Impact of - IDL-BNC @ IDRC - International Development Research ...

As a result of deregulation, the number of cases of pesticide poisoning has
increased because more people are handling and using pesticides. Before the
rural economic reformation, handling of highly toxic pesticides was limited
to specially organized and trained teams of five to eight people. Now, anyone
can purchase and use such pesticides. Pesticides are used by an average of
1.3 people/family. Although the absolute number of poisoning cases has
increased, the incidence rate is the same or has even declined (below 1 per
1000).
The severity of poisonings has also been reduced. The proportion of severe
cases (involving coma, pulmonary edema, and respiratory failure) declined
from 10% in the 1960s to 1.1% in the 1970s and 0.5% by the 1980s. Although
more people are handling pesticides, the amount used and the area covered
has remained relatively constant, i.e., the amount of pesticide each sprayer
handles has been reduced.
Song-i iang
Song-Jiang is one of the ten counties under the Shanghai municipal authorities.
During the 1980s, only 150 cases of acute pesticide poisoning were
recorded in this county. Although Song-Jiang is a large county with 0.5 million
people, the incidence of pesticide poisoning was very low because comprehensive,
multisectoral efforts were adopted to prevent both occupational
and nonoccupational acute pesticide poisoning. This required an intensive
effort at every stage of pesticide production, distribution, storage, and use, as
well as careful training of the spray operators, instruction in the selection of
pesticides, equipment maintenance, field inspection, medical surveillance,
early diagnosis, and adequate treatment.
The key to success in this county has been the collaboration among plantprotection
divisions (under the agricultural bureau), distribution agencies
(commerce bureau), county hospitals and health stations, and health staff at
the township and village levels.
Pesticides, in dilute solution, are applied collectively using high-powered
sprayers that project a rain-like spray as far as 30 m. This equipment is much
safer than knapsack sprayers. The practice survived the period of agrarian
reform, because the equipment could not be dismantled and distributed to
individual families. As a result, farmers have had to work together, and the
spraying equipment continues to be operated by qualified people.
In Song-Jiang, nonoccupational poisonings are also far fewer than in other
counties due to strict regulations and proper storage of highly toxic pesticides,
which prohibit access to these substances by the general population. In the
1980s, there were an average of 39 poisoning cases resulting in 5 deaths (12.8%)
per year.
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