Herbal Pesticides Remain on Substances Control List

The hazardous substances committee has decided to keep 13 herbal plants on its controversial control list.

The panel yesterday simply decided to ask agriculture authorities to review and clarify the need to regulate the herbs' use.

Deputy permanent secretary for industry Anusorn Nuangpholmak said the listing of pesticides made from the herbs had not yet become effective. This was pending an announcement on their properties by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.

The ministry had to review the listing and come up with clarifications on the properties of the pesticides and how to enforce the law, he said.

It was also asked to seek public views and consult with related agencies.

A final decision on whether to delist the plants would be made by the hazardous substances committee, he said.

Farmer advocates and health agencies oppose the listing of the 13 plants. But Mr Anusorn said it was necessary to include them on the list to ensure the control of the production and distribution of natural pesticides.

"The Agriculture Ministry has no other legal means to enforce the controls, so it has to invoke the Hazardous Substances Act for this purpose," Mr Anusorn said.

The plants are neem, turmeric, ginger, galangal, chilli, celery, lemongrass, American marigold, stemona, ringworm bush, bitter bush, tea seed cake and glory lily.

The Department of Agriculture, which sits on the committee, would seek views from all concerned on the pros and cons of the listing, said Wichar Thitiprasert, director of the Agricultural Regulations Office, who represented the agency at the meeting.

He said the department's intention in proposing the listing was to ease the burden on domestic producers of plant-based pesticides by putting the plants in the least regulated group - under type 1 of the Act.

Without this, the plants would technically fall under another hazardous substance category which would require producers to adhere to tougher restrictions on production and distribution.

The control would benefit users of the natural pesticides since it could block substandard products, side-effects and poisoning of other natural elements for which the pesticides were not intended, he said.

Mr Anusorn said the meeting did not discuss the delisting of sulphur along with other toxic chemicals. Nor did it seek approval for retroactive endorsement of its removal.

It was earlier speculated the delisting of sulphur as a hazardous chemical substance could favour big firms facing criminal and civil charges for illegally importing it last year.

Source - The Bangkok Post