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At last, blanket ban on glyphosate
View(s):A blanket ban on herbicide containing the active ingredient of glyphosate has been finally imposed by the Government — but it has stopped short of ordering the companies to send back the stocks they have already imported. The ban was enforced through a Gazette notification issued by Pesticides Registrar G.A.W. Wijesekara. The notification said that all licences issued for pesticides containing glyphosate were banned with immediate effect. This would mean the licences for sale or the possession of the pesticide were now revoked.
Dr. Wijesekara said the importing companies had been informed about the ban, but were not given any deadline to send the stocks back. The pesticide cannot be destroyed within the country due to its toxic effects. Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said they had released 13 containers of this herbicide before the President announced a ban and the Customs had no authority to order that the stocks be sent back. “That was the responsibility of the Pesticide Registrar’s Office. It must take action to ensure the stocks are sent back.”
The spokesman said the Customs would facilitate the process of sending the stocks back. Environmentalists have expressed concern over the failure to enforce strict regulations to ensure that the huge stocks of this herbicide were sent back.
Environmental activist Sajeewa Chamikara said the issue had been dragged on for several years and the Government had been slow in acting, thereby helping the companies.
Land and Agriculture Reforms Movement Moderator Chintha Rajapakse said President Maithripala Sirisena had ordered the ban on May 22, but a few days before that, the containers had been cleared from the Customs. He said about 200,000 litres are available in the country.
Mr. Rajapakse said the herbicide with glyphosate contained high arsenic levels and it could be made available in the market illegally if the stocks were not accounted for and sent back. He said there were as many as 14 different types of herbicide with glyphosate in the market.
Jathika Hela Urumaya Parliamentarian Ven Athuraliye Ratana Thera, who was campaigning for the ban, said he would be closely monitoring the issue and insisted the stocks of this herbicide should not be kept in the country. President Sirisena announced the ban amid reports that glyphosate was one of the causes for the kidney failure epidemic in the North Central Province and other areas.