PENANG, Malaysia – PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP) today renewed its call for authorities to more tightly regulate agrochemicals and ban the highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) amid reports of pesticide poisoning in Siputeh, Batu Gajah in Ipoh. Thirty seven people, aged two to 71, were rushed to the hospital – with four in critical condition – after eating food apparently contaminated with the pesticides from carbamate group from a local stall last 4 March. Weedicides were also traced near the premises.
On the day before the official opening of the seventh session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC7) for the international Minamata Convention, IPEN hosted a side event in the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center, Dead Sea, Jordan. This side event highlighted the latest developments in the guidance for mercury-contaminated site identification, characterization and remediation, and addressed issues of relevance to Article 12 of the Convention and the urgent need to prioritize action to clean-up mercury hot spots. In addition, there was discussion about the challenges involved in the remediation of ASGM sites, as well as industrial and legacy sites, with a particular focus on the public health implications of inaction.
