Progress in PIC

The Senegal government has drawn international attention to a hazardous pesticide being used by its farmers which has led to at least 16 fatalities, and many more cases of acute poisoning.

After undertaking a full investigation, Senegal has notified the secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) about a product called Granox, with a formulation of 10% carbofuran, 15% thiram and 7% benomyl, formulated by a local company called Senchim.
    PIC acts as an early warning system to alert governments to any ban on a pesticide initiated by another government. Governments must notify the Secretariat of any decision to ban or severely restrict a pesticide within 90 days. The Senegal government action is the first of a ‘severely hazardous pesticide formulation’ – that is a product that has not been banned, but which is causing problems in a developing country – and this creates a crucial opportunity for the Convention to demonstrate whether it can play a role in addressing the many pesticides causing death and injury in developing countries. 
    During 2001, the PIC secretariat has been notified of government action to ban pesticides from Australia (tribufos); the European Community (pyrazophos); Norway (2,4-D, bentazon, bromuconazole, chlorsulfuron, chlorfenvinphos, endosulfan, epoxiconazole, EPTC, fluazifop-P-butyl, hexazinone, imazalil, mepiquat chloride, simazine, thiabendazole, vinclozolin, DNOC); and Peru (endrin). When a second ban for the same pesticide is received, they will all need to be submitted to the Interim Chemical Review Committee (ICRC) for scrutiny to check that the act of banning or restricting also complies with the requirements. 
    Earlier this year, the ICRC agreed that two bans on monocrotophos – from Australia and Hungary – qualified and a Decision Guidance Document will be drawn up for this pesticide to enable it to be considered by the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in October 2002.
    Governments met in Rome in October to review progress on the Convention. Although agreed in September 1998, only 16 governments have so far ratified this Convention – 34 short of the 50 needed for it to enter into force. Nevertheless, the PIC Convention is proceeding on a voluntary basis and is setting up the complex systems which will ensure smooth transition into a legally-binding treaty. PIC may only play a small role in preventing pesticide hazards but it is a crucial one: ensuring that government decisions and actions are transparent and accessible, and helping governments stop imports of unwanted banned or severely restricted pesticides. PAN will be closely watching the support offered to Senegal in making the first notification of a pesticide which wreaked havoc and wrecked lives in a farming community, to ensure other governments are warned about the problems it has caused. (BD)

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 54, December 2001, page 15]