Authoritative department explains why the use of highly toxic pesticides is prohibited

In some areas in China, alternatives to highly toxic pesticides have begun. The picture shows an alternative pesticide demonstration field in Sichuan.

Experts interviewed: Director of the Division of Pesticide Management of the Crop Management Division of the Ministry of Agriculture Li Wenxing Researcher of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Zhang Wenming Interviewer: Yu Honghua, a reporter from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, on July 5, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Administration for Industry and Commerce, Quality Five departments including the General Administration of Survey and Inspection jointly issued an announcement on the prohibition and restriction of a group of highly toxic pesticides. The bulletin proposes to stop the registration of new highly toxic pesticides and production licenses; to ban and eliminate 10 kinds of highly toxic pesticides such as *** by the end of 2011; to further strengthen scientific demonstration and evaluation of 12 highly toxic pesticides such as methicillin , choose to start to disable the program.

What are the reasons and background for the introduction of the disablement plan? What are the implications? In this connection, the reporter interviewed Li Wenxing, Director of the Division of Pesticide Management of the Department of Crop Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Zhang Wenming, a researcher of the Department of Raw Materials of the Ministry of Industry and Information, who participated in the formulation of the policy.

Disabling Trends of High-Toxic Diseases Reporter: Could you please talk about the background of the prohibition of using highly toxic pesticides?

Li Wenxing: The prohibition of the use of highly toxic pesticides can be said to be the trend of the times and cannot be delayed. Specifically, there are three main considerations.

The first is to guarantee the quality of agricultural products. We all know that high-toxicity pesticides have high acute toxicity and some have a long residual period. If they are used improperly, they can easily lead to excessive pesticide residues in agricultural products and productive poisoning accidents. At present, China's agricultural production has a low degree of organization, a variety of planting patterns, and a large number of farmers. Some farmers have weak awareness of safe drug use. It is difficult to control the use of highly toxic pesticides in the production of agricultural products. Therefore, the prohibition of highly toxic pesticides is an objective need to cut off the supply of highly toxic pesticides and protect people's health and ecological environment.

The second is to promote the structural adjustment of pesticide products. Statistics show that there are more than 2,000 pesticide production enterprises in China, and more than 27,000 pesticide products. The number of companies is large and the scale is small. In particular, some pesticide species have serious duplicate registrations and excess production capacity. Eliminating and disabling a batch of highly toxic and high-risk pesticide species can, on the one hand, promote the upgrading of pesticide product structure and promote the merger and reorganization of enterprises; on the other hand, it can provide a broader range for the promotion and use of highly efficient and low-toxic pesticides, especially biological pesticides. The market space ensures the sustainable development of the pesticide industry.

The third is to adapt to the development trend of international pesticide management. In recent years, the management of high-toxicity, high-risk and high-risk pesticides has become increasingly stringent internationally. Through the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention, the Basel Convention, and the Montreal Protocol and other international conventions, countries have strictly controlled high-toxicity and high- Production and use of risk pesticides and international trade. In addition, countries all over the world have continuously adopted measures to prohibit restrictions on highly toxic and high-risk pesticides in accordance with their own national conditions. Of the 22 highly toxic pesticides still in use in China, 2 have been listed as controlled by international conventions, and 12 have been withdrawn from registration and banned in some countries.

It should be noted that at present, some highly toxic pesticides are still difficult to find in the short term ideal alternative varieties, if completely banned, it may affect agricultural production. Therefore, this time is not completely disabled. However, for those highly toxic pesticides that do not have an ideal substitute or have a social impact after they are banned, we will continue to conduct scientific demonstrations and socio-economic impact assessments. We will start the disablement process in accordance with the principles of maturity and disabling one.

Reporter: How was the specific ban for this program used?

Li Wenxing: In order to formulate this ban, we have conducted careful research and scientific argumentation.

First of all, we thoroughly cleaned up the highly toxic pesticides, and basically grasped the information on the 22 highly toxic pesticides currently registered for use.

