Press Release April 18
BBC Documentary 'TOXIC TRAIL' 23 April

ESTIMATED 25 MILLION CASES OF PESTICIDE POISONING EACH YEAR

Jakarta, April 18 - The pesticide industry is big business. Annual Sales are over 30 billion US dollars. Major manufacturers say they try very hard to encourage responsible use of the chemicals - they call it 'Product Stewardship'. Despite this, an estimated 25 million cases of pesticide poisoning occur each year. Nearly all the victims are in developing countries.

"Chemical producers and government regulators believe pesticides can still be used safely, that they can be used appropriately on the correct crops at the correct times. However I think we will see something different going on in the actual fields and the villages," says Russ Dilts, FAO Regional IPM Coordinator. Dr Dilts takes a crew from the TVE (producers of Earth Reports, BBC World) on the 'Toxic Trail', a documentary starting in Thailand and following the flow of toxic chemicals into Cambodia where they are posing a serious threat to human health and the environment.  

Methyl Parathion, Monocrotophos, and Mevinphos, all classified as Ia 'extremely hazardous' by the World Health Organisation and banned or restricted in many developed countries are sold freely, and widely used by poor farmers across Cambodia with no safeguards whatsoever. 'Normal use' in the field is a far cry from the 'safe use' touted by chemical companies, as farmers are literally bathing in toxic cocktails. Proper protective gear for the use of such hazardous chemicals, even if available, would cost a farmer more than a year's income. The minority of Cambodian farmers that are literate cannot read the safety warning labels printed in Thai or Vietnamese.

Multinational companies disclaim responsibility for what happens to their products in Cambodia since they have no formal operations there, leaving the responsibility to the Government. But after decades of civil war, the impoverished Cambodian Ministries are struggling to build regulatory capacity in an attempt to control illicit trade and use of pesticides. They are no match for the massive commercial pressure coming from both east and west.

'Toxic Trail' turns to the farmers. 85% of the Cambodian population relies on agriculture for their livelihood. The FAO's Community Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program has helped farmers to understand more about pesticides and their acute health effects such as vomiting, trouble walking, dizziness, burning eyes and skin, muscle cramps and shortness of breath. After spraying farmers often report 4 or more symptoms of pesticide poisoning.

But there is a positive side to this otherwise grim picture. Across the region, Community IPM farmers are learning about rice ecology and how pesticides disturb the natural ecological balance. In Indonesia, IPM farmers have reduced the amount of pesticides they use and created farmer associations that sell pesticide-free rice and organic fertiliser at their own IPM kiosk. 'Toxic Trail' visits a farmer group in West Java, which has started their own farmer newspaper to spread news of alternative methods of pest control. These farmers are meeting with local governments, doing their own research and experiments, and encouraging ecologically sustainable farming in their community. 

'Toxic Trail' will be broadcast in two parts on BBC World Earth Report, April 23 and April 29. Earth Reports are produced by the Television Trust for the Environment (TVE). The broadcasts are accompanied by the website ToxicTrail.org, containing further information about the FAO Community IPM program in Asia and the pesticide industry.