Press release on the eve of World Environment Day-June5, 2005

Pesticides & Environment

Maitrey Environment Education & Research Association

Air water and food are essential elements required for our existence and survival.
Although industrialization, growth of human settlements and use of synthetic substances
itself is responsible for the distortion of the above mentioned essential elements, it is the
rampant use of pesticides whether in our homes or on agricultural fields which is by far
the greatest and immediate threat to these essential components. These harmful and
poisnous chemicals find their way into soil, air water and food where they stay and
ultimately reach the tissues of plants, animals and humans. This study, is being released
on the eve of World Environment Day- June 5, 2005.

Because of major threat to human health, the UNEP has shortlisted twelve nasty
Persistent organic pollutants for elimination. These include:

Organochlorine pesticides
1. DDT
2. Chlordane (1,2,4,5,6,7,8, 8-octachloro-3a, 4, 7, 7a-tetrahydro-4, 7-
methanoindane)
3. Mirex (hexachlorocyclopenta diene dimmer)
4. HCB
5. Endrin (1,2,3,4,10, 10-hexachloro-6, 7-epoxy-1, 4, 4a, 5,6,7,8, 81-octahydro-1, 4-
endo-endo-5, 8-dimethanonapthalene)
6. Aldrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-1, 4, 4a, 5, 8, 8a-hexahydro-exo-1, 4-endo-5, 8-
dimethanonapthalene)
7. Dieldrin (3,4,5,6,9, 9-hexachloro-1a, 2, 2a,3,6,6a,7,7a-octahydro-2,7:3,6-
Dimethano naphtha[2,3-b]oxirene)
8. Toxaphene (poly chlorinated camphene)
9. Heptachlor (1,4,5,6,7,8,8-heptachloro-3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,7-methanoindene)

Industrial chemicals
10. Cancer causing PCBs

Super-toxic chemicals (cumdustion by-products)

11. Dioxins
12. Furans

All the above mentioned pesticides are being used extremely by us.

The Pesticide Consumption Scenario in India

In India pesticides demands increased as there was more awareness greater among
farmers to use it for better crop yield. Pesticide usage for the cultivation of food crops
among the different states of India show a mixed pattern. Tamil Nadu consumes 1.2 to 2
kg/ha of pesticides which is followed y Andhra Pradesh and Punjab where 0.8 to 1.2
kg/ha is the rate of consumption. Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir show pesticide
consumption at the rate of 0.6 kg/Ha to 0.8 kg/ha, whereas states like Kerala, West
Bengal and Assam use 0.4 to 0.6kg/ha for plant protection. Interestingly, the rate of
pesticide consumption is almost the same (0.3 to 0.4 kg/ha) in the northern states such as
Rajasthan, Himanchal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Meghalaya in the
north east and Karnatka in the south. Similarly, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa
consume 0.2 to 0.3 kg/ha of pesticide for crop protection. Pesticide consumption in
Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram is 32 and 21.5 million tons, respectively in the entire
states as per figures available fro Toxicological Atlas of India prepared by ITRC/CSIR
(121).

Some facts

Every year approximately 20,000 people, mostly in the third world countries die as a result of direct
pesticide poisoning.

Several studies, including one conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research in 1993, found
alarmingly high levels of DDT, HCH and other extremely toxic pesticides in vegetables, fruits and
milk in Delhi and other states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The
average diet of an Indian contains 0.27 mg of DDT. Even infants are at risk. High levels of pesticides
were found in the carrion of buffaloea, the main food of vultures which are fast disappearing. From
2000 in 1995, the vulture population of Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park reduced to just four in a
span of three years.

In India, pesticides continue to be used despite warnings from scientists. Malathion, a chemical
sprayed to create an anti-mosquito fog for example, is a known neurotoxin, particularly dangerous
because it is absorbed both by the skin and through the respiratory system. Most importantly, it has
an extremely low efficacy- only about 10% of the mosquitoes are killed by the chemical. But, India
continues to use it.

