Pesticides Awareness Week 2013

The Ministry of Agriculture, Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board will be celebrating Pesticides Awareness Week, 2013 under the theme "Store Wise – Save Lives" from the 27th Oct. – 2nd Nov., 2013. The Board which monitors the import, distribution, vending, use, storage and disposal of pesticides in Guyana will be carrying out numerous activities during the week to raise awareness about this unique group of chemicals. (See Schedule here)

Activities during the week will focus on pesticides storage practices and how important proper storage is to pesticides users and the general public. Improper storage of pesticides can lead to pesticides fires, spills and accidental poisonings such as suicide. Pesticides are the only toxic substances released intentionally into our environment to kill living things. This includes substances that kill weeds (herbicides), insects (insecticides), fungus (fungicides), rodents (rodenticides), and others.

The use of toxic pesticides to manage pest problems has become a common practice around the world. Pesticides are used almost everywhere -- not only in agricultural fields, but also in homes, parks, schools, buildings, forests, and roads. It is difficult to find somewhere where pesticides aren't used -- from the can of bug spray under the kitchen sink to the airplane crop dusting acres of farmland; our world is filled with pesticides. Read more