Africa

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Ghana

Abstract

Whereas international trends show that many developed countries are adopting policies that promote pesticide reduction, the use of pesticides in South Africa for agriculture, public health and domestic purposes continues to expand. In particular, macroeconomic policies may encourage the use of pesticides among emergent and small-scale black farmers. Despite having legal controls that seem to conform to international standards, the present health and environmental impacts of pesticide use in South Africa are substantial and generally underestimated. For example, about 100 to 200 cases of acute poisoning by pesticides are reported to the Department of Health nationally each year, but there is evidence that the real rates are at least 20 times higher. The reasons for this lie in the fragmentation overlap and lack of co-ordination of regulatory mechanisms as well as the absence of public awareness and participation in policy making related to pesticides. Technical (laboratory) and information (surveillance) support for the control of hazards due to pesticides are also lacking. Failure to enforce existing legislation, an ambivalent relationship between government and industry, and the existence of a 'pesticide culture' will continue to prevent meaningful control measures being implemented. As a result, marginalised groups, such as consumers, emergent farmers and farm workers bear the brunt of policies that have not kept pace with a growing international awareness of the hazards of widespread pesticide use for human health and for the environment. Opportunities for fundamental transformation of the legal and policy framework relating to pesticides in order to promote environmental justice are explored.

Tanzania Fails To Destroy Expired Pesticides In 300 Sites

TOMRIC Agency

An exercise to destroy about 960 tones of expired pesticides now scattered in over 300 sites in Tanzania is becoming difficult due to lack of funds. The Registrar of Pesticides, Mr. Jonathan Akhabuhaya said yesterday that the cost of disposing of expired pesticides is too high for the government to afford. According to him, about 3, 840, 000 US dollars was needed to destroy the expired pesticides which exist in various places of the country following the two-year survey conducted by a waste management committee.

The Committee was formed by the government to probe the issue. Mr. Jonathan who was briefing on control of pesticides importation in Tanzania for Customs and Excise officers, said that the cost of disposing of one tone of expired pesticides was approximately 4,000 US dollars. "Most of the expired pesticides exist in the cotton growing regions in Tanzania. The Chemicals were either imported by crop authorities or in the form of assistance given by donors to farmer, " he said, noting: "Others were imported by unscrupulous businessmen who failed to sell all their pesticides while some belonged to centres experimenting on new pesticides." He said the government was looking funds from donors to destroy the pesticides. There are about 3000 different types of pesticides in use in Tanzania and experts says the analysis of each one needs about a week, making the responsible bodies fail to scrutinize their effectiveness and side effects.

Studies on the import trends and types, amount and toxicity of the pesticides used in Tanzania, have indicated that the East Coast of Zanzibar had highly concentrated amounts of the pesticides. Studies reveal that more than 500 people died of pesticide poisoning in Tanzania in the four years period to 1988. According to a Dar Es Salaam Environment Organization, AGENDA,out of 500 deaths, 311 died of deliberate self-inflicted pesticide use.

Tanzania is a victim of the overuse of pesticides. In 1977, Tanzania imported 5, 960 tones of pesticides, equivalent to one third of a kilogram per person, without any evidence of an increase in crop yield. Experts say that the amount can now be estimated at over one kilogram per person, almost a three fold increase. A study involving 200 households in Hai and Moshi districts in Kilimanjaro region northern Tanzania it was established that although the farmers were aware of dangers of pesticides, after spraying the pesticides, they suffered from the effects such as skin irritation, dry throat, drowsiness and nausea.

Most of them considered these to be unavoidable and temporary. But in other areas, the hazards have been greatly exacerbated by a general lack of public awareness. Farmers are generally unaware of mixing ratios or handling and storage guidelines. Laboratory tests reveal that stream water and soil get contaminated by pesticides, such as copper compounds, malathion and DDT.

According to the Environmental and Human Rights Care Organization (ENVIROCARE) in Kilimanjaro increase in cancer and mental breakdown were reported by medical personnel. It says although there has been no attempt to link disease patterns with the use of pesticides, studies in other places have been able to establish the relationship with extensive exposure to pesticides.

"Even in Kilimanjaro while a study has not been able to establish incontrovertible links between pesticide use and mental problems, in one locality with 10 households, seven households had individuals with mental problems with no obvious genetic reasons for such a situation," the AGENDA says. The hazard has been exacerbated by a general lack of public awareness.

In the villages, farmers mix and apply pesticides without protective gear and use inappropriate equipment. Researchers say further that offices of major distributors are located within the godowns, which pose dangers to their workers. According to them banned pesticides, such as DDT, Lindane, Aldrin and Dieldrin were until recently found widely used even for storage.

"The situation is getting worse. As the economy has been liberalized, the types of the pesticides have increased considerably without accompanying information on their safe use and effects," reports the AGENDA. It says importers do not care about the standards required for importation. According to the AGENDA, the hazards has increased due to uncoordinated imports of the chemicals.