Subject: UN alarm at rogue pesticides----
Date: Fri, 02 Feb 2001 10:45:04 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State
of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read an
article entitled: UN Warns of
human risk from Rogue Pesticides, dated Thursday, 1 February, 2001, 17:01 GMT
. It is located at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1148000/1148720.stm
UN alarm at rogue pesticides
Pesticides are used for controlling diseases such as
malaria The United Nations
has warned that about 30% of pesticides marketed in the developing
world contain toxic substances which pose a serious threat to human
health and the environment.
The rogue pesticides contained chemicals either banned or
severely restricted elsewhere in the world, or concentrations of chemicals
which exceeded international limits.
The problem was particularly serious in sub-Saharan
Africa, where regulation was generally weak, said two UN agencies in a joint
statement.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World
Health Organisation (WHO) urged governments to make legally-binding the
voluntary standards specified by the UN.
Pesticides in developing countries are used both in
agriculture and for public health, for instance in the control of insects that
spread malaria.
Pesticides costing about $3bn were sold to developing
countries last year, out of a global market of $32bn.
Possible causes of low quality of pesticides can include
both poor production and formulation, and the inadequate selection of
chemicals.
But poor quality labelling and packaging was also blamed.
Brain damage fear
The UN said: "The labelling, often written in
improper language, fails to provide data on the active ingredient,
application, date of manufacture and safe handling of the chemical."
Pesticides came in for attack last year when it was found
that one commonly in use, Rotenone, caused symptoms similar to Parkinson's
disease when small amounts were injected into rats over time.
It added weight to theories that repeated exposure to low
levels of agrochemicals may also be causing cumulative damage to the human
brain. (Why is it not extremely obvious to anyone with a brain, that a
neurotoxin would damage the nervous system?)
Scientists also found that pesticides encourage
potentially dangerous bacteria to thrive on some crops.
And they warned that people who eat raw fruit and
vegetables such as strawberries, raspberries and lettuce could be at risk.
New Scientist magazine reported that the researchers,
from University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, carried out research after a rise in
reported cases of food poisoning caused by fresh produce.
Well Mr. Helliker, Everyday more and more evidence
comes in that proves your "registered" POISONS are neither
"safe or effective". The
very fact that some of your previously "registered" POISONS are now
"rouge" proves that at least "some" were not properly
tested. But, instead of $topping
their use/misuse, we $ell them to our friend$ over$eas. I$n't that preciou$! When
will it be "legal" (in your opinion) to use safe and far more
effective (unregistered) alternatives to actually control pest problems?
Og Mandino once noted: "So
long as there's breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of
the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win."
I would like to add Mr. Helliker, we will eventually win because we
will continue to persist!
Respectfully, Stephen
L. Tvedten
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