Abu Dhabi Moves To Keep Tabs On Pest Control Firms
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Date:
Mon, 9 Dec 2002 08:55:45 -0500
From:
Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide
Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Abu Dhabi moves to keep tabs on pest control firms
Abu Dhabi | By A Staff Reporter | 09/12/2002
The Public Health Department of the Abu Dhabi Municipality will keep a record of pest control companies as there are reports that some companies are employing unskilled labourers who may misuse pesticides and endanger public health.
Abdullah Al Ansari, Director of the department, said the municipality will implement the clause in Article No. 2 for 1999 that concerns human safety and agricultural environment, authorising the department to set rules to organise practices of pest control companies.
According to these rules, pest control companies must not use pesticides other than the brands recognised by the municipality. Workers must be supervised by a skilled technical supervisor.
All pesticides must be kept in designated stores in the company. The company must keep a record of the quantities of pesticides in the stores and quantities used. These records must be produced for the municipality inspectors upon request.
Companies will also be ordered to keep empty packages of pesticides and hand them over to the department. Workers intending to join pest control companies will be tested by the municipality to determine whether he is qualified for the job.
Engineer Hassan Mare Al Katheri, Chairman of Emirates Society for Consumers Protection, called for the activation of legislation concerning pest control.
He said pest control firms must be placed under supervision to protect residents. He called upon the public to combat pests by keeping their homes clean and reducing the use of pesticides and insecticides.
Pest control companies' owners have denied accusations that their companies are causing public health hazards. They maintain that they are fully following the public health rules.
A company owner explained that his company uses a number of pesticides and their effectiveness varies according to the type of pests to be exterminated. He conceded that pesticides can pose health hazards if the workers are unskilled and exposed to chemicals for lengthy periods.
There have been reports of companies employing cheap and unskilled workers in an effort to increase profit.
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