The impact of pesticides on the health of farmers, agricultural workers and
the environment is compounded by the conditions of use and the protection
against exposure. If access to information and training is lacking, farmers
rely on advice from the pesticide dealers, as well as label instructions.
Many pesticide users are not aware of the importance of protecting
themselves and the environment when using pesticides, expecially in
developing countries. Therefore the the following articles of the Code are
of high importance and should be monitored regularly.
Support
The FAO Code of Conduct about "labelling"
- 3.4
- Pesticide industry and traders should observe the following practices in pesticide management, especially in countries without legislation or means of implementing regulations:
- 3.4.1
- supply only pesticides of adequate quality, packaged and labelled as appropriate for each specific market;
- 3.4.3
- pay special attention to the choice of pesticide formulations and to presentation, packaging and labelling in order to reduce risks to users and minimize adverse effects on the environment;
- 3.4.4
- provide, with each package of pesticide, information and instructions in a form and language adequate to ensure effective use and reduce risks during handling;
- 5.2
- Even where a control scheme is in operation, pesticide industry should:
- 5.2.3
- make every reasonable effort to reduce risks posed by pesticides by:
- 5.2.3.7
- using clear and concise labelling.
- 8.2
- Pesticide industry should:
- 8.2.1
- take all necessary steps to ensure that pesticides entering international trade conform at least to:
- 8.2.1.2
- principles embodied in relevant FAO guidelines on classification, packaging, marketing, labelling, procurement and documentation;
- 8.2.8
- provide, consistent with national requirements, a range of pack sizes and types that are appropriate for the needs of small-scale farmers and other local users, in order to reduce risks and to discourage sellers from repackaging products in unlabelled or inappropriate containers.
- 10.2
- Industry should use labels that:
- 10.2.1
- comply with registration requirements and include recommendations consistent with those of the recognized research and advisory agencies in the country of sale;
- 10.2.2
- include appropriate symbols and pictograms whenever possible, in addition to written instructions, warnings and precautions in the appropriate language or languages;
- 10.2.3
- comply with national or international labelling requirements for dangerous goods in international trade and, if appropriate, clearly show the appropriate WHO hazard classification of the contents;
- 10.2.4
- include, in the appropriate language or languages, a warning against the reuse of containers and instructions for the safe disposal or decontamination of used containers;
- 10.2.5
- identify each lot or batch of the product in numbers or letters that can be understood without the need for additional code references;
- 10.2.6
- clearly show the release date (month and year) of the lot or batch and contain relevant information on the storage stability of the product.
- 10.3
- Pesticide industry, in cooperation with government, should ensure that:
- 10.3.2
- packaging or repackaging is carried out only on licensed premises where the responsible authority is satisfied that staff are adequately protected against toxic hazards, that the resulting product will be properly packaged and labelled, and that the content will conform to the relevant quality standards.
- 11.1
- Governments should control, by means of legislation, the advertising of pesticides in all media to ensure that it is not in conflict with label directions and precautions, particularly those relating to proper maintenance and use of application equipment, appropriate personal protective equipment, special precautions for children and pregnant women or the dangers of reusing containers.
- 11.2
- Pesticide industry should ensure that:
- 11.2.4
- no company or individual in any one country simultaneously markets different pesticide active ingredients or combinations of ingredients under a single brand name;
- 11.2.5
- advertising does not encourage uses other than those specified on the approved label;