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Pesticides
News No 60
The Journal of Pesticide Action Network UK
An international perspective on the health and
environmental effects of pesticides
Quarterly/June 2003
Gulf War
Protecting the troops – war and chemicals 3
Many soldiers who fought in the 1991 Gulf War are suffering from chronic health problems. The US now accepts a link with the vaccines, pesticides and other chemicals used. The British government denies a connection, but is taking more precautions after the Iraq War.
John Harvey reports.
Chemical news
The perils of paraquat - Sales targeted at developing countries 4
Paraquat is amongst the most widely used pesticides for weed control. Its adverse health effects are recognised, and industrialised countries that allow paraquat use all recommend stringent precautions. But these conditions cannot be guaranteed in developing countries. The leading manufacturer, Syngenta, now shares the market with other companies, and all target sales in Asia and Latin America, where public interest groups have called for a phase out because of health concerns.
Barbara Dinham reports.
International regulation
Cleaning up Europe – a message for developing countries
8
Industrialised countries are well placed to take early action to ban or severely restrict pesticides of concern. Europe is removing over 320 old pesticides from the market. While some have simply lapsed or been replaced by more efficient products, others have clear health and environmental problems. The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent provides an international framework for warning developing countries of these concerns.
Robin Schoeps Lewis reviews developments.
UK domestic useSomething nasty in the garden shed? 11
Health effects
A breath of fresh air? 12
Affected by chronic ill-health, Georgina Downs explains how her family’s exposure to spray drift has forced her to take up the pesticide regulation issue.
New rights 12
PAN UK has identified a number of areas of secrecy within UK pesticide
regulation. They disadvantage all of us in respect of residues and environmental
toxins, but particularly those who live near, or regularly walk over, sprayed
fields. PAN UK's new Right to Know campaign aims to establish new public
rights - see how you can help.
Toxic trespass
13
New analysis of pesticide drift indicates that hundreds of thousands of Californians are routinely exposed to concentrations of pesticides in excess of levels considered safe. These new findings challenge the inaction of regulatory authorities who are failing to protect public health.
By Roslyn Mckendry.
Pesticide use reduction
Pesticide Free Production: a tool for use reduction
14
Farmers in Canada are experimenting with a new system of managing pests that can eliminate the use of many chemicals. The system encourages those keen to farm with little or no pesticides. Farmers and university researchers are working together with federal and provincial officials to set guidelines, certify and market pesticide-free crops.
Ronald Macfarlane describes the considerable success farmers have had.
Advancing pesticide use reduction in Germany –
policy level progress 16
The policy aspects of pesticide reduction are being taken seriously in Germany: the German Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMVEL) recently sponsored a workshop to try to establish pesticide policy guidelines and PAN Germany has initiated discussions on developing a pesticide use reduction strategy.
Carina Weber and Susanne Smolka report.
Moving towards pesticide use reduction in the Netherlands
17
At the beginning of February, farmers and environmental protection groups, led by Agriculture Minister Veerman, reached agreement on measures aimed at reducing harm to the environment caused by pesticides by 95 per cent: a lengthy process with an apparently happy ending. The Minister achieved consensus after a long stand-off.
Michel Jehae reports.
Participation and transparency
Giving voice to public concerns
18
News
Ban on endosulfan in Cambodia 19
The Cambodian Government has recently announced a ban on endosulfan, a highly dangerous pesticide, which has caused dozens of accidental deaths worldwide.
Pest controller breached law 19
A case was brought recently under the UK Food and Environment Protection Act (FEPA) and also under the Health and Safety at Work Act by the Health and Safety Executive against an employee of a pest control company. Mr Thomas Keightley of Hailsham, East Sussex was fined a total of £5,000 for contraventions – a rare case of prosecution under these Acts for the misuse of pesticides.
Increased estimates of Agent Orange levels sprayed in Vietnam
22
A range of herbicides, including Agent Orange, were sprayed between 1961 and 1971 by United States forces during the Vietnam War at much heavier levels than previously thought, according to a recent report in the journal Nature.
Comparative risk assessment
Strategies for improving risk assessment in developing countries
20
Book reviews and resources 23