Book review - Pesticides News No.29

Think globally, act locally
A new book by two academics from the University of the West of England, A guide to local environmental auditing, condenses into a single volume all that a local authority environmental coordinator should need to know in order to implement a local 'Agenda 21' (the concluding report and recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janero in June 1992). "The pressure for change is coming both bottom up, from the people as voters and consumers, and top down, from the international community". Local government politicians and policy makers ignore this pressure at their peril.
    The purpose of the book is to help local authorities to attain sustainable development. In its opening pages the authors use Gro Harlem Brundtland’s definition of sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". But how to achieve it?
    Environmental auditing is the answer, and the book goes on to explain in detail how local authorities can carry out effective audits. ‘Local authority environmental audits’ the authors explain, "are the means by which communities systematically and regularly monitor the quality of their environment and review the impact of public policy on the environment."
    Our interest in the book stems from our activities in the context of the Local Authorities Project which audits councils’ use of pesticides and suggests alternatives. Referring to pesticides and fertilizers the authors suggest that: ”In general artificial chemicals should be avoided wherever possible, especially on sites of known conservation importance. More organic methods should be used instead (eg composting leaves and grass cuttings, bark mulches).” In the context of environmental pollution they mention that: “The use of biocides is also likely to cause a deterioration of water quality.”
    A little more attention is paid to pesticides in the context of the purchase audit. Recognising them as hazardous chemicals the book urges that Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessments be carried out. It mentions a report suggesting that there may be up to 4000 cases of pesticide poisoning each year in the UK, and suggests that purchasers seek alternatives to UK red list and EU black list pesticides and avoid wood preservatives containing PCP, lindane and tributyltin oxide.
    Pesticides are clearly only one of many issues which a local environmental audit needs to address. Pesticide use can however, provide a good example of an activity which has a bearing on the activities of several council departments (engineering, environmental health, leisure, education, housing and construction) and many environmental issues (pollution, wildlife, recycling, toxic waste, water, health and safety).
    It is a pity that while mention of pesticides in the book has been minimal, the authors have vastly oversimplified the issues by suggesting one or two rather outdated alternatives. Overall the book is useful in that it brings together a large amount of information in an accessible format.
    As is stated in the conclusion of the book "Environmental auditing is ultimately about bringing about change". We hope the message gets through, and any local authority wishing to change its pest management practices should know where to come.

Hugh Barton and Noel Bruder, A guide to local environmental auditing, Earthscan, London,1995, £18.95, 370pp.

 

The herbicide market
This analysis of the herbicide market is packed with information about trends in herbicide use. Current herbicide sales are worth around US$12 billion at end user level, making them the largest, and fastest growing, sector of the agrochemical market.
    The report focuses on post-emergence herbicides, whose sales are now growing at 9.3%, a far greater rate than pre-emergence herbicides (2.8%). Post-emergent herbicides are either crop selective (very few) or are used with crops bred for resistance. The introduction of glyphosate-resistant crops, for example, is likely to increase the already huge market for this product, which is already the single biggest selling product globally with sales of about US$1 billion.
    A number of factors favour growing of post-emergents: they are generally used at lower rates than pre-emergence herbicides and suit the climate for reducing total pesticide inputs in farming; they support minimum tillage which helps prevent soil erosion; regulatory concerns on compounds accumulating in water will favour their use; some (eg sulfonylureas) provide weed control in crops such as maize where grass weeds have been a problem.
    The report provides a good overview of markets by crop and country, as well as the major companies and their products and prospects. It has a detailed chapter on herbicide resistance, and touches briefly on environmental issues. The major environmental and ethical concerns relate to the development of herbicide-tolerant crops, which is dealt with in the context of an approach which will meet concerns of reducing pesticide inputs to the environment. However the report acknowledges that such technology could also make farmers too dependent on single products and may increase overall herbicide usage.

Dr. L.G. Copping, Post-Emergence Herbicides, Agrow, Tel. +44 (0)181 948 3262, Fax +44 (0)181 948 6866, May 1995, £350, 216pp.

