Pesticide Information for the Royal Commission On Pollution

1
Pesticide Information for theRoyal Commission On
Pollution

• Buffer Zones
• Notification of Use
• The Right to Know
• How Safe is the Science?

2
Decisions Made By DEFRA

• No Science to support Buffer Zones
• A Trial Area only for Notification
• Third Parties to Control Access to Information
  about the Pesticides Used

3
Was DEFRA Correct?

• What is regarded as scientific evidence?
• Are adverse health effects known?
• Do the monitoring systems work?
• Is evidence being ignored?

4
Scientific Evidence Includes

• Recognised symptoms of pesticide exposure
• Recognised properties of pesticides
• Recognised routes of exposure
• Peer reviewed reports of drift effects
• Officially recognised incident confirmation
• Incidents of linked illness reported to the
  authorities but not officially recognised
• Medical records of induced symptoms
• Known risks to vulnerable individuals

5
Pesticide Induced Symptoms

• Restricted breath/asthma
• Digestive upsets/diarrhoea
• Heart rate irregularity
• Sweating/skin lesions
• Running nose/eyes/saliva
• Sore throat/voice loss
• Headaches/anxiety
• Joint/bone disorders
• Diabetes/hypoglycaemia

• Muscle pain/tremors
• Memory loss
• Visual disturbance
• Chemical sensitivity
• Cognitive defects
• Neurological diseases
• Foetal abnormalities
• Cancers
• Hormone disruption

6
Pesticides Include

• Arsenicals
• Carbamates
• Organochlorines
• Organophosphates
• Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids
• Genetically Modified toxins
• Acids, such as Sulphuric Acid
• Hormone disrupters
• Co-formulants which increase toxicity

7
Routes Of Exposure

• Direct contact with pesticide or packaging
• Exposure to spray drift
• Exposure to volatile pesticide vapour releases
• Contact with sprayed crop or contaminated areas
• Inhalation of contaminated air
• Drinking contaminated water
• Eating contaminated food
• Tracking into the home via pets or humans
• Contaminated clothing or footwear

8
Bioaccumulation is Dangerous

• Bioaccumulation results from the use of
  pesticides which are lipophilic and which persist
  in the environment for a long time
• Many pesticides in common use are both lipophilic
  and persistent - including many organochlorines
  and organophosphates
• Spray drift contaminates surrounding areas and
  non-target species, including man

9
Persistent Pesticides

• Bio accumulate
• Present risk of long-term exposure
• Enter the food chain
• Concentrate in higher animals and man
• Are difficult to remove from the environment and
  from the human body.
• Can induce long-term health effects

10
Each Type of Pesticide Acts on Different
Functions in the Body

• Arsenicals
• Blood vessel damage
• Enzyme inhibitors
• Organophosphates
• Nervous system toxins
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Enzyme disruptors
• Damage DNA/RNA
• Limit oxygen transport

• Organochlorines
• Nervous system toxins
• Block GABA channels
• Hormone disruptors
• Pyrethrins
• Nervous system toxins
• Sensitisation

11
Other Pesticide Actions

• Pyrethroids Type I
• Nervous system toxins
• Pyrethroids Type II
• Cause paresthesias
• Block sodium channel
• Inhibit GABA

• Chlorphenoxy
• Compounds
• Nervous system toxins
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Metabolic poisons
• Skin and mucous membrane irritants

12
More Pesticide Actions

• Carbamates
• Nervous system toxins
• Similar in action to organophosphates but the
  action is reversible
• Triazines
• Mucous membranes
• Endocrine system

• Dipyridyls -paraquat
• Corrosive
• Membrane poisons
• No antidote
• Phthalimides
• Nervous system toxins
• Glucose metabolism

13
Actions of Co-Formulants

• Can increase toxicity of active ingredients
• Can be extremely toxic in their own right
• Can be volatile with toxic vapours
• Can cause cancer e.g. benzene leukaemia
• Can have insecticidal properties
• Can protect the active ingredient
• Can prolong activity of the formulation
• Can trigger chemical sensitivity reactions

14
Multiple Exposures Are Dangerous

• Each poison targets different enzymes
• Each poison adds to cumulative damage
• Repeated exposures can cause permanent changes
  and long-term effects
• When suffering from the effects of a pesticide
  further exposures to that or any other should be
  avoided until recovery is complete
• Mixtures of pesticides are frequently used
• Pesticide/medicine combinations can be deadly

15
Symptoms can be Non-Specific

• Such as
• Flu-like symptoms including dizziness, malaise,
  coughs, sore throat, headaches
• Rashes or reddened skin, sweating
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, nausea, vomiting
• Blurred vision, seizures or strokes
• Heart rate abnormalities
• Effects of odours - which are not necessarily the
  toxicological effects of the active ingredient
  alone

16
Pesticide Symptoms can Mimic Those of Other
Illnesses

• Asthma
• Influenza
• Heart Attack
• Brain haemorrhage
• Diabetes
• Gastroenteritis
• Pneumonia
• Viral infection

• Meningitis
• Bronchitis
• Epilepsy
• Alcoholism
• Parkinsons Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Alzheimers Disease
• Heat Stroke

