Fringe Meeting at CI World Congress 2007 Endocrine Disrupting Chemical Safety Campaign from the CSR Perspective – Safety Issues of Household Insecticide Future Actions: What will we do to ensure safety of household insecticides Ms Connie LAU Chief Executive Hong Kong Consumer Council

Introduction Pros Ample food supply Public health Cons Potential risk to Human Environment Insecticide

Pros

Ample food supply

Public health

Cons

Potential risk to

Human

Environment

Introduction Need to strike a balance Risks Benefits

Need to strike a balance

Consumer Expectation Right to safety Beyond legal requirements

Right to safety

Beyond legal requirements

Trader’s Role Registration Mosquito coils with unregistered ingredient S-2 Good example – choose environmental friendly ingredients by patented process Formulation

Registration

Mosquito coils with unregistered ingredient S-2

Good example –

choose environmental friendly ingredients by patented process

Trader’s Role Accurate Comprehensive Suitable languages Reasonable font size Symbols & Pictograms Packaging & Labelling

Accurate

Comprehensive

Suitable languages

Reasonable font size

Symbols & Pictograms

Trader’s Role Transport & Storage Appropriate Containers – Child proof caps Packaging & Labelling

Transport & Storage

Appropriate Containers – Child proof caps

Trader’s Role Usage Right product Correct dosage Safety tips Packaging & Labelling

Usage

Right product

Correct dosage

Safety tips

In case of Emergency Active ingredients Contact information Difference of life & death ! Trader’s Role Packaging & Labelling

In case of Emergency

Active ingredients

Contact information

Difference of life & death !

Trader’s Role Disposal Discourage reuse of containers Container collection schemes Packaging & Labelling

Disposal

Discourage reuse of containers

Container collection schemes

Trader’s Role Keep track of uses & problems Consider need for changes After sale services

Keep track of uses & problems

Consider need for changes

Corporate Social Responsibility Consumers’ purchase decisions affect Environment Community Voluntary code of practice International Code of Conduct on the Distribution & Use of Insecticides

Consumers’ purchase decisions affect

Environment

Community

Voluntary code of practice

International Code of Conduct on the Distribution & Use of Insecticides

Corporate Social Responsibility Improve competitiveness Build up reputation Boost investors’ confidence Benefit community

Improve competitiveness

Build up reputation

Boost investors’ confidence

Benefit community

Corporate Social Responsibility Least impact throughout full product cycle from extraction of raw materials to disposal of used products

Least impact throughout full product cycle

from extraction of raw materials

to disposal of used products

Consumer Survey in HK 78% take precautionary measures 62% don’t read labels 78% don’t know insecticides may contain endocrine disrupting chemicals

78% take precautionary measures

62% don’t read labels

78% don’t know insecticides may contain endocrine disrupting chemicals

Governments & Consumer Bodies Public Awareness Campaigns Registration system Health surveillance programs Monitor insecticide residue Establish database

Public Awareness Campaigns

Registration system

Health surveillance programs

Monitor insecticide residue

Establish database

CIKL – Leader in Asia Pacific region Enhance consumer education Establish regional database Act as regional watchdog Lobby for regulation Contribute to global research

Enhance consumer education

Establish regional database

Act as regional watchdog

Lobby for regulation

Contribute to global research

Consumers Easier to prevent than control Keep house clean Remove Moisture Food Shelter

Easier to prevent than control

Keep house clean

Remove

Moisture

Food

Shelter

Consumers Non-chemical methods Less immediate effect Longer effective period Pose lower hazard Explore alternative pest control methods

Non-chemical methods

Less immediate effect

Longer effective period

Pose lower hazard

Explore alternative pest control methods

Conclusion Safety of insecticides requires Collaborative efforts of ALL stakeholders Governments Consumer bodies Individual consumers

Safety of insecticides requires

Collaborative efforts of ALL stakeholders

Governments

Consumer bodies

Individual consumers

THANK YOU !

THANK YOU !