THE Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Inspection and Enforcement Unit recently conducted a series of inspections and seizure exercises countrywide which resulted in the confiscation of significant quantities of illegal and unregistered Household and Agriculture Pesticides Products. These seizures are in keeping with the Board’s mandates for eradicating the importation, sale and use of illegal pesticides.
In keeping with the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Regulations 2004 (No. 8 of 2004), all pesticides imported, sold and used in Guyana must be registered by the Board. All products confiscated during these operations were not registered by the Board.
In addition, the labelling standard does not comply with Regulation requirements, according to a statement from the PTCCB. Over four (4) million dollars of illegal agricultural pesticides were confiscated along with numerous illegal household used products for the past two months. The Board wishes to re-emphasize that all pesticides are poisons, which pose high risks to human health and the environment.
The Board is notifying the general public that, in accordance with the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Act 2000 (No. 13 of 2000), anyone who commits an offence against the Act by importation, distribution, vending, storage and use of any illegal pesticides including unregistered products such as agriculture pesticides, rat poison, fly, ants and roach baits, mosquito coil and aerosols, is liable to prosecution in the Courts of Guyana, and shall be FINED and IMPRISONED under the stated Act.
The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board said it is committed to enforcing the regulations as it relates to the importation, sale and use of Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals.
Anyone desirous of importing pesticides and toxic chemicals are asked to contact the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board on its hotline number: 220/8880 or Website: http://www.ptccb.org.gy