homes because of the improper use of rat poison, he said it was important that the appropriate practices are employed in the use of pesticides.
According to Mr. Helligar, while the use of cheaper agricultural pesticides as substitutes for chemicals to destroy household pests was not a very widespread problem, there was enough information to indicate that it is a cause for concern.
However, he said that no prosecutions have been made because no formal reports have been brought against the delinquent pesticides control operators. "It has been a practise in the industry but we have just not yet been able to pin point the operators," he said.
One difficulty, he said was there are far more than the 160 registered pesticide control operators engaged in commercial pest management. These persons, he said are not certified and therefore pose added threats to human health.
In the meantime he is encouraging consumers to ensure that the pesticide control operators they contract, possess a registration certificate.
