Pesticides Lab extends scope of GNBA certification
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Friday provided a crucial update to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Laboratory’s scope of certification. The updated scope now includes the analysis of pesticide residue in rice, a key staple and export commodity for Guyana.
A GNBS official presenting the updated certification to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Laboratory
Speaking at the certificate’s handing-over ceremony at the laboratory’s, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) location, Analytical Specialist Reshmi Bissessar said the laboratory can now reliably meet the testing needs of rice exporters and farmers for pesticide residue in rice locally. This can now be done in seven days, as compared to 45 days being taken by overseas laboratories.
Bissessar explained that the now certified residue-testing being offered by the Pesticide Lab is far more affordable, and includes testing for the residue of common chemicals such as imidacloprid, fipronil, and thiamethoxam.
The overall scope of the certification being held by the Pesticides Laboratory now covers pesticide quality analysis, physical-chemical testing for pesticides’ formulation, determination of nutrient content in fertilizers, and pesticide residue analysis.
In handing over the updated certificate, GNBS’ Technical Officer Latchman Mootoosammi congratulated the laboratory for the addition to its scope of testing, and urged the laboratory’s staff to continue to maintain the requirements stipulated under the certification programme.
Mootoosammi also encouraged the lab to utilise the other relevant services of the GNBS, and to continue to strive for continual improvement.
The GNBS certifies testing and medical laboratories to the GYS 170:2009 Standard. The Pesticides Laboratory was first certified in 2019 by the GNBS, and was re-certified in 2021 for its commitment to maintaining the requirements of the standard.
GNBS is urging other uncertified laboratories to begin to pursue certification, in order to provide those utilising their services with the assurance that they are receiving accurate and reliable results.
To initiate the process of certification, laboratories can contact the GNBS’ Certification Services Department at 219-0064-66, or e-mail [email protected] to learn more.
