Confiscated pesticides
In Santa Catarina, Ministry of Health
inspectors have seized stocks of a granulated pesticide, the organophosphate
chlorpyrifos (Tatu), manufactured by Embradef Chemical Products which has a
formulation plant in Curitiba (Paraná).
Inspectors of Rio do Sul region seized stocks in the four
municipalities and others in the region of Alto Vale do Itajai in Santa Catarina.
Adalberto da Silveria, technical head of the regional health authority said the
stocks were seized because the product had not been registered at the Ministry
of Health.
Evaluation of pesticide impact in São
Paulo
Scientists at the National Environmental Impact
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Centre (CNPMA) are building a database to
monitor the use of pesticides on all crops in the state of São Paulo, using
information from prescriptions issued by agronomists. An initial analysis of the
data reveals where pesticide use is concentrated and when: with peak use
detected in the months of June and November 1993. The most affected crops are
oranges and sugar cane, which accounted for about 50% of all dangerous
pesticides used in the state. Brazil is the fifth largest consumer of pesticides
in the world and São Paulo consumes 36% of the Brazilian total.
Solutions to pesticide imports to Minas
Gerais
The Environment Secretary of Belo Horizonte, capital
of the central Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, hosted a meeting on 25 May this
year to address the serious environmental and health problems posed by the
stocks of tons of banned pesticides stored in precarious conditions. Among those
invited to the meeting were Marcos Balieiro of PAN Minas Gerais and the
Agricultural Eco-Development Institute (IDEA). Some products have been in
storage for more than 20 years. The active ingredients include many
organochlorines such as BHC. One forestry company in the north of the state had
a stockpile of 50 tonnes of aldrin. Last year, a stock of pesticides including
many organochlorines and organophosphates with damaged labels was discovered in
a room at the State Agricultural Secretariat. The pesticides were transported to
Hoechst for incineration.
There is some confusion over where responsibility lies for
disposal. A 1991 State Law on the production, sale and use of pesticides lays
down that the manufacturer must accept back recyclable packaging. However, the
Health Secretariat is claiming that disposal is the responsibility of the user
once the expiry date of the product is passed.
PAN-Brazil has proposed a full survey of pesticide use in the
state and a wide-ranging debate on the issue to find a solution to the pesticide
problem.
Brazil reports from Info PAN, June/July 1995.
[This
article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 30,
December 1995, page 17]