Chemical maker denies its product hazardous

Chemical maker denies its product hazardous

JAKARTA (JP): A director of a local firm, PT Zeneca, denied
yesterday that its products were hazardous to users and the
environment.

The company's director, Michael Pragnell, told journalists
that para-col and gramozone, types of weed killer, were produced
to help support the government's program on food self-
sufficiency.

Pragnell denied news reports that PT Zeneca's products were
dangerous to consumers, saying that the factory had informed and
even trained farmers on how to use the weed killers properly.

He said his company has worked closely with government
officials regarding the company's products and broader of use of
weed killers for boosting the country's agricultural output.

PT Zeneca, which operates in the West Java village of Gunung
Putri, Bogor, yesterday donated a number of school facilities to
a government-run elementary school as a mark of its participation
in encouraging public awareness of the environment.

Industries producing weed killers in Indonesia are subject to
conducting continual research on the products to ensure that the
chemical output is environmentally friendly. (03)