Industry Ministry calls meeting on substitutes for Paraquat

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Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has ordered the ministry to look for substitutes for the three banned chemicals.
Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has ordered the ministry to look for substitutes for the three banned chemicals.

BANGKOK – The Hazardous Substances Committee has issued import and distribution ban for Paraquat, Glyphosate, and Chlorpyrifos, requiring related agencies to find substitutes for these chemicals previously used as pesticides by farmers. The first meeting of such will be taking place on this 27 November.

The Minister of Industry Suriya Jungrungreangkit revealed he has ordered the Ministry of Industry Permanent Secretary to call a meeting with the Hazardous Substances Committee to find substitutes for the three chemicals banned, namely Paraquat, Glyphosate, and Chlorpyrifos.

Once the ban goes into effect on 1 December 2019, these chemicals will be prohibited for use and will have to be removed from Thailand. Importers who still have these chemicals in stock will have to revert the items back to the manufacturer, which may result in some operational costs.

The Ministry of Industry and the Hazardous Substances Committee will be holding a meeting on 27 November to find solutions for this matter, and to find alternative chemicals for these three previously used as pesticides in agriculture.