Failure
to display mandatory warning or caution on labels of pesticides product is
defined as “misbranding” under Sec 3 (k) (iii) and is liable to be prosecuted
for an offence under Sec 29 (1) (a) of the Insecticides Act, 1968.
Manner of labelling
The label
shall contain in a prominent place and occupying not less than one-sixteenth of
the total area of the face of the label, a square, set at an angle of
450 (diamond shape). The dimension of the said square shall depend on the
size of the package on which the label is to be affixed. The said square shall
be divided into two equal triangles, the upper portion shall contain the symbol
and signal word specified in sub-rule (4) and the lower portion shall contain
the colour specified in sub-rule (5).
The upper
portion of the square, referred to in sub-rule (3) shall contain the following
symbols and warning statements—
i.
Insecticides
belonging to Category I (Extremely toxic) shall contain the symbol
of a skull and cross-bones and the
word "POISON" printed in red;
The following
warning statements shall also appear on the label at appropriate place, outside
the triangle,
a. "KEEP
OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"
b. "IF SWALLOWED,
OR IF, SYMPTOMS OF POISONING OCCUR CALL
PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY";
ii. Insecticides
in Category II (highly toxic) will contain the word "POISON" printed
in red and the statement "KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"; shall
also appear on the label at appropriate place, outside the triangle,
iii. Insecticides
in Category III (moderately toxic) shall bear the word "DANGER"
and
the statement "KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN"; shall also
appear on the
label at suitable place outside the triangle;
iv. Insecticides
in Category IV (Slightly toxic) shall bear the word "CAUTION".
The lower
portion of the square referred to in sub-rule (4) shall contain the colour
specified in column (4) of the table below, depending on the classification of
the insecticides specified in the corresponding entry in column (1) of the
said table.
TABLE
|
Classification
of the
Insecticides
|
Medium
lethal dose by
the
oral route acute toxicity LD 50 mg/ kg.. body weight of test animals
|
Medium
lethal dose by the dermal route dermal toxicity LD 50 mg/kg. Body
weight of test animals
|
Colour
of identification band on the label
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
1.
Extremely toxic
|
1-50
|
1-200
|
Bright
red
|
|
2.
Highly toxic
|
51-500
|
201-2000
|
Bright
yellow
|
|
3.
Moderately toxic
|
501-5000
|
2001-20000
|
Bright
blue
|
|
4.
Slightly toxic
|
More
than 5000
|
More
than 20000
|
Bright
green
|
In
addition to the precautions to be undertaken under sub-rules (3), (4) and (5)
the label to be affixed in the package containing insecticides which are highly
inflammable shall indicate that it is inflammable or that the insecticides
should be kept away from the heat or open flame and the like.
This
information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Dr Sanjeev Kumar
Balyan in Lok Sabha today.
SS/CP
**********