Environment
No Pesticides Use Day 2009
On December 3, 2009, people’s organizations from across the Asia Pacific region will unite for No Pesticides Use Day 2009. Coordinated by the Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) in collaboration with 17 partner organizations from 8 countries, the focus will be on a call for effective international action towards the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). The activities will expose the hazards and risks of pesticide use in agriculture, the conditions of pesticide use in developing countries in the Asia Pacific Region, and promote sustainable alternatives and practices in farming without pesticides.
Launched in 1998 by Pesticide Action Network International, December 3 was designated Global No Pesticides Use Day in memory of the 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India, when over 500,000 people were exposed to a lethal gas (methyl isocyanate) released from the Union Carbide factory. The immediate death toll was 3000-5000 people, but since then over 20,000 people have succumbed to health
complications arising from the exposure to the gas. Cases of chronic illnesses are still mounting among survivors to this day.
This year marks the 25th year of the Bhopal tragedy, and partners in India, besides drawing attention to the dangers of pesticides, will also be highlighting the continuing inability of the concerned
governments in bringing the perpetrators of the crime to book, in what has been termed as among the worst industrial disasters in history. It may be stated that the Union Carbide factory has since
been bought by Dow Chemicals, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of chemicals and pesticides. Around the world the ongoing manufacture, distribution, and use of chemical pesticides
continues to wreak devastating impacts on people and the environment.
No Pesticides Use Day Activities
This year’s advocacy aims to raise awareness among local communities, policy makers and the public for the need for reduction towards elimination of highly hazardous pesticides. Activities are to be hosted by 17 NGOs and local grassroots organisations in eight countries where PAN AP has established strong partnerships.
Cambodia
CEDAC and Pesticide Reduction Network-Cambodia plan to highlight the adverse impacts of HHPs on people and the environment in Cambodia and make a call to stop the importation and use of banned HHPs in the country. Activities include a radio talk show, a parade and a workshop in Pailin City in cooperation with the local government and Department of Agriculture. The main event will also
be organised at the Cambodia-Thai border where 700 people from the local government, NGOs, and schools are expected to participate.
China
PEAC plans to translate the PAN AP HHPs list into Mandarin to build local awareness on the issue. There will be an exhibition at Southwest Forestry University and a pesticides awareness workshop
demonstrating eco-alternative farming systems.
Indonesia
Gita Pertiwi will highlight the risks and hazards of pesticide use in agriculture, focusing on cases in which people have suffered pesticide poisoning. There will be a field visit to a potato and vegetable farm in Wonosobo, sessions with farmers suffering from pesticide poisoning, a discussion with pesticide traders and promotion centers, and opportunities for involvement for resource persons and members of the media.
Sri Lanka
Vikalpani plans to publicize the dangers of HHPs through a poster and handbill campaign as well as a seminar and rally against chemical companies. The activities will also include a letter campaign to the Sri Lankan government demanding a ban against Paraquat.
Lao PDR
SAEDA plans to focus on consumer awareness. There will be a market campaign, film showing, poster and photo exhibit, and radio talk show on the impacts of pesticides.
Philippines
PAN Philippines will focus on policy advocacy and awareness. In partnership with seven local grassroots organisations (CAUSE-DS, LAMBIGIT, IDIS, CBHS, METSA, PANALIPDAN, FARDEC) they will send a position paper to the Davao City government, conduct an IAASTD forum in the Visayas, distribute information materials and issue a press statement.
RESIST plans to raise awareness among farmers, academics, students, parent councils, legislators, and the general public on Endosulfan and all toxic pesticides. They will hold forums in three
communities in Manila as well as host a film showing and photo exhibit.
India
THANAL will hold a protest march to the government office in Eloor, demanding action on Endosulfan, Lindane and DDT. They will also conduct an awareness program and distribute fact sheets, t-shirts
and other information materials.
LIVING FARMS will hold a series of local activities including a poster exhibition on Bhopal, a farmers’ rally demanding a ban on HHPs, promotion of ecological agriculture as an alternative, and a vigil to remember the 13 rice farmers who committed suicide by consuming pesticides in the last two months in Orissa.
Pakistan
KHOJ Society for People’s Education will organise a workshop on the hazards of pesticides with farmers in the rice-wheat belt area, send out press releases about the event, and write an article on
the hazards of pesticides.
About Highly Hazardous Pesticides
In Asia, the use of synthetic pesticides, many of them classed as “highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs)” and banned in developed countries, has increased exponentially. In fact, older products and those that failed to meet international standards are being dumped in Asia.[1] Increasingly, Asia has become the largest agricultural pesticide consumer accounts for over 30 percent of overall consumption in the world.[2]
Safe use of HHPs is not possible. In developing countries with poor regulatory structures and legal systems, weak implementation of regulations and very limited resources, pesticide workers are exposed to hazards far exceeding the laboratory conditions under which the pesticides were initially tested and approved.
The international community is gradually gaining awareness of the hazardous effects of pesticide use. In November 2006, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization discussed and endorsed
SAICM – the Strategic Approach to International Chemical Safety. One of the key recommendations suggested by the Council to the FAO was risk reduction, including the progressive ban on highly
hazardous pesticides. Based on this recommendation, the FAO Committee on Agriculture developed a list of criteria to identify highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). These are: high acute toxicity; long term toxic effect at chronic exposure; high environmental concern; known to cause a high incidence of severe or irreversible adverse effects.
While PAN AP strongly welcomes these decisions, we are of the opinion that the list of indicators has some important shortcomings – in particular, pesticides with endocrine disrupting potencies, eco-toxilogical properties, or inhalative toxicity have not been taken into account. Because of these shortcomings, PAN International developed a more comprehensive set of indicators along with a list of HHPs based on these criteria.
It is also imperative that activities to implement a progressive ban of HHP are developed globally, as well as at the national and local levels, by governments, standard setting organisations, food corporations, the pesticide industry, worker unions, and NGOs/CSOs. This is especially important as there is currently no legal instrument available to achieve a structured and clearly targeted global progressive ban on HHPs other than the Stockholm Convention for Persistent Organic Pollutants which focuses only on a very small group of HHPs.
For information on how you can get involved in Global No Pesticides Use Day, or for more details on highly hazardous pesticides, please contact:
Evelyn Cubelo
Pesticides Programme
Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific
P.O. Box 1170, 10850 Penang
Malaysia
Tel: 604-6570271 or 604-6560381
Fax: 604-6583960
E-mail: panap@panap.net
Home Page: www.panap.net
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) is a global network working to eliminate the human and environmental harm caused by pesticides and to promote biodiversity based ecological agriculture. PAN Asia and the Pacific is committed to the empowerment of people especially women, agricultural workers, peasant and indigenous farmers. We are dedicated to protect the safety and health of people, and the environment from pesticide use and genetic engineering. We believe in a a people-centered, pro-women development through food sovereignty, ecological agriculture and sustainable lifestyles.
[1] Nair, Prabakhar (2008). ‘The Politics of Hunger: When Policies
and Markets Fail the Poor.” Pesticide Action Network Asia and the
Pacific, Penang.
[2] Watts, Dr. Meriel (2007). ‘Pesticides and Breast Cancer: A
Wake Up Call.” Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific,
Penang.