By Navendra Seoraj

THE Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) has announced that street vending of pesticides is illegal.The Board, via a newspaper advertisement, announced that, “street vending of pesticides is illegal, given that these poisons are very dangerous to the environment and human health, especially children and the elderly”.
Over the years, street vendors could be seen hawking packets of pesticides, making poisonous substances readily available to members of the public.
However, this practice has proven detrimental on many occasions, because persons were allowed to gain easy access to these substances.
In speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, some street vendors said that this restriction will put a damper on their business but they welcomed the initiative and indicated that they will comply with the laws.
The Board has sternly warned vendors to desist from selling these poisonous substances, noting, “vendors who are caught will be prosecuted”.
Late last year, according to reports, PTCCB Registrar Trecia David disclosed that the fight against illegal pesticides and chemicals was ever present, but in recognition of the fact that Guyana has porous borders, the decision was made to tackle the problem in additional ways.
David stated that the Board embarked on a campaign designed to notify the public of the pesticide products that are considered illegal.
According to her, the campaign targeted the market environs and street vendors with a particular focus on vendors of rat bait, which does not generally have labels.
In some cases, these poisonous substances were placed close to fruits and other edible items, which persons purchase on a daily basis.
While pesticides and toxic chemicals have to go through a registration process with the Pesticide Board, illegal pesticides do not go through this process, so the components and toxicity of the products are not known.
The PTCCB, created under the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Act 2000, Part III, Section 7, is responsible for managing the manufacturing, importing, transporting, storing, vending and usage of toxic chemicals.
The Board mandates that all toxic chemicals imported on or before December 31 of every year, be registered in order to be approved for importation from January 1 next. The registered products are then documented on the official listing for registered toxic chemicals.
Among the items required for registration are original draft labels in English, a safety data sheet comprising the formula used in the product, a description of the tests done and the results. An application for registration of a pesticide or toxic chemical, addressed to the PTCCB Registrar, is also required.