Pesticides News No 34
The Journal of the Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK]
An international perspective on the health and environmental effects of pesticides
Quarterly/December 1996

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Editorial 2

News
Conservationists against ivermectin in salmon farming 3
Members of Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link (SWCL) have appealed to Michael Forsyth the Secretary of State for Scotland to reverse a decision to allow the use of ivermectin to control sea lice on salmon farms. Alison Ross reports on calls to tighten environmental standards in the salmon industry and to address its increasingly intensive operations.

Features
From the Gulf War to sheep dips-more evidence against OPs  4
Elizabeth Sigmund of the OP Information Network looks at current concerns about organophosphate (OP) insecticides in light of the revelations about human exposure in the Gulf War and how new research links more adverse health effects to OP exposure. This overview of OP issues complements our OP fact sheet (see pages 20­21).

Pesticide reduction
Sweden's reduced risk pesticide policy  6
Ten years on, Anders Emmerman reports on the successes of the Swedish programme to reduce the risks associated with pesticides. As it nears its final stages, he sets out the policy initiatives which will take Swedish Agriculture to the year 2000 and beyond.

Measures to cut Danish fungicide use  7
In December 1986, the Ministry of Environment adopted a pesticide action plan because of growing concerns about the environmental effects of pesticides. Lise Nistrup Jørgensen examines the impact of this plan on the levels of fungicide use in Denmark.

Disposal
Disposal of obsolete pesticides-where the action is heading 8
Over 100,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticides in non-OECD countries need to be disposed of. Until solutions are found and implemented these pesticides threaten the health of local residents and their environment. In many cases the pesticides have already leaked into the soil and even into water sources. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has taken the lead in evaluating the problem and developing solutions. Mark Davis reports on these technical and financial issues which can only be solved with the co-operation of a wide range of organisations, from industry to NGOs.

Genetic engineering
Re-engineering soya-wider implications of the Roundup Ready Soybean  10
The recent arrival of genetically engineered herbicide resistant soybeans from the US has caused considerable world-wide controversy. Julie Sheppard provides a consumer perspective on the likely implications of this development.

Green parks
Raising Green Flags  11
Next summer up to 50 English public parks will be awarded the first Green Flag Park Awards. Mark Davis reports that the awards will be made in recognition of high standards of environmental protection and enhancement. They will also take account of community involvement and the quality of landscapes.

Sustainable agriculture
Cuba-the organic revolution 12
The impact of the collapse of the USSR spread waves across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, when almost overnight, Cuba lost its most significant trading partner.  Cuban agriculture was primarily large scale, input intensive monoculture. When the trade relationship with the USSR was severed in 1990, pesticide imports dropped by more than 60% and fertilisers by 77%. Barbara Dinham reports on the transformation that has occurred since. Cuba now has now adopted organic agriculture as part of its official policy, and there is a much increased reliance on biological control.

The technology is not the point  14
This article by Geoff Tansey discusses who has the most power over food production, and the implications for consumers

World Food Summit-a slow path to food security  15
After a year of intensive negotiations political leaders met in Rome to attend the World Food Summit from 13-17 November, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). However the real negotiations had been completed two weeks earlier when the text of the Declaration and Plan of Action was agreed by negotiating teams. Little was left to Heads of State but to make statements of support and while governments could have used the opportunity to make known their own strong pledges and strategies to end hunger, few did so. Barbara Dinham reports on the Summit for the Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK].

Health 16-17
Bhopal: an industrially induced epidemic-new medical report
To coincide with the twelfth anniversary of the Bhopal leak of deadly methyl isocyanate from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in December 1984, the International Medical Commission on Bhopal (IMCB) is releasing its final evaluation of the survivors.

Latest occupational health research
The International Congress of Occupational Health (ICOH) takes place every three years. It is the primary meeting for occupational health practitioners and researchers, providing them with a forum for delivering details of their latest work. This year's conference was held in Sweden and attracted over 3,000 delegates and included over 1,000 oral presentations. Dr Leslie London of Cape Town University attended the Congress and reports back, summarising some of the main health findings relating to pesticides

News
Bias at International Programme on Chemical Safety?  9
An international group of 80 unions, environmentalists and scientists has questioned the independence of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) in the form of an open letter to Dr Mercier, the Director-General of IPCS.

Genetically engineered food-a review for consumers  11

International news 18
Pesticide use in China-a health and safety concern
In November, the UK Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) held a conference addressing the problems and challenges facing Chinese agriculture with particular reference to pesticide use.

Small doses 19

Pesticides in court 19

Fact sheet 20
Organophosphate insecticides

Book reviews and resources 22-23