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Taiwan Quick Take: New pesticide law proposed

The Council of Agriculture is working to propose an amendment to the law regulating management of insecticides to strengthen restrictions on sales of virulent pesticides as part of government efforts to prevent poisoning and suicide. According to Department of Health statistics, suicide was listed as one of the nation's top 10 causes of death over the last eight years. In 2004, using liquefied or solid poisons, including pesticides, was the third most-common method of committing suicide, the figures showed. The council began banning the production, processing, importing, sale and use of the virulent "90 percent methomyl" on Thursday, while demanding that producers of methomyl in low-concentration add dyes, bitter or stink agents, or emetics to lower the risk of misuse, officials said yesterday. The council is also working to amend the pesticides regulations to impose stricter rules on virulent insecticide buyers. Upon purchasing agricultural poison, the shopper has to inform the seller of their personal data, and the reason for purchase, the officials noted.

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