A Pesticide Stewardship Landmark
Pesticide safety will not be the same again. Most countries follow the US EPA sooner or later. Here is a historic decision of this important body in Washington: Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(e) Notices
Farming is very much a family vocation. Traditions are more practiced in the third world, but traces remain in the most advanced of farming systems. Women and children are front-line victims of pesticide abuse. They and their men are entirely dependent on the pesticide industry and on regulators to safeguard their health and longevity interests. Then there are school-teachers, post-people, local officials, and landless labourers, who form large sections of rural communities. The lives of these people has been behind the proprietary interests of pesticide patent holders-until now. Urban consumers have better albeit imperfect protection through the system of MRLs (Maximum Residue Level). Checks on wildlife are sporadic, and on chronic toxicity for humans and animals virtually non-existent.
Most of my pesticide industry contacts worry that the new US EPA rules will encourage piracy. These fears are not baseless, but the move is also an opportunity for the best corporations to distinguish themselves through better and more comprehensive customer service. I am confident that measures to bring relevant toxicology information in to the public domain will improve pesticide safety levels. Women and children like the ones in the picture, who work in chemical-intensive agriculture would surely rejoice if they knew of this move. I hope that all pesticide professionals will review and upgrade their stewardship procedures to meet the new and improved standards.
Dr. Satya Banerji
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