Public consultation starts on proposed regulatory framework for pesticide residues in food
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (November 13) started a public consultation on the proposed regulatory framework for pesticide residues in food.
"To better protect public health, facilitate effective regulatory control of pesticide residues in food and promote harmonisation between local and international standards, the Government proposes to introduce a new subsidiary legislation to govern pesticide residues in food in Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.
The proposed regulatory framework is summarised as follows:
- adopting the definitions of "pesticide" and other related terms from Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) – the international food standard setting authority, to demarcate the scope of control;
- adopting a "positive list" approach under which maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides, i.e. the maximum concentration of a pesticide residue (expressed as mg/kg) allowed to be found in food, are clearly specified in the legislation;
- adopting MRLs developed by Codex as the backbone, supplemented by standards of the Mainland and other major food-supplying countries;
- setting a "default value", the residue level below which is deemed to be acceptable, for pesticide residues with no MRLs specified in the subsidiary legislation;
- developing a list of "exempted substances" to allow the trade to use pesticides that are natural and the residues of which are identical to or indistinguishable from natural food components;
- adopting Codex's classification of foods; and
- granting a two-year grace period for the implementation of the subsidiary legislation.
The consultation document has been uploaded onto the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk). It can also be obtained from the following locations:
- CFS Communication Resource Unit, 8/F, Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen Street, Mongkok, Kowloon;
- District Environmental Hygiene Offices of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department; and
- District Offices of the Home Affairs Department.
"Two public consultation forums will be held for members of the trade and interested parties to express their views," the spokesman said.
Members of the public may call 2381 6096 during office hours for seat reservations. Details of the forums are as follows:
Date: December 7, 2007
Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
Date: December 18, 2007
Time: 10am to 12noon
Venue: Lecture Theatre, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
The public consultation exercise will last until January 31, 2008.
Comments in writing should be submitted to the Risk Assessment Section of the CFS by mail (43/F, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong), fax (852-2893 3547) or email (pesticide_consultation@fehd.gov.hk) by January 31, 2008. Enquiries can be made to 2867 5699.
Ends/Tuesday, November 13, 2007