Pakistan Government Bans 12 Hazardous Pesticides to Protect Health and Environment

Pakistan Bans 12 Insecticides that Are Dangerous for Public and Environmental Health

In another instance, an important step towards environmental sustainability and global safety standards was taken by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research in Pakistan, which banned 12 pesticides regarded as toxic and mostly used in agriculture, despite their inimical effects on human health and the ecosystem.

The announcement was made on Friday after a high-level meeting presided over by National Food Security Secretary Waseem Ajmal Chaudhary, where the alarming over-reliance on Methyl Bromide (MB) and its impact on the environment were discussed by experts and key stakeholders.

Why Would Such Pesticides Be Banned?

Such hazardous chemicals are frequently utilized on wheat, cotton, rice, and vegetables, and they are known to:

• – Contaminate soils and water sources, that is, environmental contamination.
• – Endanger health- a slow poison to farmers and consumers.
• – Create concern for global regulatory agencies.

Such pesticides are in one way or the other the paradoxes for these experts, in the sense that on the one hand, use of these pesticides is destroying agricultural ecosystems, and on the other hand, there are problems with trade and export, where various countries are very strict on regulating pesticide residues on food products.

The Crackdown on Methyl Bromide in Imports

The ministry has announced that it will also begin cracking down on excessive Methyl Bromide (MB) use on imports for quarantine considerations, thereby allowing Pakistan to comply with the provisions of the Montreal Protocol that stipulate its use only for quarantine and pre-shipment purposes whenever no other alternative is available.

MB has been widely used in the following import commodity sectors:

– Lentils

– Canola

– Soybeans

– Betel nuts

– Cotton

Nevertheless, the increased use of MB is said to have triggered environmental degradation and risks to public health.

New Import Regulations: The Second Round of Fumigation is Out

It has now been agreed that phytosanitary treatment (fumigation) should only be conducted in the exporting country and not in Pakistan to avoid unnecessary toxic chemical exposure. Accordingly:

•  Importers will save dollars
• Lesser exposure to hazardous chemicals
•  Repetitive fumigation processes will be eliminated

This practice is in line with global best practices, along with keeping food safety standards for consumption in-country and export.

Transition to Safer Agricultural Practices

The food ministry in Pakistan is taking very proactive steps to phase out the usage of hazardous pesticides in favor of safer, eco-friendly ones. For this transition, the scientists’ Technical Committee will do the following:

• Arrange a review of current regulations
• Recommend safer alternatives to pesticides
• Ensure compliance with international standards for agricultural safety

These actions will update Pakistan’s agricultural policy, root out corruption from pesticide import practices, and ultimately put the nation in a competitive position in the global market.

One Step Closer to a Greener Future

Through the adoption of these reforms, Pakistan is making a firm commitment to sustainable agricultural processes and to protecting public health and the environment. Such initiatives will not just secure local food security but will furthermore increase the leverage of the country in foreign trade, which is witnessing the evolution of strict pesticide regulations as a norm.