View source for Biology:Toxicity label

{{short description|Labels on pesticide containers}}
{{Infobox certification mark
| name           = Toxicity labels
| image          = [[File:Toxicity labels.svg|180px|]]
| caption        = Red, yellow, blue and green labels.
| expansion      = 
| agency         = 
| region         = India
| founded        = 1971
| defunct        = 
| predecessor    = 
| successor      = 
| products       = [[Biology:Pesticide|Pesticide]]s
| type           = 
| legalstatus    = Mandatory
| mandatorysince = 1971
| homepage       = 
}}

'''Toxicity labels'''<ref name="tribune">[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030331/agro.htm The Tribune. 'Knowing labels can save lives' by Divender Gupta.]</ref> viz; '''red label''', '''yellow label''', '''blue label''' and '''green label''' are mandatory labels employed on [[Biology:Pesticide|pesticide]] containers in India identifying the level of [[Medicine:Toxicity|toxicity]] (that is, the [[Biology:Toxicity class|toxicity class]]) of the contained pesticide.<ref name="tribune" /><ref name="substitutes">{{Cite web |url=http://expressbuzz.com/topic/list-of-substitutes-issued-for-banned-pesticides/275148.html |title=ExpressBuzz. 'List of substitutes issued for banned pesticides'. |access-date=2012-01-10 |archive-date=2016-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624151308/http://expressbuzz.com/topic/list-of-substitutes-issued-for-banned-pesticides/275148.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article2142339.ece The Hindu. 'Chemicals safe, says Rubber Board'.]</ref> The schemes follows from the ''Insecticides Act'' of 1968<ref name="tribune" /> and the ''Insecticides Rules'' of 1971.

The labeling follows a general scheme as laid down in the ''Insecticides Rules, 1971'', and contains information such as brand name, name of manufacturer, name of the antidote in case of accidental consumption etc. A major aspect of the label is a color mark which represents the toxicity of the material by a color code. Thus the labelling scheme proposes four different colour labels: viz red, yellow, blue, and green.<ref>[http://ppqs.gov.in/sites/default/files/insecticides_rules_1971.pdf Central Insecticides Board. Insecticides Rules, 1971.]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align: center" | Label
! style="text-align: center" colspan=2 | Name
! style="text-align: center" | Level of toxicity
! style="text-align: center" | Oral [[Chemistry:Lethal dose|lethal dose]] (mg/kg)
! style="text-align: center" | Listed chemicals
|-
| [[File:Red toxicity label indicating "Highly Toxic" substance SVG.svg|80px]]
| bgcolor="red" | || Red label
| Extremely toxic
| 1–50
| [[Chemistry:Monocrotophos|Monocrotophos]], [[Chemistry:Zinc phosphide|zinc phosphide]], ethyl mercury acetate, and others.
|-
| [[File:Yellow toxicity label.svg|80px]]
| bgcolor="yellow" | || Yellow label
| Highly toxic
| 51–500
| [[Chemistry:Endosulfan|Endosulfan]], [[Chemistry:Carbaryl|carbaryl]],<ref name="substitutes" /> [[Chemistry:Quinalphos|quinalphos]],<ref name="substitutes" /> and others.
|-
| [[File:Blue toxicity label.svg|80px]]
| bgcolor="blue" | || Blue label
| Moderately toxic
| 501–5000
| [[Chemistry:Malathion|Malathion]], [[Chemistry:Thiram|thiram]], [[Chemistry:Glyphosate|glyphosate]],<ref name="substitutes" /> and others.
|-
| [[File:Green toxicity label.svg|80px]]
| bgcolor="green" | || Green label
| Slightly toxic 
| > 5000
| [[Chemistry:Mancozeb|Mancozeb]], [[Chemistry:Oxyfluorfen|oxyfluorfen]], mosquito repellant oils and liquids, and most other household insecticides.
|}

The toxicity classification applies only to pesticides which are allowed to be sold in India. Some of the classified pesticides may be banned in some states of India, by decision of the state governments. Some of the red-label and yellow-label pesticides were banned in the state of Kerala following the [[Chemistry:Endosulfan|Endosulfan]] protests of 2011.<ref name="substitutes" />

== See also ==
* [[Biology:Toxicity class|Toxicity class]] listing international regulations outside India

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Chemical safety]]
[[Category:Pesticides]]

{{Sourceattribution|Toxicity label}}