National Environmental (Chemicals and Pesticides) Regulations, Statutory Instrument no. 92 of 2023.

These Regulations, made under provisions of section 34 of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Establishment) (Amendment) Act 2007, apply to: restricted or banned chemicals and pesticides; storage, usage, and marketing of chemicals, pesticides and other agrochemicals; import and export of these substances; manufacture and import, of Mercury-Added Products (MAPs) and paints. The objectives of these Regulations are: protecting human health and environment from the harmful effect of chemicals, pesticides and other agrochemicals; contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture and the conservation of the environment; ensuring an Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of chemical and pesticides within their life cycle for the protection of human health and environment; supporting and strengthening the implementation of chemicals related international conventions and agreements; enforcing the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade; enforcing the ban on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); controlling the transboundary movement of chemicals, pesticides, agrochemicals, wastes and their disposal; minimising pollution arising from the manufacture, use and disposal of Mercury-added products, and enforcing ban on these products; reducing Mercury emissions; promoting public information and education on Mercury hazards; eliminating the use of paints and coatings containing added lead compounds; providing standardised warning labels for all paints and other coating products to better inform consumers and workers of the hazards of lead exposure from paint products; preventing and reducing adverse effects of chemicals and pesticides.
Matters covered by these Regulations include: classification of chemicals and pesticides as hazardous substances; banned and restricted chemicals and pesticides; hazarding signs and labelling requirements; handling and treatment of hazardous substances and their residues; transportation clearance and requirements; storage and safe use of hazardous substances; chemical waste classification and labelling, and recycling of waste; registration of chemicals and pesticides and issuance of clearance; testing of pesticides; control of levels of lead in paints and coatings; drafting of an emergency preparedness and response plan; general code of practice for a safe use of pesticides and other agrochemicals; enforcement notice and powers of the competent Agency; offences and penalties.