 

OECD pest management
The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, the ‘club’ of the world’s 25 richest countries, has established a Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to improve and co-ordinate Member States policies relating to environment and development. The DAC has published a series of guidelines to help donor agencies devise strategies to address national, regional and international environmental concerns, and the latest in this series tackles pest and pesticide management in developing countries.
    This brief, well-targeted booklet suggests integrated pest management (IPM) is the preferred approach to pest control, and encourages development agencies to shift the emphasis of aid policies concerning plant protection from agricultural input supply to human resource development, strengthening plant protection services and IPM training programmes for farmers and researchers. 
    While they could place more emphasis on participatory IPM, the guidelines recognise the need to sway policy makers in recipient countries, and suggest that this could be enhanced through study tours for senior government officials to familiarise them with the benefits of IPM; disseminating information through national or regional workshop and conferences on IPM; and advocacy of IPM as the preferred approach to crop protection. While advocates of IPM regard it as ‘pesticide management’, these guidelines clearly indicate a preference for biological controls, host plant resistance, cultural practices and safer native biopesticides.
    While some bilateral and multilateral development agencies do have  policies to support IPM, many do not. With the exception of Japan, most OECD countries no longer supply pesticides directly, but their funds are still used to purchase these inputs. The guidelines set out good practices in the event that pesticide aid is provided. It would be interesting to know if  donors allocate to funding for agriculture and rural development, the basic economy of the majority of the population in developing countries.

OECD Development Assistance Committee, Guidelines on aid and Environment, No. 6, Guidelines for aid Agencies on Pest and Pesticide Management, OECD,  2 rue André Pascal, 75775, Paris,  Cedex 16, France, 1995, 48pp.

 

Bitter sweet harvests for global supermarkets
Latin American and Caribbean countries are struggling to improve their economies and to forge new patterns of trade and development. One approach vigorously promoted by development agencies is the production of non-traditional agricultural exports—high-price crops ranging from mangoes to snowpeas and roses—although the lion’s share of farmland remains in coffee, banana, sugarcane and cotton plantations. 
    Although these new crops bring benefits, they raise concerns about their contribution to environmental sustainability, social equity and economic growth over time. Health and economic dangers come from the vast amount of pesticides applied on these new crops, far more than is used on traditional crops. Economic problems also arise. Producers can lose the entire value of a crop if pesticide residues on fruits or vegetables violate an importing country’s standards. The benefits of these new crops tend to be concentrated in the hands of wealthy investors and foreign distributors. Nor do the crops offer long term stability, as prices are highly volatile, inputs costly and competition fierce. 
    In this very readable, excellently researched and well presented book, the authors conclude that these drawbacks call into question the sustainability of non-traditional agricultural export strategies. While they do not deny the potential of these strategies, they argue for a change in the patterns and policies to increase opportunities and avoid adverse impacts.

Lori Ann Thrupp, with Gilles Bergeron and William Waters, Bitter-Sweet Harvests for Global Supermarkets: Challenges in Latin America’s agricultural export boom, World Resources Institute, 1709 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA, 1995, $19.95, 150pp.

 

The game of the rose
Appropriately written in the Netherlands, the book explores major changes in the world flower market. While the Dutch retain the lead in world cut flower exports, at a value of US$2,153 million, Colombia is now in second place with exports of US$395.6 million.  Production is expanding in other developing countries, with Thailand exporting to a value of US$67.5 million in 1992, Kenya US$61.4 million, Zimbabwe US$28.7 million and Ecuador US$25.3 million. The book provides a good overview of the world flower sector, and case studies of Colombia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India and the Netherlands.
    Total Southern production is increasing faster than Northern demand. The European response has been to try and increase demand further, but if this fails, it is likely that southern producers will further increase their share.
    Environmental concerns include use of pesticides, as well as the vast supplies of water needed, which appears to have had an impact on rivers in Colombia and Lake Naivasha in Kenya, however the book does not establish details of pesticides used and related problems. 

Niala Maharaj and Gaston Dorren, The Game of the Rose: The Third World in the global flower trade, Institute for Development Research, Amsterdam (from Jon Carpenter Publishing, PO Box 129, Oxford OX1 4PH, UK), 1995, £10.99, 112pp .

 

Implementing IPM 
This IPM book, written by UK academics, provides a technical guide on the principles and practices of developing an integrated pest management (IPM) programme. The basic principles which underline pest control—crop husbandry, socio-economics, population ecology and population genetics are set out. The control measures available and their use in IPM systems are reviewed. The book explores the techniques and approaches used in defining a pest problem, programme planning and management, systems analysis, experimental paradigms and implementation of IPM systems. Specific crops examples are given with sections on IPM developments in olive, cotton, wheat and glasshouse crop production.
    The authors conclude that IPM in glasshouses has been very successful. Growers have learnt to rely on biological control and now actively seek out natural enemies in order to develop their populations. They do not consider IPM as a strategy to replace chemical control although it is a powerful option and can be applied on a much larger area than at present. “For the chemical industry, IPM may result in extended use of products because of slower development of resistance and a more positive perception by the public of the role of the pesticide industry," they conclude.