A Greenpeace India study of over 800 children in the cotton growing states of Gujarat, Punjab,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu showed that serious mental development
disorders were related to pesticide exposure. Even small doses of pesticide were found to impact
analytical abilities, motor skills, concentration and memory of children. Pesticides can cause
biological changes in the body, triggering cancer in the process.

Statewise Environmental load of Pesticides in India

The environmental load of pesticides in India in term of kg/sq.km. land area presents an
interesting picture. Maximum pesticide load is found in the environment of Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. The pollution load in these areas ranges from 70-100
kg/sq.km. land area. Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal fall into the second category
where the load of pesticides in the environment is between30-70 kg/sq.km, whereas the
load of pesticides in the environment ranges between 10-30 kg/sq.km.. Interestingly
substantial areas in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Assam carry the pesticide
load of 7-10 kg/sq.km. In contrast to this, the load of pesticide in Himanchal Pradesh
ranges between 3.7 kg/sq. km. land area, while Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, Nagaland
and Manipur indicate the pesticide load of 1.3 kg/sq.km.

This may help us consider for appropriate curtailment of the amount used to decrease the
pesticide burden in our environment.

Pesticide Residues in the Environment

Pesticide residue is any substance or substances in food for humans or animals resulting
from the use of pesticide. Pesticide residues occur in agricultural commodities due to:
a)intentional use of pesticides for protection or growing crops or stored products or on
animals.
b) unintentional exposure to pesticides such as would occur in crop grown in soil treated
previously or contaminated by foliar treatment of other crops grown earlier in the
rotation.
c) unintentional accumulation in animals from ingestion of feeds containing pesticide
residues and
d) contamination of crops or animals exposed to chemicals in the environment.

Fate of Pesticides in the Environment

• Most pesticides end up in soil.

• They are spread in the environment in very low concentrations.
• Soil and aquatic media are generally rich in micro-organisms.
• Depending on their exposure to sunlight many pesticides escape by volatilization
in to the atmosphere

Conclusion

While the role of farmers may be clear-cut in shifting away from hazardous pesticides, it
is equally important for consumers to recognize that they have a significant impact
through their purchasing decisions, lifestyle and voting. Our food rupees actually
represent “votes” for the type of food we want.
• The government must conduct a comprehensive pesticide review and eliminate
the hazardous pesticides (Dirty Dozen) from production, sale or use unless
protection of public health and the environment can be guaranteed.
• The government must establish measurable goals and timetables for replacement
of ‘Dirty Dozen’ and other hazardous pesticides with organic and safer
alternatives.
• Establish “right-to-know” laws requiring advance permits, postings and public
warnings to assure that farm-workers and entire communities are aware of when
and what pesticides are to be sprayed, including information as to specific dangers
and the period during which exposure is to be avoided.
• Government must establish and enforce uniform, minimum standards for what
constitutes “certified organic food” in order to assure unrestricted trade, to
 guarantee consumers safe, wholesome food and to protect legitimate organic
farmers from fraud.
• With an increased cropping intensity and advanced farming techniques, the
farmers have to be educated in the proper uses of pesticides as well. Usually,
myth prevails in the field “more is better”, hence, there is a tendency to overuse
pesticides. But excessive use may cause toxicity to various plants, soil fauna and
increase in residue creates burden in the food chain.
• Uttar Pradesh also faces a threat from these ‘dirty dozen’ and other pesticides as
the majority of users being farmers who are not educated and concentrate only on
yield. Though the data, the rate of pesticide consumption is 0.3 to 0.4 kg/ha in
Uttar Pradesh, cultivable area being larger as compared to other states does pose a
threat.

“A truly extraordinary variety of alternatives to the

chemical control of insects is available. Some are
already in use and have achieved brilliant success…
Still others are little more than ideas in the minds of
imaginative scientists, waiting for the opportunity to
put them to the test. All have this in common: they
are biological solutions, based on an understanding of
the living organisms they seek to control, and of the
whole fabric of life to which these organisms belong.”
Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962