What is GHS?
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was developed by the United Nations as an international system to convey the dangers and risks of chemicals in a standardised way. Labels that adhere to the new GHS have been a legal requirement in South Africa since September 2022.
The old classification system developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified agricultural remedies according to the acute oral and dermal toxicity of the active ingredient or ingredients only. The classification was indicated on the label with a colour band (red, yellow, blue or green), with pictograms providing information on the required protective overalls and general precautionary measures for storage, safe handling and application of the substance.
The GHS is a more comprehensive system and classifies agricultural remedies based on physical, health and environmental hazards of the active ingredient, as well as the inert ingredients of the formulation. Oral (through the mouth), dermal (through the skin) and inhalation exposure are considered to determine the acute toxicity. Moreover, acute toxicity is considered along with chronic toxicity. These risks are indicated on labels with pictograms, warning statements and precautionary measures. A product that is inherently hazardous, can still be used if the prescribed precautionary measures are strictly adhered to.
Implications of GHS for IPW
The Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) Scheme evaluates the environmental impact of spray programmes for herbicides, pesticides and fungicides as part of the annual self-evaluation (online) and for farm audits to determine if farms adhere to the minimum requirements to qualify for IPW certification (www.ipw.co.za). As part of the spray evaluations, every agricultural remedy registered for use on wine grapes is coded according to a series of parameters as low, medium, medium-high or high-risk products with IP codings of 1, 2, 4 and 8, respectively.
The implementation of the new GHS means that the IP coding of all registered agricultural remedies used on wine grapes, had to be revised. As the GHS risk determination includes the active ingredient, as well as the inert ingredients of the formulation, many substances now fall into a higher risk category than before.
As example, observe the extract from a well-known fungicide’s new label in Figure 1. The product was previously classified as a medium-risk product, IP coding 2 with a blue band. The warnings on the new label, however, mean that the product is now classified as high-risk with a coding of 4.
FIGURE 1. Extract from a new GHS label of a fungicide.
Representative spray programmes for weed, pest and disease control from across all the production areas were re-evaluated with the new codings. The points allocation scoring is generally higher than before, but it offers a more realistic measure of the actual risk and environmental impact of the spray programmes.
Based on the above exercise, it was decided to maintain the current cut-off points for the herbicide programme: 0 – 10 = good, 5 points; >10 – 15 = average, 3 points; >15 – 20 = average, 2 points; and >20 = poor, 0 points.
The cut-off points for the pesticide and fungicide programme were however adjusted as follows: 0 – 50 = good, 5 points; >50 – 85 = average, 3 points; >85 – 120 = average, 2 points; and >120 = poor, 0 points.
By selecting products cautiously, in consideration of the new codings, and positioning it correctly in the different stages of the growing season (leaf fall until full flowering, full flowering until harvest and harvest until leaf fall), producers will still be able to achieve the IPW pass rate comfortably.
Summary
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) classifies agricultural remedies according to the risks of the active ingredient(s), together with the inert ingredients in the formulation. Consequently, many products now fall into a higher risk category than before. Although evaluations of spray programmes for IPW now receive higher scores, producers can still achieve the IPW pass rate comfortably by carefully selecting products and timing application correctly.
For more information, contact Daniël Schietekat at IPW (daniel@wineauthority.org / 021 889 6555) or Elleunorah Allsopp, previously at ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij (allsopplola.59@gmail.com / 072 355 4231).
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