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Editorial

Legal victory
Long struggle against endosulfan poisoning wins relief in India 3
In India, the government of Kerala State has announced relief and remediation to a community whose health has been badly damaged by endosulfan spraying. The Chief Minister of the State has promised to bring companies responsible for the homicide to justice. Jayakumar Chelaton and R Sridhar of Thanal, the group supporting those affected, report on developments.

Health
Foetal exposure – leaving an unwelcome legacy 4
Pesticides have been shown to interfere with a range of vital processes during the development of the human foetus. Chlorpyrifos can cause intra-uterine-growth-retardation, a condition which results in low birth weight and has serious consequences for later life. Dithiocarbamates have been shown to interfere with thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids which can lead to conditions such as high blood pressure. Professor Janna Koppe explains.

Risk assessment
Current risk assessment fails to protect children  6
Current pesticide risk assessment protocols at best allow for the possibility that children may be up to ten times more sensitive to pesticides than adults. However, a recent study indicates they may be up to 164-fold more sensitive to the effects of organophosphates. These results call into question current procedures to protect our children. We interviewed Professor Asa Bradman, one of the authors of this study.

European regulation

EU groundwater protection at risk 8
A proposed new Groundwater Directive for Europe is currently being discussed. Despite the importance of groundwater, and the failure of the current Groundwater Directive to protect it, the EU institutions could not agree on far-reaching protection requirements. Council, influenced by the UK and Dutch governments, has rejected a clear pollution prevention approach and exempted agriculture from quality standards, while the European Parliament insists on prevention but introduced some new loopholes. By end of this year both will have to achieve an agreement. Stefan Scheuer reports.

UK government rejects recommendations to protect public health 9
In July this year, the government published its response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution’s report ‘Crop Spraying and the health of residents and bystanders’. Campaigners have been
shocked by the government’s flat rejection of the major recommendations. Clare Butler Ellis gives PAN UK’s reaction.

New EU legislation finally adopted 10
After long delays, the European Commission has adopted proposals for two new pieces of legislation that will set the scene for future pesticide regulation. In spite of some positive elements, the draft
Directive does not go far enough towards pesticide use reduction, while the draft Regulation for approvals may see some replacement of riskier pesticides. Sofia Parente reports on the next steps.

France’s new pesticide plan will not significantly reduce use 11

Community action
Drift Catcher reveals unacceptable levels of chlorpyrifos in air 12
In July of this year the first public announcement of results from the Drift Catcher was made. Air samples collected and analysed in Lindsay, California during the summers of 2004 and 2005 showed
that air concentrations of the insecticide chlorpyrifos frequently exceeded the acute and sub-chronic Reference Exposure Level for children. These results are being used by local community groups to
support their demands for no-spray zones between residential and sprayed areas. Brian Hill of the Pesticide Action Network North America reports.

Obsolete stockpiles
South African waste study highlights need for prevention work 14
In South Africa in 1997 a national retrieval project was operated to collect and dispose of obsolete pesticide stocks. However, many farms which disposed of waste pesticides at that time have since reaccumulated more. This situation underscores the need for strategies to reduce pesticide use to prevent future stockpiles. Leslie London, Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie, and Algenon Africa describe the situation.

Developing country initiatives
Foreign donors help small ACP growers meet European standards 16
Without the help of foreign donors small-scale growers in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries would no longer be able to export their produce because of their inability to meet the costs of
complying with commercial standards requested by European importers. The Pesticide Initiative Programme reports here on its activities to give ACP smallholders a fairer chance in European markets.

Better health, more wealth: the impacts of farmer training in developing countries 18
Concern over high rates of pesticide poisoning in developing countries have prompted restrictions on the export of the most hazardous pesticides and the development of farmer training programmes to promote
integrated pest management. Professor Homi Katrak provides an overview of the situation and examines the impact of Farmer Field Schools. Data from four countries show impressive increases in farmers’ rate of financial return after field school training. Health gains have not been formally documented, and he proposes some first steps in developing a method for quantifiying such gains.

Bt cotton growers in China lose money due to secondary pests 21

EPA bans lindane 21

News and resources 22
Obituary – Sunil Kumar Verma, Bhopal
Wearing organic cotton has never been easier
Two poisoned by paraquat in UK

Book reviews 23
New health and safety resource
Organic cotton supports African development
Pesticide impacts in South Korea
Agroecology and food sovereignty