Since the recent withdrawal of many pesticide active ingredients from European markets, there is a misconception that there are no longer any problem pesticides in the continent. A recent report counters this perception, detailing how many pesticides are still in regular use whilst suspected by official sources of being carcinogenic or hazardous to the reproductive system amongst other long term adverse effects (page 11).
A recent report Pesticides in Food: assessing the risk to children by the Health Council of the Netherlands questions whether children are more vulnerable to pesticides compared with adults. It concludes that there is real uncertainty whether the current calculations of safe intake levels always provide adequate protection for children, including unborn children, in periods of heightened vulnerability during their development. New research by Friends of the Earth shows that up to 220 young children a day could be exposed to potentially dangerous levels of pesticides when consuming a single apple or pear (page 17). The US is reassessing all pesticides in terms of their safety for children. Now in Europe priority should be given to a reassessment of pesticides to determine the harm they may cause to developing organisms. We also report on issues concerning biocides, the non-agricultural pesticidal agents, in use in Europe, and on the struggle to get safer alternatives approved.
The use of pesticides continues to be a hazardous business in developing countries. Up to 33% of pesticides in Cambodia are illegal, according to a new report surveying the impact of pesticide use in the country (see page 4). Hazardous pesticides are used in conditions of poor storage, labelling and advice. Over 30% of pesticides used are classified by the World Health Organisation as ‘extremely’ or ‘highly’ hazardous to use.
A study by Greenpeace on the long term effects of pesticides on children in India compares the impact of pesticides on neurological functions such as concentration and memory recall. Research shows that non-pesticide exposed children displayed better performance abilities compared with the pesticide exposed children, even for simple game tasks (see page 12).
PN reports on the various global initiatives to reduce pesticide hazards (page 6). PAN
UK recommends governments act now to prohibit or restrict pesticide availability under poor conditions of use in developing countries. Industry should follow up its undertakings to withdraw sales of the most toxic pesticides. Crucial elements in any plan to combat pesticides are capacity building for governments and pesticide users, particularly in developing countries, and readily available alternatives based on integrated pest management and organic production. We profile one company sourcing fair-traded organic cotton as a positive contribution to alternative methods and marketing.
This is the last issue of Pesticides News under the editorship of David Buffin, who has steered the PN ship successfully for over 10 years. PAN
UK would like to thank David for his sterling work and wish him well in the future. Roslyn McKendry will now be coordinating PN, along with a guest editor.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 65, September 2004, page 2]