City urges locals to be careful when handing hazardous household products
In the event of suspected poisoning, call the 24-hour Poison Help line at 0861 555 777 to be connected to a poison expert.
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has cautioned parents and guardians to be careful when handling hazardous household chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides.
This is after the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) recorded a concerning number of food poisoning incidents.
CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said most cases of food poisoning in children when traced back indicated exposure or contact with pesticides and herbicides.
ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni invests R 9-million in the local economy
“Pest poison and herbicides are amongst the hazardous substances that people have in their households and may result in poisoning in children because of inadequate storage,” said Dlamini.
“We plead with residents to store them out of reach of minors, keep them in their original package, and refrain from storing them in soft drink bottles or other containers as children or others may mistake them for food.”
The city’s environmental health practitioners provide education and awareness on the safe handling and storage of chemicals, and encourage residents to:
• Store pesticides in their original containers with the label, which lists directions for use, ingredients, and first aid steps in case of accidental poisoning.
• Use child-resistant packaging correctly by closing the container tightly and keeping it out of children’s reach.
• Never reuse empty pesticide containers and never pour pesticides down the sink, toilet, or sewer lines.
In the event of suspected poisoning, immediately call the 24-hour Poison Help line at 0861 555 777 to be connected to a poison expert.
