Risk reduction of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Ghana

Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are of particular concern because of the serious adverse effects they can cause to human health and the environment. This report describes the HHP risk reduction process in Ghana, from identifying HHPs among the pesticide products registered in the country, to determining regulatory and non-regulatory risk mitigation measures. Of the 932 pesticide products registered in Ghana in December 2021, a total of 88 pesticide products were identified as meeting one or more of the HHP criteria, or 9.4% of the registered products. These HHP products contained 22 different active ingredients, or 9.6% of the total number of active ingredients registered. Risk mitigation measures for each of the identified HHPs were defined taking into account: the type of hazard(s) the HHPs posed, their current uses in Ghana, continued need, available alternatives and level of risk. The proposed measures ranged from the continued registration of the HPP, further restrictions of its use, partial or complete phase-out over a limited period of time, to immediate cancellation of the registration of the HHP.