In a commitment to agricultural safety, food security, environmental and human health, SVG is now free from significant quantities of hazardous pesticide waste, as well as their contaminated containers and stores.
The removal of 319 tonnes of obsolete pesticides stocks and related wastes was confirmed by the (FAO) at the 71st Special Meeting of (COTED) on Agriculture, held at the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Georgetown, Guyana last month.
During the meeting Ministers of Agriculture from 11 Caribbean countries including SVG were presented with disposal certificates indicating that dangerous obsolete pesticide stocks which were removed from their countries had been environmentally-soundly incinerated at a specialised facility in the United Kingdom.
Due to the small size of the countries, limited human and financial resources and inadequate regulatory systems to adequately manage pesticide importation and use, Caribbean nations have been traditionally vulnerable to the entry of potentially harmful, unregistered and unregulated pesticides.
“Removing this very hazardous toxic chemical waste from eleven Caribbean countries have eliminated a major risk from these fragile environments.
The achievement brings significant community and environmental health benefits through decreased exposure.