Editorial - Pesticides News 54

3rd December was the ‘Worldwide Day of No Pesticides Use’ – the date chosen as a reminder of the devastating accident in the Union Carbide’s (UC) pesticides factory of Bhopal in 1984. On the night of the disaster, six safety measures designed to prevent a leak were either malfunctioning, shut down or otherwise inadequate. The refrigeration unit was turned off in order to save US$ 40 a day. 
    Over 2,000 people died on the night of the disaster, and a total of 20,000 have perished in the years since. The disaster has affected generations through persistent illnesses and birth defects, and still pollute groundwater and soils.
    In the UK, the Pesticide Action Network marked 3 December by launching two new publications for consumers and pesticide campaigners – Greenfly and List of Lists. The List of Lists provides a snapshot of pesticides covered under international treaties, causing cancer, suspected of disrupting human and animal hormone systems, dangerous in water, and banned or being phased out in Europe. 
    In Germany, PAN highlighted the importance of the ratification of the Stockholm Convention against persistent pollutants. In May 2001, 127 governments adopted the Stockholm Convention as international, legal basis for the global elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The fast implementation by governments of the Convention on both POPs and PIC (Prior Informed Consent) is a crucial step towards the elimination of these dangerous substances that are a hazard to human health and the environment and for improving global access to information on banned and restricted pesticides. PAN asked for all those responsible at the national level world-wide to work towards a fast ratification of these Conventions.
    Every year, PAN will continue to honour the victims of the Bhopal disaster with the Worldwide Day of No Pesticide Use, until all governments institute better surveillance on pesticide exposure through food and the environment, and adopt progressive pesticide reduction strategies. 
    Survivors of the Bhopal disaster have demanded that the Indian Government:

• Set up a National Commission on Bhopal with the participation of survivors and their sympathisers for long-term health monitoring, research, care and rehabilitation of the survivors of the disaster. 
• Take immediate steps to ensure the publication of the results of the 24 research studies carried out by the Indian Council of Medical Research on the health effects of exposure to Carbide’s gases.
• Scientifically assess and claim damages from Union Carbide for the contamination of groundwater and soil in and around the factory.
• Declare 3 December as a National Day of Mourning for the Victims of Industrial Disasters. 

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 54, December 2001, page 2]