Second, we also conducted a banned feasibility study. Basically grasping the current situation of production and use of highly toxic pesticides in China and the management of high-toxicity pesticides in foreign countries, we conducted a scientific and objective analysis of the necessity, feasibility, and banned risks of bans, and proposed the banned principles, goals, and implementation. Steps and countermeasures

Again, we have widely solicited opinions on this ban. We held many seminars on the management of highly toxic pesticides attended by pesticide management, environmental protection, agricultural technology promotion, grassroots pesticide use departments, and experts of relevant research institutes and some enterprises, and organized relevant personnel to conduct in-depth pesticide production and use of large provinces for field research. It will also disable the draft of the draft plan and issue it to local authorities and related departments to solicit opinions widely.

Finally, the program passed the review of the National Pesticide Registration Review Committee. We separately submitted the seventh and the ninth plenary session of the Eighth National Pesticide Registration Review Committee for the deliberation of the overall implementation plan and the recent prohibition with specific measures. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, submitted to the State Council the "Work Program for the Elimination and Ban of High-toxicity Pesticides."

Reporter: What measures will be taken next to implement the prohibition and restriction program?

Li Wenxing: Not long ago, five departments including the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposed three specific measures.

First, since June 15, 2011, the acceptance of ***, ****, *****, calcium phosphide, magnesium phosphide, zinc phosphide, *phosphorus, ***, ** *, ****, chlorpyrifos, ***, methylisotriphos, ***, methomyl, ***, ***, aluminum phosphide, oxygen **, ****, 22 kinds of pesticides including methyl bromide, *dan, etc. added field trial applications, registration applications, and production license applications; stopped the approval of new registration certificates and pesticide production licenses (production approval documents) containing the above pesticides.

The second is that since June 15, 2011, the decommissioning of oxygen, the **** in the citrus trees, the dicamba in citrus trees, apple trees, tea trees, cruciferous vegetables, * phosphorus in citrus trees, cucumbers, * Registration of Dan in apple trees, tea trees, and methyl bromide in strawberries and cucumbers. The labels of products that have been produced prior to the publication of this announcement may not be changed, but may not be used on crops that have been deregistered.

The third is from October 31, 2011, withdrawn (withdrawn) ***, ****, *****, calcium phosphide, magnesium phosphide, zinc phosphide, * line phosphorus, ***, Registration certificates and production licenses (production approval documents) for 10 kinds of pesticides such as *** and **** were stopped and production was stopped. Since October 31, 2013, sales and use ceased.

Most pesticide companies in China are small and scattered, and the prohibition of highly toxic pesticides is conducive to industrial restructuring. The picture shows a company's production workshop.

Encourage production enterprises to switch production: What is the current situation of production of highly toxic pesticides in China?

Zhang Wenming: Since the 1980s, China has banned the production and use of organic chlorine pesticides such as pesticides. So far, we have banned 23 kinds of highly toxic and high-risk pesticides including *** and other 5 highly toxic pesticides, and restricted the use of 19 kinds of pesticides in crops such as vegetables and fruits. The current situation is that in addition to biological pesticides and pesticides, there are 22 kinds of highly toxic pesticides produced in China. Most of the 22 high-toxicity pesticides are insecticides. There are more than 400 enterprises involved and more than 900 products, because some have made different types of preparations and are mainly used to control underground pests and storage pests. We also made relevant statistics. The current production capacity of these 22 highly toxic pesticides is 104,000 tons (or 100 percent, the same below). The annual output is about 50,000 tons, accounting for about 2.5% of the country's total pesticide production.

Reporter: After restricting the use of these highly toxic pesticides, what impact will it have on pesticide production enterprises?

Zhang Wenming: The prohibition of use of highly toxic pesticides does have a greater impact on production companies. According to our statistics, most companies that produce highly toxic pesticides are relatively long-established enterprises, most of which are state-owned enterprises. The problem of workers in state-owned enterprises is relatively large, and the production and operation of enterprises are more difficult.

Reporter: How can this effect be minimized?

Zhang Wenming: For the difficulties of enterprises, the state will give a certain amount of financial assistance at the central level. As far as I know, in this regard, relevant departments such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology are actively striving to provide some support to the existing high-toxic pesticide production enterprises in the national fiscal policy. In addition, the National Development and Reform Commission has also targeted the highly toxic pesticide production enterprises in the past few years to support them in converting production and launching new projects. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture also has some support for the replacement of highly toxic pesticides. In fact, in the past when banned five kinds of highly toxic pesticides such as ***, whether it is industrial replacement and replacement of the enterprise, or alternative varieties in the use of agriculture, the central government has given some support. This ban will also have relevant supporting support policies.

