Directive No. 29/1998/CT-TTg on Strengthening Management of Pesticide Use and Persistent Organic Pollutants

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Management of the Use of Pesticides

and Persistent Organic Pollutants

For a long time, our people have used pesticides in agricultural production to eliminate pests and diseases that harm crops, thereby protecting the harvest. In addition, many chemicals are also used in industry or healthcare to kill mosquitoes and prevent malaria...

Today, along with the development of various industries and agriculture, the issue of environmental pollution caused by the arbitrary use of chemicals in industry and pesticides in agriculture has become increasingly serious. The increasing use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and highly toxic pesticides has led to higher levels of residual chemical contamination in agricultural products, food, soil, water, air, and the environment. Incidents of poisoning from pesticide-contaminated food and diseases caused by environmental pollution are on the rise and have become one of the leading causes of death in our country today.

In recent years, the National Assembly, the Government, and relevant ministries and sectors have issued several regulatory legal documents in this field, including banning the circulation and use of twenty-three dangerous pesticides in Vietnam. However, the situation of arbitrary use, non-compliance with prescribed guidelines, and illegal use of these pesticides still occurs quite frequently and increasingly seriously in some provinces.

To address this situation, to strictly implement the Law on Environmental Protection and the Ordinance on Plant Quarantine and Protection, to prevent and eventually stop the illegal use of dangerous pesticides; to limit and eventually ban the use of persistent organic pollutants in agriculture, industry, and other economic sectors, the Prime Minister issues directives to ministries, sectors, and centrally-administered cities and provinces to carry out the following tasks:

I. MATTERS TO BE CONCENTRATED ON IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PESTICIDES AND PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS:

1. Prevent, inspect, and handle all organizations and individuals producing, trading, storing, transporting, and using banned dangerous pesticides. All violations must be dealt with according to the Law on Environmental Protection, Decree No. 26/CP dated April 26, 1996 on administrative penalties for environmental protection, Decree No. 78/CP dated November 29, 1996 on administrative penalties in the field of plant quarantine and protection, and related legal documents. Organizations and individuals causing damage to others due to their violations must compensate according to the law, and if severe consequences result, they will be held criminally responsible.

2. Timely and thoroughly collect all banned pesticides, proceed to process and destroy these pesticides according to the proper procedures and technology for handling hazardous waste, ensuring no environmental pollution and impact on human health. Implement measures to address environmental pollution caused by old pesticide storage facilities.

3. Strengthen propaganda and dissemination of the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and human health. Mobilize farmers to abandon the habit of arbitrarily using and carelessly discarding pesticide packaging after use, use protective equipment and clothing when spraying pesticides, and follow the correct procedures for pesticide use as stipulated by the state.

4. Prohibit the careless disposal of transformer oil, waste oil, and products containing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) into the surrounding environment, limit and eventually ban the use of industrial products containing PCBs. Strictly control to ensure that the disposal and transportation of products containing PCBs comply with environmental hygiene regulations and management rules for hazardous waste. All violations must be dealt with according to the Law on Environmental Protection, Decree No. 26/CP dated April 26, 1996 on administrative penalties for environmental protection, and related legal documents. Organizations and individuals causing damage to others due to their violations must compensate according to the law, and if severe consequences result, they will be held criminally responsible.

5. Organize the collection, processing, and destruction of sludge oil, industrial waste, and products containing PCBs according to the technological procedures for handling hazardous waste.

Chapter II. IMPLEMENTATION:

1. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

Annually promulgate and widely publicize the list of plant protection chemicals permitted for use and those prohibited from use; compile and report to the Government on the management situation of plant protection chemicals nationwide, including statistics on the quantities of prohibited plant protection chemicals still remaining in localities.

Coordinate with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, and local People's Committees in managing, inspecting, and strictly supervising production and business establishments regarding the types of plant protection chemicals permitted for production and sale, and other activities related to plant protection chemicals in accordance with the Plant Protection and Quarantine Law. Strengthen inspection efforts, promptly detect violations, and strictly handle them in all areas of activity concerning plant protection chemicals.

Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to inspect and urge localities to thoroughly collect and dispose of prohibited plant protection chemicals according to established procedures and technologies to ensure no environmental pollution or harm to human health.

Promptly supplement and amend the regulations on plant protection chemical management issued under the Plant Protection and Quarantine Law.

Coordinate with mass media agencies, professional associations, social organizations, and provincial-level city People's Committees in promoting, mobilizing, and guiding farmers to use plant protection chemicals in accordance with prescribed procedures and to fully implement labor protection measures.

2. Ministry of Industry: Lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, and provincial-level city People's Committees to develop plans to manage and strictly control the use, transportation, and disposal of industrial products containing PCBs, organize the collection and treatment of such waste in Vietnam.

3. Ministry of Health: Responsible for managing, inspecting, and supervising the production, export, import, and use of chemicals and insecticides, rodenticides, and bactericides in the medical field; coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, relevant ministries, sectors, and localities in collecting, treating, and destroying prohibited plant protection chemicals in Vietnam; regularly update information on poisoning by plant protection chemicals, study their impact on human health to effectively prevent and treat such conditions.

4. Ministry of Trade: Coordinate with the General Customs Department and relevant ministries and sectors to strengthen inspections and supervision over the export and import of plant protection chemicals generally and those prohibited in Vietnam specifically, as well as oils and industrial products containing PCBs entering Vietnam.

5. Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment: Promptly issue regulations on the management of hazardous wastes, including plant protection chemicals and PCBs; organize research, development, and guidance on implementing technological processes for the treatment and destruction of prohibited plant protection chemicals and illegally imported dangerous plant protection chemicals, oils, and industrial products containing PCBs; organize assessments of environmental pollution caused by the use of plant protection chemicals, residual levels of dangerous plant protection chemicals, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in agricultural products, food, soil, and water, and propose remedial measures. This Directive takes effect fifteen days after its issuance. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, and Chairpersons of provincial-level city People's Committees shall disseminate this Directive to units under their jurisdiction and promote it through mass media so that production and service businesses and households using plant protection chemicals, PCB-containing products, and POPs understand and strictly comply with this Directive.

This Directive takes effect fifteen days after its issuance.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, and Chairpersons of provincial-level city People's Committees shall disseminate this Directive to units under their jurisdiction and promote it through mass media so that production and service businesses and households using plant protection chemicals, PCB-containing products, and POPs understand and strictly comply with this Directive./.