17
Contraindicated Treatments

• Theophylline / Aminophylline for asthma
• Certain antibiotics
• Antidepressants
• Anaesthetics
• Painkillers such as morphine
• A host of others too numerous to mention which
  act on the same biological pathways

18
Poisoning Recognised Officially

• Numerous PIAP reports in UK alone have confirmed
  poisoning from single episodes of exposure to
  spray drift
• Thousands of poisoning cases are recognised
  annually around the world
• The adverse effects of drift are well known

19
Unrecognised Poisoning Cases

• In the UK there is a reluctance to recognise any
  pesticide poisoning cases
• That is made worse by the unknown causes of many
  serious illnesses such as cancer, ME, asthma or
  Parkinsons Disease
• Even direct poisoning cases are hidden as seen in
  the Sheep Dip and OP litigation

20
Inadequate Medical Care

• The graph below indicates the lack of
  available medical treatment in the UK (deaths
  treatment)
• Source USA (2002)
  http//www.aoec.org

21
A Village in the UK where Pesticides are used
Intensively
22
Known Illnesses in Past or Current Residents in
that Area
23
Confirmed Illnesses to Date in the Village of
Thorley include

• Cancers
• M.E.
• Neurological problems
• (4 died)
• Serious heart problems
• Asthma
• Joint/bone problems

• 39 of which 27 died
• 9 cases (6 left village)
• 9 cases 2 confirmed as pesticide poisoning
• 13 of which 10 died
• Numerous cases
• Numerous cases often in ex-farm workers

24
Evidence of Harmful Effects

• Studies show adverse effects in children
• Effects in pesticide applicators
• Studies of pesticide use and effects in schools
  and hospitals
• Tracking of pesticides into homes
• Persistence of pesticides after application
• Evidence in law of recognised long-term effects
  from repeated low-dose exposures

25
Medical Records

• The correct tests are often not offered
• Availability of testing is often denied
• Test results are often hidden or falsified
• Supporting medical opinion is ignored
• Medical records are withheld
• Lack of that information is then used to claim
  there is no risk from pesticides

26
Risks to Vulnerable People

• Foetal exposures developmental changes
• Children - susceptible to low exposures
• Those already poisoned, or on medication
• Patients with cancer, MS, Parkinsons etc.
• Elderly patients
• Anyone with infection, M.E. or asthma
• Those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

27
Children are at Greatest Risk

• Immune systems are still forming
• Greater exposure relative to weight
• Hand to mouth contact more frequent
• Often crawling or playing in treated areas
• Unaware of any risk
• Unaware of appropriate precautions
• Vulnerable and need greater protection

28
Reasons for Notification

• To allow the vulnerable to be protected
• To allow those who can to move away
• To ensure that children are indoors
• To reduce post-application exposures by physical
  contact with sprayed areas
• To ensure no contamination of washing
• To allow time to seal homes if necessary

29
Reasons for Right to Direct Pesticide
Information Access

• Some treatments are ineffective after 24 hrs
• Third party involvement increases costs
• Less likelihood of error
• Information required for correct diagnosis
• Diagnosis required for safe treatment
• Less Secrecy Greater Trust
• Greater trust improves rural relationships

30
Dangers of Using a Third Party

• Delay in obtaining information
• Additional costs
• Increased likelihood of error
• Need to persuade Third Party to act
• Uncertain knowledge of subject
• Regular updates required
• Information easily overtaken by events
• Additional Data Protection problems

31
Is the DEFRA Science Flawed?

• Pesticides are more persistent than claimed
• Exposures are more prolonged than claimed
• Exposures are rarely to a single chemical
• Accurate exposure measurement impossible
• Induced effects are easily missed
• Records are dangerously inaccurate
• Powerful vested interests are involved

32
Current Legislation

• Demands protection of human health
• Requires pre-marketing pesticide approval
• Requires control of pesticide use
• Protects non-target organisms people?
• Demands that least toxic methods are used
• Requires pesticide records to be kept
• But regulations are rarely enforced
• Without enforcement there are no laws

33
Conclusions

• Buffer Zones are essential to protect health
• Pesticide testing is inadequate
• Advance notification for the vulnerable and
  direct access to detailed information about the
  pesticides used is essential
• DEFRA has failed to protect the public or the
  environment from dangerous toxins
• The National Health Service has failed to protect
  individuals poisoned by pesticides

34
The Way Forward

• The Government must remove from positions of
  influence all those who have provided false
  information
• Testing and treatment centres should be
  established in all areas as part of a health
  improvement programme
• All pesticides must be properly tested by
  independent laboratories before approval
• An Independent Inquiry into the entire issue
• Prosecute Officials who have acted unlawfully

35
Towards Public Protection

• Every means available should be enacted to
  protect children and vulnerable groups
• All pesticide laws, regulations, and
  recommendations should be legally binding on
  those who use pesticides
• Enforcement of those regulations is the key to a
  more healthy population and a cleaner environment
  for us all

36
Questions for DEFRA

• Where is your independent science?
• Why do you ignore contrary evidence?
• Do you understand the human metabolism?
• Will you stop providing false or unreliable
  information to Ministers and the public?
• Will you ever put the safety of public health
  before the interests of industry?