Victoria is set to introduce new thresholds for storing paraquat herbicides to clarify when major hazard facility obligations are triggered. This change aligns Victoria’s threshold amounts to be equivalent to the paraquat thresholds in other jurisdictions and reflects a worrying trend on how widely paraquat is now used.
he OHS Regulations, which commenced on Tuesday 26 November implements the following changes:
- increasing the threshold quantities for materials containing paraquat dichloride; and
- specifying two different threshold quantities based on the concentration of paraquat dichloride.
- Equal to or greater than 10% concentration – 80 tonnes
- Less than 10% concentration – 200 tonnes
This change comes against a backdrop of scientific evidence linking the use of Paraquat to the development of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson’s Australia CEO Olivia Nassaris notes that paraquat has been banned in 67 countries, including the UK (despite being manufactured there), the EU and China, and urged Australia to follow suit. This comes of the back of dozens of leading neurologists and movement disorder specialists making submissions to the Australian chemical regulator calling for a ban on paraquat, over its links with Parkinson's disease.
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