BANGKOK, Nov 29 (TNA) – Chair of the Pharmacy Council of Thailand announced her resignation from the National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC) on her Facebook, citing that there was no consensus on the NHSC’s decision to delay farm chemical ban.
Asst Prof Jiraporn Limpananond, a member of the NHSC said she would submit an official resignation letter on Friday.
She said committee members were not asked to vote on each point during the Wednesday’s meeting but were assumed to have accepted the resolution in general.
She maintained her stance during the panel’s discussion to support the earlier NHSC resolution on Oct 22 to ban the three farm chemicals – paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate, effective from Dec 1.
If put into effect, the substances would be upgraded from Type 3 toxic substances to Type 4, which prohibit their production, import, export or possession.
Her comment contradicted the statement of NHSC chair and Industry Ministry, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, who said that during the meeting he had asked if any member opposed any point of the decision.
Jiraporn also argued against the NHSC statement that glyphosate was not hazardous. She said she and other members had discussed the chemical’s impacts on people’s health, failure to manage risks on consumers and contamination in environment.
The NHSC resolved on Nov 27 to postpone its ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos for six months from Dec 1 to June 1 next year and limit the use of glyphosate.
Suriya, chair of the committee said the panel took into consideration information and exchange opinions before making the unanimous decision. (TNA)
