PH24 Environmental Assessment, Environmental Toxicology
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Thursday
(PH260) Pesticide market analysis in human health and environmental pesticide risk assessment, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Milwain, G1, Abeyrathne, A2, Baird, D1, Kodithuwakku, S2, Little, D1, Perera, M2, Satapornvanit, K3, Yakupitiyagi, A4, 1 University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland, U.K.2 University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Central, Sri Lanka3 Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Pathumthani, Thailand4 Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Pathumthani, Thailand
ABSTRACT- Environmental and human health effects from pesticides are worldwide concerns, particularly within developing countries. Even when pesticide risk assessment, performed for authorisation of active ingredient release to local markets, is done according to scientific standards, the pesticide market nature itself may inflict additional risks through pesticide product properties, availability and marketing strategies. Socio-cultural, technological, economic-competitive and political-legal (STEP) factors influence the market and are important in risk assessment, but rarely considered. Investigations of pesticide markets in Thailand and Sri Lanka revealed legislative weaknesses, strained regulatory resources, illegal practices, and inexpensive and unsophisticated Authorised pesticide registration systems, leading to inconsistent product quality and safety standards. Low tax on pesticides and other incentives drive pesticide sales and company sales agents commonly target key community farmers to widely market their products. In Sri Lanka, discounts, credit availability and affordability were of particular importance in farmers' pesticide choice and credit-bound power relationships are common sources of farmer exploitation by pesticide retailers. Farmers' dependency on learning and sharing from their own experiences is high, especially where access to knowledge and other support forms is poor. Their economic vulnerability contributes to their widespread perception of high risks from agricultural pests and necessity for intensive pesticide use. Their comprehension and perceptions of health and environmental risks vary, few practice safety measures and many store and handle pesticides inappropriately. Although farmers' desires for change are evident, their perceived economic vulnerability takes ultimate precedence. Pesticide related health and environmental risks are therefore largely shaped by farmers perceptions and decisions, which itself are at the mercy of competitive pesticide market forces, weak regulatory and supportive systems and economic vulnerability. Improvements are required in pesticide registration and legislative specificity, pesticide industry economic contributions, regulatory resource capacities, farmer advisory and economic support services and food safety certification and public awareness programmes.
Key words: risk , pesticide, market, environment