The Pesticides Control Board (PCB) in Malawi has suspended licences for importing aluminium phosphide, a chemical commonly used to protect harvested maize and kill rats. The decision was announced by PCB board chairperson Victor Madhlopa at a media briefing in Bvumbwe. Madhlopa cited concerns over the chemical's misuse, including its use in suicides, accidental poisoning, and occupational exposure.
According to Madhlopa, the suspension is part of a comprehensive review of the chemical's importation and distribution. The review aims to establish a strictly controlled gateway for the chemical into the country. Madhlopa stated that the chemical's application will be restricted to large-scale, authorised, and certified grain dealers who have undergone verified professional training. This move effectively ends open-market access to the chemical.
Madhlopa emphasised that aluminium phosphide is strictly banned from public sale and can only be used in sealed, professional shipping containers and warehouses. The chemical must be handled exclusively by certified experts wearing full-body hazardous material suits and specialised respirators. However, Madhlopa noted that criminal actors have been breaking open bulk packages, repackaging the poison into unlabelled plastic bags, and selling it to unsuspecting Malawians on the open market.
The PCB chairperson warned that bringing aluminium phosphide into a home is equivalent to bringing a death sentence into the household. He explained that the chemical causes severe effects, including heart destruction, systemic cellular failure, suffocation, and lung fluid. Madhlopa also warned agro-dealers and vendors that unauthorised sale, distribution, or repackaging of the pesticide is a criminal offence.
PCB registrar James Kaphale stated that the existing regulatory framework controls the importation, distribution, storage, sale, and use of aluminium phosphide. However, Kaphale expressed concerns that despite the regulatory framework, the chemical is finding its way into formal and informal markets. He noted that when a highly hazardous pesticide ends up in the hands of an unauthorised person, it poses a potential tragedy.
Kaphale highlighted Section 34 (5) (6) of the Pesticides Act, which states that no person may handle pesticides without using personal protective equipment. He emphasised that the situation cannot afford to have someone obtain the product without authorisation, have it divided into smaller quantities, and take it away without anyone knowing its origin or destination.
The Pesticides Control Board will conduct nationwide sweeps with the Malawi Police Service to enforce the suspension. Madhlopa appealed to Malawians, especially those keeping the pesticides in their homes, not to dispose of them but to wrap, keep them away from moisture, and hand them over to local agricultural extension officers or local leaders for safe disposal.
Key points
- The Pesticides Control Board has suspended import licences for aluminium phosphide due to concerns over its misuse.
- The chemical's application will be restricted to large-scale, authorised, and certified grain dealers who have undergone verified professional training.
- Unauthorised sale, distribution, or repackaging of the pesticide is a criminal offence, and offenders will face enforcement action.