Reporter: What direction does the government encourage companies to transfer?

Zhang Wenming: It is low toxicity, high efficiency and green. For example, we have been encouraging the development of safe and low-toxic biological pesticides. In recent years, the development of our country's biological pesticides and environmentally-friendly pesticides has been rapid, and the number of environmentally-friendly products added in the past three years is the sum before. In order to implement the ban on the use of highly toxic pesticides, the Ministry of Agriculture will also issue a regulation encouraging the registration of biological pesticides and give preferential policies, such as increasing support for its registration and shortening its registration time. The purpose is to encourage and develop safe and environmentally friendly pesticides.

Pesticide is a double-edged sword reporter: At present, many agricultural product quality and safety incidents are caused by the illegal use of highly toxic pesticides. For this reason, some people even proposed not to use pesticides. What do you think about this?

Li Wenxing: Pesticide is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can prevent and treat pests and diseases and ensure the safety of agricultural production. On the other hand, if it is used improperly, it can easily cause excessive pesticide residues, which may lead to agricultural product quality and safety accidents.

However, ensuring the safety of agricultural production is inseparable from pesticides. China is a country where pests, diseases, pests and rats are relatively serious. The chemical control technology mainly based on spraying pesticides is still the main means for the prevention and control of pests and diseases. According to estimates by relevant experts, the annual loss of grain recovered through the control of pests and diseases accounts for 15% to 20% of the total output. This proves that it is still necessary to use pesticides to ensure food security and agricultural production safety. Moreover, at present, pesticides used in agricultural production in China have been rigorously demonstrated by relevant departments before being put into production and use, and are generally safe.

Reporter: Then, how to ensure that the prohibition of highly toxic pesticides is put in place with management measures in place so that pesticides can function better?

Li Wenxing: From the perspective of the duties of the agricultural sector, we will do the following work well.

The first is to strengthen communication and collaboration among departments. The elimination and prohibition of highly toxic pesticides involves multiple links such as pesticide registration, production, operation and use. We will jointly research and implement relevant supporting measures, in particular, strengthen the communication and coordination with high-toxic pesticide production companies, and resolve possible contradictions and problems in a timely manner.

The second is to encourage production enterprises to change production and substitute varieties for research and development. On the basis of making full use of the country’s existing policy resources, encourage and guide high-toxic pesticide production enterprises to change their development methods and business concepts and achieve a smooth transition to production. We will improve the registration and production licensing policies, and accelerate the registration of substitute products and the approval process for production licenses.

The third is to encourage the use of alternative products. For the registered pesticide products, we will organize the screening of a group of highly toxic pesticide alternatives, and promptly publish the guidance catalog for pesticide pest control and prevention of crops. In addition, we will also carry out subsidy demonstration work on the use of low-toxicity and biological pesticides to encourage farmers to guide the purchase and use of efficient and safe alternative products.

The fourth is to further strengthen supervision of the highly toxic pesticide market. In the future, the government will establish a departmental linkage mechanism to severely crack down on illegal production and sales of highly toxic pesticides. We will also implement a high-toxicity pesticide fixed-point operating system in key prefecture-producing areas, implement real-name drug purchases, and establish records on sales of highly toxic pesticides.

Reporter: In terms of pesticide supervision, what measures will the government introduce in the future?

Li Wenxing: We are negotiating with related departments to strive to increase the pesticide business license in the revision of the "Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides," and at the same time to implement high-toxicity pesticides fixed-point operations in key counties in the regions with superior vegetable production areas, and to strengthen the sales of highly toxic pesticides in the business sector. Disable management. In the use of this link, we are now vigorously promoting the implementation of specialized unified defense, that is, specialized people and specialized agencies engaged in specialized pest control work. Professional anti-rule organizations can avoid the use of fake pesticides, at the same time reduce the use of pesticides, improve the utilization of pesticides, targeted pest control. In addition, we started piloting low-toxicity bio-pesticides demonstration and promotion in 8 provinces (cities) such as Beijing and Shandong this year to encourage farmers to purchase and use efficient, safe, low-toxic pesticides and bio-pesticides to increase low-toxicity and bio-pesticides. Utilization rate in agricultural production.

In recent years, China has increased the management of highly toxic pesticides. The picture shows that the industrial and commercial departments in a certain place in Shandong are inspecting highly toxic pesticides.