FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1977
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PESTICIDES ORDINANCE IN FORCE TODAY
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THE AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES ORDINANCE 1977 WHICH COMES INTO OPERATION TODAY STRENGTHENS CERTAIN CONTROL MEASURES REGARDING THE IMPORT, SALE AND SUPPLY OF AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES.
UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCE, WHICH IS BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS (AGRICULTURAL POISONS) REGULATIONS, ANY PERSON WHO IMPORTS A PESTICIDE MUST APPLY FOR A LICENCE FROM THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO APPLY FOR REGISTRATION OF THE PESTICIDE IF IT IS NOT YET REGISTERED, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED.
A REGISTER OF AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES WILL BE MAINTAINED IN TWO PARTS. PART I CONTAINS PESTICIDES OF LOW TOXICITY WHICH MAY BE SOLD FREELY. PART JE CONTAINS MORE TOXIC PESTICIDES WHICH WILL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. EXTREMELY TOXIC PESTICIDES WILL NOT BE REGISTERED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN ORDER TO ASSIST WITH ROUTINE IMPORTATION OF PESTICIDES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED RELATIVELY SAFE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD REGISTERED 26 PARTI PESTICIDES, WHICH MAY BE IMPORTED FREELY BY LICENSEES,
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION OF PESTICIDES ISSUE OF LICENCES AND PERMITS AND CONDITIONS FOR STORAGE, LABELLING AND PACKAGING OF PESTICIDES ARE, HOWEVER, LAID DOWN IN THE AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES REGULATIONS.
UNDER THE REGULATIONS CONTAINERS FOR PESTICIDES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, AND MAY BE OF METAL, GLASS OR PLASTIC.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID: IF THEY ARE MADE OF GLASS OR PLASTIC, THEY MUST BE FLUTED VERTICALLY WITH RIBS OR GROOVES. THIS IS SO THAT, EVEN IN POOR LIGHT, THEY CAN BE IMMEDIATELY DISTINGUISHED FROM CONTAINERS FOR FOOD AND DRINK SUCH AS SOY SAUCE AND BEER. THE LABELS ON PESTICIDES MUST CONTAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION BOTH IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE.
+THE INFORMATION REQUIRED INCLUDES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE COMMON AND CHEMICAL NAMES OF THE PESTICIDE AND ITS PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION, THE NET WEIGHT OR VOLUME OF THE CONTENTS, THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE SELLER, AND DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON THE USE OF THE PESTICIDE, PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN AND ANTIDOTE OR FIRST AID TREATMENT TO BE CARRIED OUT IN CASES OF POISONING.
THESE REQUIREMENTS WOULD GREATLY IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LABELLING OF MANY PESTICIDES AND WOULD BE OF CONSIDERABLE BENEFIT TO THE USERS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
TRADERS IN PESTICIDES WILL BE GIVEN SIX MONTHS FROM TODAY TO APPLY FOR THEIR LICENCES, AND TO PREPARE SUITABLE CONTAINERS AND PROPER LABELS.
ALL ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES, 393 CANTON ROAD, KOWLOON, OR BY TELEPHONE TO THE PLANT AND PESTICIDE RÉGULATORY UNIT AT TEL. 3-688111 EXT. 209.
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