Imports and exports of toxic chemicals or precursors

(1) Except with the consent of the Minister, the importation into and exportation from Belize of any toxic chemical or precursor listed in Schedule I, II or III of the Annex on Chemicals to the Convention is hereby prohibited. (2) Schedule I chemicals shall only be produced, acquired, retained, or used with the consent of the Minister and for research, medical, pharmaceutical or protective purposes. (3) Except with the consent of the Minister, no person shall– (a) produce, process or consume more than 1 kilogram of a Schedule II A* chemical per year and onus for purposes not prohibited under the Convention; or (b) produce, process or consume more than 100 kilograms of any other Schedule IIA chemical per year and only for purposes not prohibited under the Convention; or (c) subject to subsection (4) of this section, produce, process or consume more than 1 tonne of a Schedule IIB chemical per year and only for purposes not prohibited under the Convention; or (d) subject to sub-section (4), produce more than 30 tonnes of a Schedule 3 chemical per year and only for purposes not prohibited under the Convention; or (e) subject to sub-section (4), produce by synthesis more than 200 tonnes of 13 unscheduled discrete organic chemicals or more than 30 tonnes of an un-scheduled discrete organic chemical containing the elements phosphorous, sulfur or fluorine. (4) The consent of the Minister shall not be required for, as the case may be, the production, processing or consumption of mixtures of chemicals containing 30 per cent or less of a Schedule IIB chemical or a Schedule III chemical. (5) In determining whether or not to give consent under this section, the Minister shall be guided by Parts VI to IX of the Verification Annex to the Convention. (6) Every person commits an offence who undertakes any activity in contravention of this section or without the consent of the Minister and is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to a fine of fifty thousand dollars.