DDT in INDIA

an article published in an Indian Newspaper (see end for credit.)

India among top DDT users; need early ban
PS Thampi

(All emphasis and notes in italics inserted by Janine Roberts)

India is one of the largest consumers of DDT in terms of daily intake and among 16 other countries still permitting import of the chemical. According to `Pesticides News' of UK, DDT is permitted to be used for special programmes usually related to sanitation and vector control programmes.
The use of DDT came into being when the world realised it as one having lot of insecticidal properties. Discovered by the Swiss scientist Paul Muller as early as 1934, DDT was the first synthetic pesticide of the modern age. Though this pesticide promised much it created widespread concern as an environment hazard.
In countries in North America and northern Europe where use of DDT was banned for over a decade, the chemical residues are still found in food materials. The illegal use or importation of contaminated food from regions where DDT is still used is said to be the cause.
But diversions of the hazardous chemical to restricted areas could create lot of problems not only for the health of the population but also tothe trade and commerce of a country. The injudicious use of DDT as short cut method for controlling termites, ants and other insects in food factories, agricultural lands and crops will sound a death knell.
Dichlorophenyl tricholoroethane or DDT in short, is a nerve poison. It mainly affects the central and pheripheral nerve systems and the liver. It is moderately to slightly toxic to mammals. Acute effects in humans exposed to low to moderate levels may include nausea, diarrhoea, increased liver enzyme activity, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. At higher doses, tremors and convulsions are possible.
Studies conducted on the effect of DDT have revealed that it could even cause chronic effects on the nervous system. It had also been detected that adverse effect could cause danger to the reproductive process.

The dietary intake of DDT is considerably higher in developing countries.because WHO still recommends its ues in these countries - as it is cheaper than the forms now used in the WEst. In 1996, the World Health Organisation (WHO) assessed the acceptable daily intake for DDT from a number of countries. India is one of the largest consumers of DDT in terms of daily intake and among 16 other countries still permitting import of the chemical. According to `Pesticides News' of UK, DDT is permitted to be used for special programmes usually related to sanitation and vector control programmes.ie - against mosquitoes
The use of DDT came into being when the world realised it as one having lot of insecticidal properties. Discovered by the Swiss scientist Paul Muller as early as 1934, DDT was the first synthetic pesticide of the modern age. Though this pesticide promised much it created widespread concern as an environment hazard.
In countries in North America and northern Europe where use of DDT was banned for over a decade, the chemical residues are still found in food materials. The illegal use or importation of contaminated food from regions where DDT is still used is said to be the cause.
But diversions of the hazardous chemical to restricted areas could create lot of problems not only for the health of the population but also tothe trade and commerce of a country. The injudicious use of DDT as short cut method for controlling termites, ants and other insects in food factories, agricultural lands and crops will sound a death knell.
Dichlorophenyl tricholoroethane or DDT in short, is a nerve poison. It mainly affects the central and pheripheral nerve systems and the liver. It is moderately to slightly toxic to mammals. Acute effects in humans exposed to low to moderate levels may include nausea, diarrhoea, increased liver enzyme activity, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. At higher doses, tremors and convulsions are possible.
Studies conducted on the effect of DDT have revealed that it could even cause chronic effects on the nervous system. It had also been detected that adverse effect could cause danger to the reproductive process.
The dietary intake of DDT is considerably higher in developing countries. In 1996, the World Health Organisation (WHO) assessed the acceptable daily intake for DDT from a number of countries.The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is the amount of pesticide that can be consumed every day for a lifetime without harm. They do not take into account other pesticide exposures, other forms of DDT exposures such as occupational or residue levels already in body fat. However, studies of human fat in the UK has shown that DDT can persist for many years.
It has been proved beyond doubt that the after-effects of the use of this chemical could be seen in areas where this has never been used. DDT has been found in the bodies of people living in the Arctic regions, where DDT has never been used. It is one of the nine persistent organic pollutants which bio-accumulate, and which are transported by air and water currents from warmer climates to temperate zones, where they have never been used.
These are the facts based on real observations and studies. There is widespread global contamination of DDT. Over 38 countries have already taken steps to counter this menace. DDT is totally banned in 26 countries and in12 countries the use has been severely restricted. Canada has banned the use in 1985, Chile in 1985, Cuba in 1970, Liechtenstein in 1986, Korea in 1986, Poland in 1976, Singapore in 1984 and Switzerland in 1986.
Further, the use of DDT in agriculture has been banned in the European Union, Mexico, Panama, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Togo, former Soviet Union and the USA. It is said that though the Soviet Union banned the use of DDT in 1970, the production and use of DDT continued secretly even after the ban. In the USA the ban came in 1972 except for public health emergencies. Small quantities were put to use till 1980 and in 1991, the US exported 92 tonnes of DDT.
The message is very clear. The producers and exporters of these hazardous chemicals have actually banned its use in their own territories but would not mind other countries buying and using them. But when it come to the question of imports of food products from these sources, the restrictions of the residues of these chemicals come to the forefront,thereby hampering the export potential (of developing countries) of these products.
As regards India, the real ban on the use of the chemicals like the DDT will have to come into force and no authority could enforce it other than the producers of food products. Any chance of use of these chemicals will not only diminish the marketability of our producers but will also damage the health of the existing and future generations.
Thus, it is in our own interests that we do away with the DDT at the earliest.
(The author is deputy director, (publicity) Spices Board, Cochin.)
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

   FAIR USE NOTICE  
  This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner - or on which copyright has expired. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, health, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.