American Expatriate Costa Rica

Health alert for improper use of herbicides

Although they must be used only by professionals and for agricultural purposes, herbicides are being mishandled by some people and that is putting public health at risk. Given this situation, the Ministry of Health issued a health alert so that public institutions, private and the general population, do not use the chemicals for the control of herbs in public places, parks, cemeteries, green areas, sports fields, roads, recreational areas, houses and others.

According to this ministry, these unauthorized uses represent a high risk of exposure to the entire population since their applications are carried out outdoors, without people being aware of the risk involved in exposure to the products used.

We have responded to complaints about the use of herbicides such as glyphosate on sidewalks, even used by municipal officials. Based on this type of situation, we have turned the respective sanitary orders to prevent their misuse, giving them adequate follow-up, but we need to avoid future misuse and demonstrate their risks,”

said Eugenio Androvetto, Director of Environmental Protection Human of the Ministry of Health.

The alert bans the use of these chemicals in environments where people live, circulate, remain, or attend (homes, buildings, public and private facilities, shops, public and private vehicles, indoor and outdoor gardens, rail lines, etc.).

Pesticides for household use should be in ready-to-use presentations without requiring repackaging, diluting it with water or other solvent or mixing it with another product.

crhoy.com