BANGKOK (์NNT) - A meeting of the National Hazardous Substances Committee, chaired by the acting Permanent Secretary for Industry, Panuwat Triyangkulsri, has supported the Minstry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ proposal to downgrade the status of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos from Class 3 substances to Class 4.
The National Hazardous Substances Committee considered the information provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and resolved that there are alternative chemicals that are effective in killing weeds and pests, if the proposed ban on the three toxic farm chemicals takes effect. A representative of the Ministry of Public Health provided the information about toxic chemical residue found in crops. The meeting also discussed the pros and cons of the proposed ban.
Twenty out of 26 members of the National Hazardous Substances Committee voted for the ban on paraquat to take effect on December 1 this year. One member voted for the banning of paraquat to take effect on December 1, 2021. Five members voted to allow its limited use.
Twenty-two members voted for a ban on chlorpyrifos, while four others voted to allow its limited use. Nineteen members voted for the ban of glyphosate and seven others voted to allow its limited use.
The committee supported the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ proposal to downgrade the status of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos from Class 3 substances to Class 4, which will take effect from December 1 this year. The Department of Agriculture is to draft a bill to regulate the toxic chemicals, hold a public hearing and propose the bill to the National Hazardous Substances Committee for consideration in the next meeting.
National News Bureau Of Thailand