International code of conduct on pesticide management: guidance on good labelling practice for pesticides, 2nd revision

Overview

This document provides guidance on defining or revising national pesticide labelling requirements and on reviewing the design and content of pesticide labels. The guidance is designed for use primarily by government pesticide regulatory and registration authorities in low- and middle-income countries but may also be useful for the pesticide industry, nongovernmental organizations and other relevant entities in writing, evaluating or understanding pesticide labels. After a review of the main objectives and considerations with respect to pesticide labelling and a brief introduction to the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), the document provides practical information on all the elements that appear on a pesticide label, including the design, style and content. It also discusses hazard or risk classifications of a product and underlines the importance of providing complementary information and training.

The guidance was prepared in compliance with the FAO/WHO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management, which sets out a framework and voluntary standards of conduct for pesticide management stakeholders, in particular governments and the pesticide industry. Endorsed by FAO, WHO, governments, pesticide producers, nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders, the Code of Conduct outlines their shared responsibility to promote best practice and risk reduction throughout the pesticide life cycle. The Code of Conduct thereby establishes the commitment and moral obligation of stakeholders to comply with the agreed standards of conduct and to assume their respective responsibilities. These include governments’ responsibility to promote pesticide risk reduction and the industry’s responsibility to produce products that are adapted to the context of their use and to provide stewardship of those products throughout their life cycle.

This guidance was prepared with the support of the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management (JMPM) to provide further guidance on the provisions of the Code of Conduct that are related to pesticide labelling. It reflects the joint FAO/WHO approach to pesticide management, thus addressing labelling in both agricultural and public health settings. An overview of the most relevant provisions of the Code of Conduct related to pesticide labelling is given in section 1.5