Paraquat was banned in February 2019 (ROC year 108); how can hoarding and black-market circulation be prevented?
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) today (the 5th) formally announced the phase-out schedule for the ban on 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension. From February 1 of next year (2018), these two pesticides will be prohibited from processing and import, and from February 1 of the year after (2019), they will be prohibited from repackaging, sale and use. However, does this ban announcement mean that "paraquat" will be listed as a banned pesticide? Will products containing paraquat still circulate on the market?
And ever since word of the ban first emerged, paraquat stockpiling rushes have been heard of from time to time. In the future, how should inspection authorities prevent banned paraquat from continuing to circulate on the black market?
Processing and import banned in February 2018; repackaging, sale and use banned in February 2019
According to BAPHIQ's latest ban announcement, 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension (a mixed formulation containing paraquat) will be prohibited from processing and import starting February 1, 2018, and prohibited from repackaging, sale and use starting February 1, 2019. Before this, BAPHIQ also banned two pesticides in 2014: 60% diquat wettable powder and 42.5% paraquat water suspension. "If no newly developed paraquat product appears, then after 2019 there will no longer be any pesticide products containing paraquat on the market," said Feng Haidong, deputy director-general of BAPHIQ.
Only specific forms of paraquat products are banned, not the paraquat "active ingredient"
"The two pesticides, 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension, have been placed on the banned list. They are already banned pesticides. As early as tomorrow (October 6), the latest updated banned list can be seen on the Pesticide Information Service website," Feng said. BAPHIQ's Plant Protection Division added by way of clarification that this ban announcement does not ban the paraquat "active ingredient," but rather bans "finished paraquat products" of specific concentrations, active ingredients and formulations, namely 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension.
Could new forms of paraquat products appear? BAPHIQ: Safety will be especially required
Since only specific forms of paraquat products are banned, rather than the paraquat active ingredient, could new forms of paraquat products appear on the market again in the future? "It depends on whether manufacturers are interested in developing new paraquat products," Feng Haidong said. But considering that paraquat has a high fatality rate if ingested by mistake and has no effective antidote, "safety requirements for new paraquat products will be especially high," so Feng also admitted frankly that the hope of developing new paraquat products now is not very high.
The pre-ban "fipronil" sell-off created loopholes
At present, paraquat is still widely used to control weeds and to defoliate red beans. Ever since word of the ban first emerged, a stockpiling rush for paraquat pesticides has already appeared. Although the announcement clearly sets out the schedule for prohibiting processing, manufacturing, import and sale, how should inspection authorities in the future prevent banned paraquat from continuing to circulate on the black market?
The culprit in the uproarious "fipronil incident" a month ago was traced to "4.95% fipronil water suspension," whose approved use scope had been deleted but which had not been listed as a banned pesticide. Because at the time the license for that formulation had not been revoked and it could continue to be processed and manufactured, a pesticide dealer surnamed Lai said in a past interview that farmers with demand would buy the pesticide in advance and store it for emergencies; sellers were also happy to see inventory cleared, so of course they cooperated in selling it, forming a pre-ban sell-off rush and indirectly creating loopholes for misuse.
How to prevent paraquat from circulating on the black market? BAPHIQ: Agree with industry operators "not to manufacture or sell in excess"
Although 4.95% fipronil water suspension is now listed as a banned pesticide, how to control it still tests inspection authorities. And now, with 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension also listed as banned pesticides, although the situation differs from that of 4.95% fipronil water suspension, the two paraquat pesticide products already have clearly set schedules prohibiting processing, manufacturing, import, sale, repackaging and use, but a stockpiling rush has still formed. How should banned paraquat be prevented from continuing to circulate in local agricultural circles? Pesticide material dealers say bluntly, "It's difficult."
In response, Feng Haidong said that BAPHIQ currently has not specially formulated a paraquat product recall plan, but instead starts with the industry to carry out control; because starting February 1, 2018, the industry may no longer import or manufacture these two paraquat pesticides, "BAPHIQ and industry operators have agreed not to manufacture or sell in excess," and users must finish using them within one year.
An agreement is an agreement, but how should BAPHIQ prevent banned paraquat products from continuing to circulate below the market surface? "It can only rely on inspection mechanisms to carry out inspection and seizure." Feng said that in addition to relying on pesticide residue monitoring programs and routine pesticide inspection operations for inspection and seizure, there is now also a pesticide flow management mechanism. "How much product is circulating on the market can roughly all be grasped; shortages or increases in quantity can all be checked." Inspection authorities will also go to pesticide dealers' sales points to conduct audits. In addition, besides relying on public-sector inspection and seizure, pesticide industry peers and farmers can also report to inspection authorities.
BAPHIQ emphasized that the two pesticides, 24% paraquat solution and 33.6% diquat water suspension, must be used up within the ban schedule in accordance with regulations, or returned to the original pesticide producers or sellers for recall. Once the ban period arrives, those who still violate usage rules will be handled in accordance with Article 45 or Article 46 of the Pesticide Management Act, and may face a maximum prison term of not more than 7 years, along with a fine of not more than NT$7.5 million.
Agricultural material dealers: Prevention is difficult; it depends on enforcement strength
"Prevention will be useful, but only for those in agriculture who obey the law." A pesticide material dealer surnamed Chen pointed out that with paraquat, usage is large, "how much of it is actually circulating on the market now, I believe even BAPHIQ finds it very hard to grasp." If future banned paraquat pesticides are to be prevented from continuing to circulate in agricultural circles, "it is a bit difficult."
But BAPHIQ has also rolled out the above-mentioned prevention measures. In response, the pesticide material dealer surnamed Chen said the greatest prevention effect should come from the "pesticide control system" that BAPHIQ is now pushing as a major initiative, and if local banned-pesticide circulation is to be accurately grasped, it still depends on management personnel going down personally to manage it; no matter what the prevention measures are, "it still depends on enforcement strength." The agricultural material dealer surnamed Chen said that although there are difficulties, he still hopes it can be done well.