WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1149/96 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Use of banned pesticides
Date: 1996-05-15
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: Greece, marketing restriction, pesticide, plant health product, toxic substance, withdrawal from the market













EUR-Lex - 91996E1149 - EN






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91996E1149

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1149/96 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Use of banned pesticides  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0033 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1149/96 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (15 May 1996)Subject: Use of banned pesticidesAccording to consumers' associations, three types of pesticide included in the list of 12 pesticides whose use is banned in the Community are regularly available in Greece, despite the ban.The products concerned are the weed-killer Paraquat, which is highly toxic, the fungicide ethylene bromide, which is carcinogenic, and the insecticide Listene, which is highly carcinogenic and which has recently been found in samples of mothers' milk in Greece.1. Is the Commission aware that the toxic products described above are in circulation in Greece and, if so, will it say what quantities have entered the Greek market since the legislation was introduced?2. Which authority is responsible for the control of these products and their withdrawal from the market in Greece?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 July 1996)One of the pesticides mentioned in the question, ethylene dibromide (1,2-dibromethane), is prohibited, as a plant protection product, throughout the Community under the provisions of Directive 79/117/EEC ((OJ L 33, 8.2.1979. )) prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances, as amended. The other two, paraquat and lindane (gamma-HCH), are not prohibited by Directive 79/117/EEC but are currently under review in the first stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC ((OJ L 230, 19.8.1991. )) concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. The review will lead to a decision on whether or not they are listed in Annex I of this Directive as active substances authorized for incorporation in plant protection products. Member States are then responsible for reviewing their national plant protection product authorizations.1. The Greek authorities have informed the Commission that ethylene dibromide was withdrawn as a plant protection product from the market by ministerial decision of 5 January 1988. However, this compound also has industrial uses (chemical and petroleum industries). As far as paraquat and lindane are concerned, the Greek authorities have informed the Commission that they are authorized in Greece as active substances of plant protection products. Information on quantities of plant protection products containing paraquat and lindane entering the Greek market is not available to the Commission. For lindane as a chemical, Eurostat data indicate that in 1992-1993-1994 Greece imported a total of 10 tonnes from Community sources and 0 tonnes from outside the Community for all uses. There are no Eurostat data for ethylene dibromide and paraquat.2. The Greek authority for the placing on the market of plant protection products, and the inspection and control of their use, is the department of pesticides of the ministry of Agriculture.