PIC to be legal     

The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) will enter into force on 24 February, three months after the 50th country (Armenia) ratified it. Barbara Dinham, Director of PAN UK, congratulated governments on this significant achievement. ‘As an early warning system on trade in hazardous pesticides, it will make an important contribution to improving health and the environment.’ The entry into force increases the importance of all countries finalising their ratification as eventually non-Parties to the Convention would be excluded from its benefits and from making decisions.
    At the last meeting of governments on the voluntary PIC, held in Geneva on 17-21 November, delegates approved the addition of DNOC and its salts to the PIC list. For the first time, at the Geneva meeting, governments voted to include a severely hazardous pesticide formulation, on the basis of a notification by Senegal. It covers two products, Granox and Spinox, with formulations at or above 7% benomyl, 10% carbofuran, and 15% thiram. 
    Four forms of asbestos were added to the Convention, but in spite of protests, some countries called for inclusion of the fifth, chrysotile, to be delayed. Opposition came from Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Colombia, India, Indonesia and a number of other countries. This is a serious revolt. Chemicals should be added to a PIC list on the basis of a ban or severe restriction in two countries in different regions. The European Commission and Chile had provided valid notifications. However Australia indicated that it will also be notifying a ban by the end of December and this should strengthen the case at the next meeting in September 2004, the first Conference of the Parties. (BD)

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 62, December 2003, page 17]