A New Pesticide Safety Dimension

Acute toxicity is dramatic, and hence it gets most pesticide safety attention. Sub-acute and chronic effects of pesticides are controversial matters, and no point of view can be established beyond doubt. The study reported at the following link is a case in point:

http://fellows.environmentalhealthnews.org/newscience/depressed-about-pesticides/

Pesticide toxicology is nearly always studied in animal models. Real effects in humans are generally not studied. Indirect inferences may be drawn as in the report cited above, but the conclusions are open to debate. Psychiatric conditions cannot be studied in animals in any case.

Human safety deserves better. How can we protect pesticide spray operators from open-ended doubts about possible health effects? Responsible pesticide manufacturing units do this through systems of annual medical examinations coupled with comprehensive health-records. This is an appropriate model for pesticide spray operators. I have developed one and hope to launch it later this month. Post below or write to me at sochiye.pesticidesafety@gmail.com if you would like to operate a health surveillance system for pesticide spray operators in your area.

The Efficacy and Pesticide Safety Link

There are many theories as to why biological pesticides have not been successful. I believe that it is a matter of professional and dedicated transfer of technology. Consider the disturbing news at the following link:

 

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/653837

 

I am not aware whether the biological pesticides used in this case were of inferior quality. Perhaps colony releases were not on time. Another factor to consider is whether the farmers wanted knock-down action, though what they choose to use were repellants.

 

Biological pesticides have to be used in a system format. The Endogram-Endocel-Endosulfan tolerant Chrysoperla is my triad of choice. I am confident of protecting crops from insect attacks using this approach. A bonus is that honeybees and other pollinators can go about their tasks.

 

Post below or write to me at sochiye.pesticidesafety@gmail.com if you would like to try the  Endogram-Endocel-Endosulfan tolerant Chrysoperla system.

Pesticide Safety Beats Organic

MRLs hold a key to pesticide safety. The pesticide industry stands to make major gains if we can stop abuses of our products. The conventional position that a manufacturer's responsibility ends with meeting regulations, deserves a fresh look. The pesticide industry needs a pro-active mechanism to ensure that products are used safely and judiciously. We have to assure consumers that farm produce on retail shelves does not contain harmful pesticide residues. This will put crops grown under modern agronomy conditions a step ahead of organic produce.

These are my impressions from the slide-show at the following link:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/slideshow-to-buy-or-not-to-buy-organic?ecd=wnl_day_100908

I welcome your views on this matter.

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.