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The
International Agency for
Research on Cancer, part of
the World Health Organization,
said in 2015 that glyphosate
was likely carcinogenic.
/ A.M. Costa Rica wire
services photo
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Government
begins the creation of a decree
to restrict the use of glyphosate
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Specialists of Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock
announced that they are working
together with specialists at the
ministries of Health, Environment
and Energy and Labor, on a decree
that seeks to regulate and
restrict the use of glyphosate.
"This decree seeks to prohibit the
use of this agrochemical for
non-agricultural purposes," said
the ministry in its statement.
"When the user is in agricultural
duties, the product can only be
sold under prescription,
authorized by a professional in
agricultural sciences who must be
also incorporated to the College
of Agricultural Engineers."
Being consistent with these
regulations, glyphosate containers
and plans must bear the legend
"Restricted Use Product" and "Sale
Under Professional Recipe,"
according to the proposed decree.
In addition, the National
Phytosanitary Service will
establish, together with the
College of Agricultural Engineers,
the technical guidelines for the
handling and application of this
agrochemical, which will be
published after the decree was
approved.
Also, the Occupational Health
Council of the Ministry of Labor
will carry out information
campaigns on occupational health
measures that should be taken by
those who handle agrochemicals in
authorized use cases.
The authorities of the ministries
will meet every four months to see
compliance with the decree and
each year will analyze the new
scientific evidence on the impact
on health, environment, and
agriculture. If irregularities are
found, the corresponding measures
will be taken, the ministry said.
Before it is formalized by the
government, this decree will be in
public consultation during the
next 10 business days in order to
receive comments from the
different sectors and improve its
content.
After analyzing all the responses
and recommendations, and produce
the final text, the decree will be
published in the official
government newspaper known as La
Gaceta.
Right after that publication, the
persons or factories that
manufacture, import, manipulate or
sell glyphosate will have six
months of time to comply with the
requirements established on the
decree, according to the proposal.
On May 9, as was reported by A.M.
Costa Rica that the Ombudsman's
Office recommended the total
elimination of the use,
exportation, and import of the
herbicide glyphosate as it is
considered harmful to health.
"It is considered necessary and
supported the proposal of an
executive decree for the
prohibition of the import,
manufacture, sale, and supply of
active ingredients technical
grade, its salts and formulated
products containing the active
ingredient glyphosate," said the
agency in its statement.
Glyphosate, often marketed under
the Roundup brand, is applied in
urban public areas such as parks,
cemeteries, street rounds,
sidewalks, pipe right-of-ways and
all kinds of green areas.
Its use is currently prohibited at
three universities, the University
of Costa Rica, the State
University at a Distance and the
National Technical University.
Also it is prohibited at 21
municipalities, which in
alphabetical order are: Alajuela,
Aserrí, Barva, Belén, Corredores,
Curridabat, Desamparados, Escazú,
Esparza, La Unión, Montes de Oca,
Orotina, Pérez Zeledón, Quepos,
San Isidro de Heredia, San Mateo,
Santa Ana, Santo Domingo,
Sarapiquí, Talamanca and Tibás.
In the U.S., the Environmental
Protection Agency, EPA, said that
the weed killer glyphosate is
unlikely to cause cancer in
humans, but recommended new
measures to prevent potential
ecological risks, especially to
monarch butterflies and other
pollinators.
According to the agency,
glyphosate developer Monsanto was
convicted in 2018 and 2019 of not
taking necessary steps to warn of
the potential risks of Roundup,
their weed killer containing the
chemical, which two California
juries found caused cancer in two
users.
In a statement, EPA Administrator
Andrew Wheeler said the agency
found "no risks to public health
from the currently registered uses
of glyphosate." It did not propose
new instructions, subject to a
public comment period, for farmers
and others using the chemical to
reduce "spray drift" that can harm
butterflies.
Under those regulations,
glyphosate labels in the U.S.
would have to instruct aerial
users to spray the chemical more
than 10 feet (three meters) above
crops or if wind speeds exceed 15
miles per hour (24 kilometers per
hour).
Meanwhile, labels would be
required to state that when
applied from the ground, the
chemical must not be sprayed more
than four feet above crops and
that all must be set to mist the
product at a fine or coarser
setting.
The proposed instructions also
include new regulations around
glyphosate's use around water.
The EPA said the chemical presents
low toxicity to honey bees, but
does present a potential risk to
birds and plants, including
aquatic plants.
The International Agency for
Research on Cancer, part of the
World Health Organization, said in
2015 that glyphosate was likely
carcinogenic.
The German pharmaceutical firm
Bayer, which bought Monsanto,
announced that over 13,000
lawsuits related to the weed
killer have been launched in the
U.S.
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Have you heard cases of people
poisoned by the use of glyphosate?
We would like to know your
thoughts on this story. Send
your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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