Concern over dichlorvos is based on evidence of its ability to cause cancer with several studies concluding that it may cause childhood leukaemia and brain tumours. The United States Environmental Protection Agency classify it as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ (category B2), while the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify it as a ‘possible human carcinogen’ (category 2B). Its use is now restricted in the USA, and is banned in Denmark, Sweden, Indonesia, and sales suspended in the UK. Toxicologists and NGOs in Hungary have expressed grave concern that a probable carcinogen is being sprayed into the air in inhabited areas, in public parks, and in the neighbourhoods of private gardens where members of the public, pets and farm animals will be exposed. When used within agriculture in Hungary (in the product Unifosz 50ec) a period of three days must pass before humans without protective equipment or animals are allowed to enter the treated area. How can the same pesticide be used without restrictions in inhabited areas at the same dose? On repeated occasions and in defence of their actions ÁNTSZ has referred to the inclusion of dichlorvos in the World Health Organization’s list of active ingredients authorized for use in mosquito control. However, this list also contains DDT which is now banned for use in Hungary and most other European countries.

The concerns of the Clean Air Action Group extend beyond their concern over dichlorvos itself. In their actions in May of this year they also protested against the method by which dichlorvos was applied. Using the so-called ‘warm fog’ technology a compound is sprayed from the ground into the air with hot gasoline. Gasoline is suspected to be carcinogenic by several agencies, and clearly should not be sprayed into the air in inhabited areas.

Mosquitox 1 ULV Forte is also used widely against mosquitoes in Hungary. Its active ingredient, deltamethrin, is a pyrethroid insecticide. These are known to be toxic to bees, fish and other aquatic organisms and as nerve poisons may also damage human health. Regulations in Hungary require a five-metre buffer zone to be left between areas sprayed with pyrethroids and water courses. However, pyrethroids are often applied from aircraft and have been associated with large fish kills in Lake Balaton in Hungary. It is questionable whether the aerial spraying of this pesticide and the required five-metre protective distance from live waters can indeed provide effective guarantees for the protection of the environment. Back in December 2004 the Clean Air Action Group also proposed a revision of all the permits for aerial spraying in Hungary.

Biological methods of mosquito control are used extensively in many Western European countries including Germany and Denmark. However, such methods are only infrequently employed in Hungary: in 2004 pesticides for mosquito control were applied by aerial application onto 450,000 hectares and by ground spraying on 80,000 hectares while biological methods were used on only 8,000 hectares. In light of the potential impacts to human health and the environment of chemicals such as dichlorvos, deltamethrin and diesel oil there is an urgent need to examine the methods of mosquito control currently employed in Hungary.

Media coverage of the Clean Air Action Groups concerns has forced the government to reconsider its position with regard to the use of dichlorvos. In May ÁNTSZ stopped using dichlorvos but the Ministry of Health have so far not signed any commitment to permanently withdraw its license. The Clean Air Action Group continue to campaign to achieve this objective.

Gergely Simon, Clean Air Action Group, simong@levego.hu