Egypt
bans carcinogens
As of 31 July 1996, the Egyptian government has banned
the sale and use of a number of pesticides, including propargite, mancozeb,
maneb, chlorothalonil, folpet, procymidone, iprodione, captan, cyproconazole,
alachlor, propoxpur and dimethoate. The bans will affect insecticides used
on citrus, insecticides for whitefly and aphid control, and all rice herbicides.
The Egyptians have singled out those pesticides that have
already been classified as probable or possible carcinogens by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The value of pesticides implicated
could amount to 40% of the Egyptian market, which was worth US$66 million in
imports in 1995.
Agrow, No. 262, 16 August 1996.
Synergistic
oestrogens
US researchers have found combinations of
environmental oestrogens can be over 1,000 times more potent than the chemicals
acting individually. The oestrogenic potencies of combinations of pairs of
organochlorine insecticides were screened in vitro using a yeast
oestrogen system. Synergistic effects were noted when endosulfan, dieldrin,
toxaphene or chlordane were mixed in all possible combinations of groups of two
pesticides.
The researchers say the syngergistic
interaction of these pesticides "may have profound environmental
implications."
Arnold, S.F., Klotz, D. M., et. al., Synergistic activation of estrogen receptor with combinations of environmental chemicals, Science, 1996, 272:1489-1491.
Lindane ban
The Indian Government has banned the insecticide lindane (gamma-HCH) with
effect from 1 April 1997. According to the Hindustan Times, the action
has come about because of concerns over the reported oncogenic (tumour causing)
effects of lindane. Other reasons related to the fact that lindane is fat
soluble, bioaccumulates and degrades relatively slowly in the environment.
Production of lindane by the existing
Indian manufacturer will be reduced to 50% by March 1996, before the total ban
in 1997.
Hindustan Times, 23 July 1996.
[This
article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 33, September 1996,
page 29]