Dear Readers:
THE PESTICIDES Control Authority started a programme to restrict the sale of certain pesticides and to register the farm stores that will be selling these pesticides.
Gramoxone is a restricted pesticide. This means that the pesticide should only be sold to certified users.
The products that we have restricted were determined by a special committee and include all Class I pesticides, all pesticides to be used to control household pests and endosulphan.
Clearly, there are more pesticides to be added to the list, including Gramoxone, and this will happen on a phased basis.
One must also appreciate the vast number of
persons using Gramoxone and the likely repercussions of such a decision. Timeliness is therefore important and also to have support from a wide cross-section of stakeholders.
STRONG ODOUR
The PCA in the meantime has reported that Gramoxone or products containing paraquat that are imported into Jamaica contain a compound that induces vomiting, plus a strong odour.
The imported paraquat products are Gramoxone Super, Gramoxil and Talent.
Gramoxone and Gramoxil contain:
(i) Pyridine bases: To give a strong odour
(ii) Paraquat emetic: An amino propyltriazolopyrimiclone which induces vomiting and tastes bad.
Paraquat, the active ingredient in Gramoxone, is life- threatening on the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, liver, heart, and other organs. The lung is the primary target organ; however, toxic effect by inhalation is rare.
Sincerely,
HYACINTH CHIN-SUE WALTERS
Registrar, Pesticides Control Authority
Ministry of Health
