DPP PROTESTS OVER LOOSENING PESTICIDE RESIDUE ALLOWANCE |放寬農藥殘留標準 綠委籲食藥署再議

The Food and Drugs Administration's announcement last week to loosen the maximum amount of pesticide residue allowed on fresh produce has led to a backlash from DPP lawmakers. At a press conference yesterday, the DPP legislative caucus lambasted the move and demanded that it be undone. ==DPP LAWMAKERS== No Yield to Food Safety! No Relaxation of Regulation! On March 24, 7 DPP legislators held a press conference to protest TFDA's relaxation of MRLs including the most popular pesticide Dimethomorph. They asked TFDA to recall the amendments on the MRLs of pesticides on 128 categories of vegetables and fruits. Some legislators worried that people might consume pesticides when having a salad. ==HUANG HSIU-FANG DPP Legislator== Take lettuce for example, we can't avoid it when eating salad, neither can any breakfast shops. In addition, the amendment added the MRL for Fluopyram, a pesticide used for tea leaves, which was 6ppm, much higher than the EU's 0.05ppm. Some legislators criticized that Fluopyram has been found to cause Thyroid cancer and liver cancer in animal tests. Since the amendments were applied by the manufacturer of Fluopyram, TFDA and BAPHIQ are showing favor to the pesticide company. ==TSAI PEI-HUI DPP Legislator== TFDA had never communicated with farmers and consumers before updating MRLs. It's not reasonable. ==LIU TIEN-CHEN, Vice Chief Secretary, Plant Quarantine Div., BAPHIQ, COA== The limit standard of 6ppm for Fluopyram has been made after pesticide tests on tea trees in fields. The BAPHIQ emphasized, the review and relaxation on any pesticide require scientific reports of toxicology and pharmacology and have to pass risk assessments by TFDA's consultation meetings. To expel doubts, an expert meeting will be held on March 24 through live broadcasting to help the public understand the government's action about food safety. TRANSLATED BY：EMA FU