Honest Labeling for Pesticide Safety

A pesticide label is special. You need not read everything printed on soap wrappers, but pesticide safety depends on reading everything on a label. That is why pesticide labels in India have to be in regional languages. The best companies use pictograms as well.

Every labeling defect deserves censure. That is why I support the regulatory action reported at the following link:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/BUSINESS/80922045

Pesticide label integrity is a cross-functional business process. You cannot have the purchase and production guys acting in isolation. This is why Stewardship is such a top management function for the pesticide industry.

Are your labels in order? Do farmers violate your PHIs? What about emergency procedures? Do transporters and warehouse owners known action sequences when adverse events occur? Are your antidotes available wherever you distribute and sell? Do local doctors know how to save lives from poisoning incidents? Have you any data on chronic exposure effects? I can add to this barrage of questions. You may evade answers today, but it could be at the cost of your business.

Strengthen your Stewardship function for pesticide safety and yours as well.

A Must for Pesticide Safety

There used to be a time when skin cancer was a concern of white Caucasians in temperate climes. Pesticides have changed all that. Everyone who applies pesticides without protective gear is at risk of skin cancer if an NOEL is exceeded. Please bookmark the following link and become familiar with its contents:

http://www.webmd.com/melanoma-skin-cancer/slideshow-precancerous-skin-lesions-and-skin-cancer?ecd=wnl_day_100608

Dermatology is a specialized vocation. It is not possible for lay people to determine the nature and seriousness of a skin condition. That is why everyone who handles pesticides needs an annual medical examination.

Please post below or write to me at sochiye.pesticidesafety@gmail.com if you need help to arrange medical examination for agricultural labor and farmers to spray pesticides.

Seize the Pesticide Safety Initiative

I continue with my take-aways from my meeting with Pujya Kaka on October 03, 2008.

His words were not clear to me, but I did not dare to ask for a clarification. He said something about training villagers to act like business executives. I caught the phrase 'take initiative'. There had to be a reason for him to make this remark. It followed his query on whether my project had progressed in Koday.

I thought that a Shroff web site should make things clearer, and I was right. The revelation came from the following link:

http://shroffsfoundation.org/index.htm

I have watched Shrutiben's work for some years, albeit from a distance. She makes a big impact with minimum fuss. She works miracles with scarce resources. She does not bother with meetings, but takes decisive steps all the time. I have experienced this at first hand during the Orissa cyclone towards the end of the last century.

My pesticide safety work has suffered until now because I keep waiting for decisions from others. I will change this from today, after the holy occasion of Durga Ashtami merging in to Navami. Sandhi Puja will be over after midnight, and I will seize the initiative from tomorrow.

Thank you Pujya Kaka and Shrutiben.

A Spiritual Basis for My Pesticide Safety Campaign

The meeting was not in the best of circumstances. A sudden illness in the family was responsible for the Darshan. Nevertheless, it was inspiring as always.

Pujya Kaka quoted Sri Aurobindo on the subject of India's freedom. 

"Every organization must have its spiritual basis in place". 

I have paraphrased as I did not record the conversation, much as I would have liked to do. The key learning for me has been that spirituality should lie at the roots of every enduring human endeavor. It is an appropriate reminder during the current season of Goddess worship. The triumph must be of good and not of evil.

This encounter with Pujya Kaka will serve to take my pesticide safety campaign forward. Spirituality was not the only gem I gathered during the rare audience. I will post tomorrow about the rest of my memories of meeting Pujya Kaka on October 03rd 2008.

Pesticides and Honeybee Crisis in Canada

Canada has joined the growing list of countries with honeybee crises. See:

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/business/30437074.html

It is unlikely that mites or a virus are responsible for trans-oceanic spreads of Colony Collapse Disorder. The practice of using systemic pesticides during flowering is a more probable reason. 

It is possible that many countries are under threats of losing their honeybees, though their regulators have not recognized it as yet. There is not a day to lose in conserving this vital resource. Drastic farm production losses await nations that neglect their honeybees.

The Endogram-Endocel and Endosulfan tolerant Chrysoperla triad is an assertive way of protecting crops at flowering and honeybees at the same time. Rabi crops will be sown in India during the next 60 days. This is a crucial time to plan for the proper pollination of oilseeds and fruit trees. 

I hope India will not join the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Canada in recrimination over avoidable loss of honeybees. 

Please add your voice and influence to conserve Indian honeybees. Support the Endogram-Endocel and Endosulfan tolerant Chrysoperla  system for IPM at flowering.

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:

http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=70642

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.

Pakistan Beats India in Pesticide Safety

We are better at cricket, movies, and currying favor with the Americans, but have fallen behind in pesticide safety terms. Read the news at the following link:

http://thepost.com.pk/BizNewsT.aspx?dtlid=185743&catid=7

The empowerment of rural women and pesticide safety are best linked. After all, gynecological cancer threats from drift and dermal toxicity make females unwitting victims of pesticide abuse by their men. Besides, who is better placed than mothers and sisters to look after children, and to ensure their pesticide safety?

Beneficial insect rearing is a top way to involve women in pesticide safety. Endogram and Endosulfan-tolerant Chrysoperla can improve pesticide safety levels significantly. This is apart from the benefit of providing income and independence to rural women.

Pakistan has been nominated for an award in 2008. You can win in future by supporting the Endogram, Endocel, and Endosulfan-tolerant Chrysoperla triad. Please start today. Post below if you need help.