Nearly 3,000 establishments violated regulations regarding pesticide labeling.

The National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment proposed that the forms of handling recalled pesticides should be clearly defined.

Vietnam needs to strengthen the handling of recalled and destroyed pesticides, as well as the collection and disposal of used pesticide packaging. This was the main point in the report on the draft Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine presented to the National Assembly on the afternoon of May 28th by Phan Xuan Dung, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment.

According to a government report, on average, up to 10% of imported pesticide samples and 7% of pesticide samples circulating in the market each year do not meet quality standards; nearly 3,000 pesticide manufacturing and trading establishments violate regulations on pesticide labeling and are subject to recall.

The amount of pesticides used has been continuously increasing, reaching 35,000 tons in 2005 and 110,000 tons in 2008. Typically, packaging accounts for about 10% of the amount of pesticides consumed. Therefore, in 2008 alone, 11,000 tons of various types of packaging were released into the environment.

In response to shortcomings in the inspection and handling of plant protection products, the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment proposed clearly defining the forms of handling recalled plant protection products, specifying which cases allow recycling and which require destruction; and adding regulations on plant protection products subject to recall (such as counterfeit plant protection products, products of unknown origin, banned products, products removed from the list of plant protection products permitted for use in Vietnam, and plant protection products recalled due to violations by state management agencies).

Pesticides of various labels are widely available in border markets.

The National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to clarify the responsibilities for handling and disposing of unclaimed pesticides; to clarify the responsibilities of local authorities and relevant agencies in identifying the owners of pesticides that must be disposed of. It also requested the addition of regulations on the handling of recalled pesticides, the disposal of pesticides, and the collection and disposal of used pesticide packaging, ensuring compliance with regulations on hazardous waste management as stipulated by environmental protection laws and chemical laws.

Furthermore, to ensure good management of pesticide quality, effective pesticide use, control of pesticide residues in agricultural products and food, and to ensure safety for people and the environment, the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment proposes that the Drafting Committee of the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine consider and add regulations on state inspection and testing of imported pesticides and pesticides circulating in the market.

In addition to the main issues mentioned above, the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment needs to clarify or supplement the following regulations: prohibited acts; conditions for declaring the end of an epidemic; state management of plant protection service activities; customs procedures for the import and export of objects subject to plant quarantine (regarding bonded warehouses, quarantine areas, etc.); time limits for considering the issuance of certificates of eligibility to practice handling plant quarantine objects and certificates of registration for plant protection products; responsibilities for managing, guiding, and controlling the use of plant protection products; sanctions for those transporting and storing plant protection products in case of incidents causing leakage or diffusion that harms humans, livestock, the environment, etc.; and contributions regarding the wording and style of specific provisions of the draft Law.

The above opinions will be studied, incorporated, and refined by the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment and the drafting committee in the coming period.

According to (vov.vn) - LT