and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN THE PHILIPPINES
V. E. Ramos-Ocampo, E. D. Magallona, and A. W. Tejada
Asst. Professor, Professor and Researcher, respectively
University of the Philippines at Los Baflos, College
Laguna 3720, Philippines
Pesticide residues Will ,,ways remain a concern because of their potential as
health hazards and as cnvironmental contaminants. Consequently, many
countries have legislation to ensure safety from pesticide residues. In foodstuffs,
for example, a certain level of pesticide residue is assumed to be safe based on
toxicological considerations. In international regulatory circles, this level is
known a,,; tie tolerance limit or maximum residue limit (MRL), Unfortunately,
residue data under tropical conditions are generally lacking or unavailable for
international evaluation as a basis of setting MRLs (FAOIWHO 1978). In the
absence of a database most scientists assume that pesticides degrade faster in the
tropics, which has more intense environmental factors than temperate areas.
Therefore, a MRL based on data from the temperate regions is not expected to be
exceeded in tlhe tropics when the same insecticide is used on the same crop
provided the crop protection practices and pest problems are identical.
The generation of residue data simulating actual use conditions is still
important in tropical cot.iries like the Philippines. In fact, the country is one
of the few expected to generate pesticide residue data in the tropics, as noted by
the FAQ/WI-tO Joint Meeting of Experts on Pesticide Residues (FAO/WHO
1978). Because of limited resources, however, pesticide residue data generation
must be aligned with national priorities.
STATUS OF RESEARCH
In the Philippines, the Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory of
the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC), University of the Philippines at
Los Bafios (UPLB) and the Pesticide Residues and Formulation Control
Laboratory of the Bureau r' Plant Industry (BPI) are responsible for the bulk of
the activities in pesticide degradation and pesticide residues. The BPI Laboratory,
established under the Philippine-German Crop Protection Program, is currently
better equipped and has been involved in the monitoring of tobacco, vegetables
and even environmental samples. The UPLB Laboratory, on the other hand, was
[he first laboratory in tile Philippines to be equipped for research on pesticide
residues. I's current research thrusts include the conduct of material balance
.stldies li;ing model ecosystems to reflect tropical conditions, the evaluation of
the effect of transfer and degradation factors on a pesticidc, aad field residue trials
for agricullural crops.
Pesticide residue research in the Philippines is mainly on insecticides and
uses both field residue trials and 'market-basket' studies to generate residue data.