Consultation on Pesticides Regulations

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs have launched a public consultation on Pesticides Regulations – an initiative announced in the Speech from the Throne in November 2022. 

Although pesticides are beneficial in many ways, their misuse can have negative impacts on the environment and public health. Bermuda’s environment is particularly vulnerable to damage from pesticides. Bermuda is one of the most densely populated countries on the planet with rainwater harvesting for drinking water. Pesticides Regulations tailored to the specific risks that are posed are a sensible approach. 

The proposed Pesticides Regulations will bring into force the Pesticides Safety Act 2009 and intend to increase the safety of pesticides use in Bermuda from a human health and environmental perspective. 

The scope for making Regulations under the Pesticides Safety Act 2009 is wide. It can encompass, but is not limited to, rules for the importation, sale, use and disposal of pesticides locally. Because existing resources do not allow new Regulations for every aspect of pesticide controls to be implemented together, and because some aspects of pesticides are already being regulated by other laws (e.g., Agriculture Act – importation of agricultural, horticultural or home garden products; Fumigation Control Act – tent fumigation and licensing of pest control businesses) the chosen approach is to prioritize work on the most important one or two sets of Regulations at this time. 

The consultation is expected to yield feedback to inform the priority for Regulation making and the final shape of the Regulations. 

Please click on the PDFs below to access the Pesticides Safety Act 2009 and a consultation document which provides an overview of the background and the objectives. 

• Pesticides Safety Act 2009 
• Consultation document 

Please respond to the prioritization survey at this link to indicate your priority areas for Regulations and to sign up for focus group participation: https://forms.gle/RaoHZZFUUpsubok17 

Further, please respond to the following questions: 

Scope: Does Bermuda require an entirely new pesticides control regime or should existing laws be used alongside new Pesticides Regulations to close critical gaps in controls? Please provide your rationale. 

Accountability: What specific provisions should be included in the Pesticides Regulations to ensure transparency and accountability in the pesticide industry, including enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance? 

Capacity building: What mechanisms can be implemented to facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building among stakeholders, including training programs and educational resources, to promote the safe and responsible use of pesticides in Bermuda? 

IPM: How can the Pesticides Regulations be designed to encourage the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices, which prioritize non-chemical pest control methods and minimize the use of pesticides, while ensuring the effectiveness of pest management strategies in Bermuda's unique context? 

Timeline: The timeline for this consultation is as follows: 

Phase 1 – Online prioritization questionnaire & comments on Bermuda Citizens Forum (28 June 2024 – 4 August 2024) 

Phase 2 – Questionnaire results and Forum comments compiled (5 August 2024 – 18 August 2024) and published (https://www.gov.bm/health-public-consultations) 

Phase 3 – Online focus groups by stakeholder groups as follows (19 August 2024 – 6 September 2024) 

• General Public (19 August 2024) 
• Regulators, e.g., Dept of Health, Dept of Environment, Public Works, HM Customs (21 August 2024) 
• Retailers (23 August 2024) 
• NGOs (26 August 2024)  
• Government of Bermuda users and applicators (28 August 2024) 
• Pest Control / Structural Pest Control Businesses (30 August 2024) 
• Golf Courses & Landscapers (2 September 2024) 
• Farmers (4 September 2024) 

Phase 4 – Final consultation report compiled (9 September 2024 – 22 September 2024) and published online with recommendations (https://www.gov.bm/health-public-consultations)