Integrated pest management, David Dent, ed, Chapman Hall, 2-6 Boundary Row, London, SE1 8HN, UK, 356pp.

 

Human exposure in US
The US General Accounting Office (GAO) has assessed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to collect and take action on exposure incident data. Although the EPA has a system for collecting, reviewing and acting on cases of human exposure to pesticides, the system does not always provide the EPA with enough information to decide whether steps are necessary to protect public health. Furthermore, the EPA may not always be appropriately responding to all cases of illness caused by pesticides. More complete data on pesticide incidents would be helpful in protecting public health. The EPA has started to improve its data collection and analysis and its working group continues to identify additional areas for improvement.

US General Accounting Office, Office of Public Affairs, Pesticides: EPA’s efforts to collect and take action on exposure incident data, GAO/RCED-95-163, 12 July 1995, 18pp.

 

Formulation trends
This interesting report from Agrow aimed at industry deals with the components of the commercial pesticide, usually a very different product from the pure active ingredient. Formulants modify the characteristics of the product, making them easier, safer and affecting efficacy. Formulations can, for example address the problem of pack disposal by minimising contamination. An example is water-dispersible granules in water-soluble film, or refillable containers with liquid formulations.
    A useful table in the report addresses the main formulation types, the ingredients and advantages and disadvantages. A further chapter addresses ‘inerts’, a misleading term, suggesting the ingredient has little effect on the activity of the pesticide. US regulators have increasingly focused on inerts, and divided 1,200 such inerts into four levels of concern covering: known chronic health effects, potentially toxic, awaiting further review (65%), and considered to pose no significant hazard (33%).
    Analysis of the market suggests that older formulations, such as wettable powders, suspension concentrates and emulsifiable concentrates, will continue to account for the bulk of pesticide sales for many years. In 1993, these three formulations accounted for around 90% of pesticide sales. Companies are reluctant to let go of these: Ciba, for example, believes that many old pesticides could be ‘completely rejuvenated’ with an investment of only $1-2 million, citing its success with micro-encapsulated monocrotophos.
    Development of newer formulations will take time: they take longer to develop and register, while older ones are relatively cheap and easy to produce. Higher formulation costs will be passed on to the farmer, and their commercial success will be to some extent governed by whether it is worthwhile for farmers’ to use them: for example they may provide savings in less product used.

Ashley Smith, Future trends in pesticide formulation, Agrow, PJB Publications Ltd, UK, March 1995, £295, 174pp.

 

Climate change in Britain
Climate change could have a substantial economic impact, particularly on coastal states where sea level rises will be felt most strongly. Among these, the British Isles are likely to be significantly affected. Changes in store could be large and difficult to pin-point before hand. This could include changes in cropping patterns which will have a knock-on effect on pest control and therefore pesticide use.

The Economic implications of climate change in Britain, Earthscan, 120 Pentonville Road, London N1 9JN, £14.95, 133pp.

 

Environment directory
The Environment Council has updated its directory of environmental organisations in England. It aims to help people target their enquiries more accurately when approaching environmental organisations, reducing unnecessary duplication of effort by raising awareness of who is doing what and preventing enquirers being passed from one inappropriate organisation to another.

Who’s who in the environment - England, 1995, The Environment Council, 21 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RP, Tel. (0)171 824 8411, Fax (0)171 730 9941, 399pp.

 

Defining 'sustainability'
Words such as ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ have become the guiding principles of environmental policy and international development, but what do they really mean? How do we know of we are moving toward a sustainable world? The authors address these questions from diverse backgrounds and a variety of perspectives, with the aim of translating ideas into practice.

A sustainable world: Defining and measuring sustainable development, Ed. Thaddeus Trzyna, Earthscan, London, 1995, £14.95, 272pp.

 

Organochlorine report
This report discusses some of the scientific evidence of the effects of organochlorines on human health. Particular emphasis is given to assessing developmental and reproductive effects on wildlife and humans. The report suggests current regulatory policies concerning organochlorines have failed to protect human health and the environment. An alternative strategy is proposed which involves global action for a complete phase out of organochlorine compounds.

Body of Evidence, The effects of chlorine on human health, Greenpeace International, 1995, 90pp.