NEWS – The 2025 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions are being held in Geneva (April 28–May 9) to tackle hazardous chemicals like chlorpyrifos.

HIGHLIGHTS

About Chlorpyrifos

• A pesticide labeled “moderately hazardous” by the WHO.
• Still approved in India for use on 18 crops, though banned in over 40 countries.
• Linked to neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, brain damage in unborn children, and long-range environmental contamination.

Global and National Advocacy

• PAN India urges:
  • Listing under Annex III (Rotterdam Convention) to ensure prior informed consent before trade.
  • Inclusion in Annex A (Stockholm Convention) for a global ban, with limited exemptions.
  • Emphasis on available safer alternatives, supporting a complete ban.
• A 2022 report highlighted illegal use of chlorpyrifos and other chemicals like paraquat, exposing regulatory failures in India.

Regulatory Body: CIBRC

• The Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC):
  • Established in 1970, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
  • Operates via the Insecticides Act, 1968 (enforced since August 1971).
  • Ensures safe regulation of insecticides through centralised registration, monitoring health, animal, and environmental safety.