Saturday, October 4, 2008

A Pesticide Safety Blind Spot


Society depends on regulators and the industry for pesticide safety. Environmental activists may throw mud at pesticides, and work on some African governments to influence biased bans, but the vast majority of farm produce and vector management remains under pesticide covers. Pesticides, food security, and the management of flying insects, are factually inter-linked.

Pesticide safety efforts focus on manufacturing and application. Storage, transport, and disposal receive less attention than they deserve. This is probably because pesticides are sold in the same ways as other consumer goods. Anyone can buy them, and the brand owner's responsibilities are limited to meeting label specifications.

Here is a link to the implications of neglecting the safe disposal of pesticides:

North Carolina has uncovered a global issue. Pesticides will continue to contaminate wells and public water bodies everywhere unless we have procedures and means in place to contain this deadly form of pollution. Endosulfan in water and soil can and should be degraded chemically or through microbes after field application. This applies to other pesticides as well.

Please post your opinion below.

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