The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has placed an immediate ban on the importation of the chemical substance, Malathion.
This chemical is used in many countries in the fogging of mosquitoes. It is an organophosphate insecticide which acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.
A Release from the Ministry of Agriculture says this man-made insecticide is commonly used not only to control mosquitoes but also to control a variety of insects that attack fruits, vegetables, landscaping plants and shrubs. The other insecticide used in fogging in SVG is permethrin.
The Ministry Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment (MHWE) are considering alternatives to fogging.
The Release says while fogging is an effective strategy currently used in the control of the spread of mosquitoes, the usage of Malathion has been highlighted as having a devastating impact on bees, plant pollination and consequently production and food security.
The Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar, noted that the ban on the importation of Malathion is another success in our quest to create a cleaner and healthier environment.
The ban on the usage of Malathion would become effective on December 31st, 2022.
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