and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

IIEALIII HAZARDS OFPESrICIDE USE IN INDONESIA 307
group still needs to be proven. In interpreting the data, it is necessary to know
that in Tiyudan village, several acute pesticide outbreaks had occurred before,
e.g., in 1983 there were 20 deaths out of 48 cases reported; in January 1984, no
deaths out of 6 cases reported: and in September 1985, 4 deaths out of 4 cases.
The knowledge and attitude of the pesticide applicator groups in cocoa
plantations are relatively better than the other farmer groups studied. However,
based on the measurement of cholinesterase activity in Oc blood of the pesticide
applicator groups in Glenmore LTD, 37 persons (55%) were in conditions of
mild and moderate poisoning. Field observations proved that female pesticide
applicators in Glenmore Ltd Plantation, when applying the pesticide, were not
provided with :he recommended protective clothing. They used only casuai
clothing. These experiences show that every pesticide management company,
besides performing the training of applicators in application techniques, should
also provide recommended protective clothing and information about safe use of
pesticides for every pesticide applicator (Anonymous 1983a).
THE DT)I FORMULATING PLANT AND ENVIRONI ENTAL
POLLUTION IN INDONEISIA
The main environmental pollution problem attributed to pesticides in
Indonesia is pesticide pollution in bodies of water. The pollutant may threaten
the health of people, from those who stay along streams to those far away from
the source of pollution. Based onl field observations and other information, it
can Ie concluded that pesticide pollutants originating from pesticide formulating
and woodl preservation plants have high priority to be investigated. Pesticide
pollution problems in water are aggravated by agricultural waste and by the bad
habit of pesticide handlers of dumping unused pesticides in open bodies of water.
These problems are serious since most of the rural population still use ponds,
streams and rivers as their water supply. The government has set targets for
providing clean water to rural inhabitants; in 1984/1985 the target was 36.2% of
tie total population, while for 199( it is 60% (Anonymous 1985).
Although clear evidence of disease resulting from pesticide pollution in the
physical environment in Indonesia is not available, it is obvious that long-term
surveillance efforts on pesticide r.sidues that may escape to critical areas are
needed. Because of the lack of resources and experienced personnel, monitoring
of environmental pollution is still limited to the DDT formulating plant located
in Cicada village, Bogor Regency. A series of samples consisting of water, soil
and air has been taken from private residences surrounding the plant. There are
five point sampling locations. Point A is about 150 i on the northcast side of
the plant, point B about 250 m on the east side of the plant, point C about 300
m on the northwest side of the plant, point D about 200 in on the west side of
the plant, and point K as a control site about 3 km northwet of the plant. All
water samples are taken from open wells. Air samples are taken based on the
Greenburg-Smith impinger system (Mann, undated). Monitoring of the DDT
formulating plant has been done periodically and the results fed back to the West
Java Province Pollution Control Team, to corrective action if necessary. The
results of the monitoring activity are presented in Table 4.