The regulation of pesticides in Italy

Abstract

In July 1968 the Italian Council of Ministers examined and approved a draft of the new regulation governing the production, marketing, and sale of pesticides. This regulation, which is the result of some years’ work, was necessary, as in other countries, to meet numerous requirements. It will come into effect after it has been signed by the President of the Republic, after registration by the Audit Office and immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette. The first of the requirements in question is the need to update the relevant legislation, which is no longer in keeping with the particular biological properties of modern pesticides or with the wide use of the latter now being made in Italy (as shown in Table I), and, virtually, the opportunity of limiting and, where possible, squeezing out, by inspecting the production, marketing and purchase and by disclosing adequate information, adverse effects of any kind and, above all, those of a toxicological (e.g., acute poisoning) and sanitary nature most frequently encountered in some parts of Italy and which are largely due to the ready availability of pesticides to some people who are not sufficiently acquainted with the hazards arising out of a faulty and incautious handling and use of such substances, some of which are extremely toxic.