In order to avoid harm, pesticides are registered by governmental bodies responsible in countries or regions. The outcome of the registration processes is generally that the use of pesticide products is subject to specific conditions (for example protective clothing is required, use is prohibited close to water courses etc.).
Unfortunately there is only a small number of countries with detailed and transparent programs to control and document illegal, and legal but harmful, uses of pesticides and in which the conditions of registration could be modified to reflect the realities on the ground. Decisions about whether or not the registration status of a pesticide is acceptable, or whether it should be restricted or banned, can only be taken where post-registration monitoring programs are carried out thoroughly.
Resources
Check list for national control programsIf there is a national programme to control the use of pesticides check if:
- the controls are done annually
- the report on the result is made publicly available in a timely way and that the report contains information on:
- the areas of your country in which the controls are being done
- the number of controls being carried out in the different areas
- the kind of controls (outlets, farm use, private use etc.)
- the numbers violating the laws
Back to tasks of governments
Back to tasks of pesticide industry
Back to tasks of food industry
Back to tasks of farmers and farmers’ organisations
Suggestion for Action
Find out if there is a national programme in your country to control the use of pesticides and find out if there is an annual and detailed report on the results of the controls carried out.If not, ask the government to implement such a program.
If such a program exists, check if there is regular reporting on the program and if the reports are detailed enough to ascertain whether the controls undertaken are effective in reducing the misuse of pesticides.
Suggestion for Action
Conduct a survey to see whether the marketing of pesticide complies with the code. Here an example:Non-governmental organisations from Asia, Latin America, and Europe conducted a survey in China, Indonesia and Pakistan to see whether the marketing of paraquat (under the brand name Gramoxone) complies with the code of conduct for pesticides. As a result of this survey the NGOs are filing a complaint with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) against the Swiss agrochemical corporation Syngenta.
The report "Pesticide users at risk" gives information about the survey. download
Further information on the paraquat campaign is available here
Get support for scrutinising pesticide availability here
Message
... from Germany
January 2005 a ‘Reduction Program for Chemical Plant Protection’ was started in Germany to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides by 15% by 2010. more (download) Message
... from Denmark
Denmark has 20 years of experience in working for a national pesticide use reduction. more (download)
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