Rotterdam Convention

Context

International trade of two new hazardous pesticides — Iprodione and Terbufos — has been recommended for “prior informed consent” (PIC) procedure under Rotterdam convention. 

About

• The 17th meeting of the chemical review committee (CRC 17) had recommended these two pesticides for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention.
• Annex III includes pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by two or more parties. 

About Rotterdam Convention

• Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedures (PIC) entered into force in 2004.
• The Rotterdam Convention is formally known as the Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.
• It is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals.
• The convention promotes open exchange of information and calls on exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labelling, include directions on safe handling, and inform purchasers of any known restrictions or bans.
• Signatory nations can decide whether to allow or ban the importation of chemicals listed in the treaty, and exporting countries are obliged to make sure that producers within their jurisdiction comply.
• It is a legally binding instrument.
• India acceded to the Convention in 2006.
• India is a party to the convention, with 161 other parties.

Objectives

• To promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among State Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm. 
• To contribute to the environmentally sound use of these hazardous chemicals by facilitating information exchange about their characteristics, providing for a national decision making process on their import and export, and by disseminating these decisions to the Parties. 

Which are the new chemicals listed?

• Iprodione, a fungicide used on vines, fruits, trees and vegetables, has been classified as carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction.
• Terbufos is a soil insecticide used commonly on sorghum, maize, beet and potatoes. 
• It has also been found to pose risk to aquatic organisms due to its toxicity.
• Both the pesticides, which are used in agriculture, are known for their harmful impacts on human health and the environment. 
• In India, the use of these chemicals was permitted by the 2015 Anupam Verma committee report.  
• The country is among the largest exporters of Terbufos.