Labels cause chemicals to be withdrawn

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 26

Labels cause chemicals to be withdrawn

PA Auckland Some imported garden chemicals have been withdrawn from the New Zealand market by the Ministry of Agriculture because they are incorrectly labelled.

Fisons Horticulture, part of the international Fisons Pharmaceutical company, manufactured the withdrawn pesticide products which were distributed in New Zealand by Burnet’s Horticulture. A moss killer/fertiliser mix called Mosskill Extra and a herbicide/fertiliser mix, Evergreen Extra, have been taken off the market. The manager, of Burnet’s Horticulture, Mr Brian Dunbier, said a company error caused the Ministry to stop the supply of the chemicals. "We were unaware you can’t have a product with

the words fertiliser and weedkiller on the label,” he said. Burnet’s usually dealt with liquid fertilisers and did not know the rules governing pesticides. The products would be sold under the same name once they were approved, but the description underneath — lawn fertiliser — would be changed to lawn food. The labelling change would cost the company about $lO,OOO, Mr Dunbier said. “All pesticides have got to be registered, it doesn’t matter what it is,” a scientist at the Ministry of

Agriculture, Mr Adrian Foley said. Labelling provisions were also enforced by the Ministry. The Fisons chemicals were now before the registration board, Mr . Foley said. The application would be considered in the next couple of months and the products were unlikely to be turned down. A Brazilian Ministry, of Agriculture staff member, Mr Dirceu Gassen, told “The Press” this week that he was shocked pesticides were still being sold in some Christchurch supermarkets.