The Costa Rican College of Chemists has decided to support the government in its proposal to revise the drinking water quality regulations, including a “systematic analysis of the use of pesticides in the country”. However, it requests that the analysis be carried out by a “multi, inter, transdisciplinary and inter-institutional technical committee”. The organisation stresses in a statement.
“The College of Chemists of Costa Rica believes that a technical committee should carry out a comprehensive review of the regulations for the quality of drinking water, which should include a systematic review and analysis of the implementation of pesticides in the country, from their importation, management and regulation, to their application and final disposal of waste, taking into account technical and scientific evidence.”
It stressed that this responsibility “must include a periodic and comprehensive review of this regulation so that it is updated in accordance with new challenges” and announced that “correct application, periodic updating and other aspects will be guaranteed to ensure that the Costa Rican population has quality drinking water”.
The college hopes that the aforementioned reform will include a risk analysis to assess the vulnerability of the country’s water sources. It warned that these sources could be subject to “possible contamination with chemical substances in concentrations that pose a threat to health and the environment”.
The College of Chemists questioned the fact that a risk analysis had been carried out, but that it had not been adequately communicated so that people, communities, interest groups and institutions could understand it and make timely decisions.
