AgroPages-Rotterdam Convention recommends listing of carbofuran suspension in Annex III-Agricultural news

Following a proposal from Columbia, the latest meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention has resulted in an agreement to recommend the listing of carbofuran suspension concentrate at 330g/l as a severely hazardous pesticide formulation in Annex III of the Convention.

In addition, the CRC also finalised draft decision guidance documents on two highly toxic pesticides — carbofuran and carbosulfan — used to control insects in a wide variety of crops.

At its next meeting, the Conference of the Parties will decide whether to list carbofuran and carbosulfan in Annex III of the Convention and subject them to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure.

William Murray, Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam Convention said: “It is important to note that the basis for the consideration of these pesticides by the CRC were decisions taken by developing countries. Decisions are leading to action at the global level.”

According to the latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the annual turnover of the international pesticide market is up to $480 billion. The UN Environment Programme estimates that about 3% of people worldwide suffer in agriculture from acute pesticide poisoning.

There are currently 155 parties to the Rotterdam Convention, which provides an early warning on the trade of certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides, through the PIC procedure. It is a multilateral environmental agreement to regulate the trade of certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides as a means to protect people and the environment from potential harm.