and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

394 IS1C[OIIMANAGI
.IANDIPM IN SOUTlrr:AST I.SIA
in programs to curb indiscriminate use of pesticides that leads to poisoning of
people and the environment.
THE lilT SAGA
Pesticide registration and/or certification
that manufacturers,
procedures it,most
prior
countries
to marketing, require
the relevant
provide
government
adequate
authority.
health and
The
safety
data
data
is
to
approved then
or
reviewed
not approved.
and the
However,
pesticide
Laboratories
in the wake
(IBT)
of
episode,
the Industrial
there has
Bio-Test
that significant
been growing
proportions
concern
of such
over
health
the possibility
and safety
on experiments
data could
pocrly
have been
done,
based
falsely
In 1977,
reported
the
or
United
not conducted
States Government
at all.
IBT had deliberately
discovered
falsified
that the
research
Chicago-based
reflected
findings
in
on
the
a massive
percentage scale,
of IBT
as is
tests
clearly
that were
- 99% of
subsequently
tests on cancer;
considered
76% of
invalid
mutations,
tests on birth
neurotoxicity,
deformities;
and
50%
medium
of tests
term
on
and 30%
tests
of tests
on a
on
variety
toxicity
of
if
other
swallowed,
ill-effects;
breathed, or absorbed through
(Abraham
the skin
Most
1987).
disturbing was the fact
had
that
been
at least
aware
four
of
major
the falsified
pesticide manufacturers
experiments
research data
that
on potential
IBT had
carcinogenicity
submitted
According
to the
to
United
the United
States
States
Government.
government,
evidence of
IBT
potential
had deliberately
hazards from
omitted
shredded
some reporvs,
the results
fabricated
upon
other
learning
data,
that
and
-hey
later
four senior
were
executives
under
of
investigation.
IBT were brought
In 1983,
defraud
to trial,
clients
charged
and goverrment
with conspiring
agencies
to
by writing and distributing
fraudulent research
false and
There
reports.
is reason to believe that
and
IBT
international
data was instrumental
regulatory decisions
in several
on
national
even the
the sale
WHO,
and
which
use of
sets
pesticides,
international
and that
safety standards for exposure to
potentially hazardous substances had, to an appreciable degree, relied upon IBT
test results.
It scem, hat Third World countries have not only to bear the brunt of the
dumping of pesticides that are banned or severely restricted in their countries of
origin, but also the hazards of pesticides that might have gained certification on
grounds of falsified test results churned out by unscrupulous laboratories like
IBT. The gravity of the situation demands urgent and appiopriate action by all
Third World governments to re-examine the validily of health and salrety data
supporting currently registered pesticides.
THJE SOLUTIONS
Given the prevailing conditions,
the
how
value
are
systems
we going
so
to
that
fundamentally
the health
change
environment
and safety
is paramount,
of both people
superceding
and the
considerations?
any technical
There ore
or
three
commercial
basic needs that have to be taken into account ­