Export of banned pesticides
Name(s):
Illegal traffic in pesticides
Nature
Multinational chemical companies ship thousands of tonnes of pesticides and many, like DDT and Aldrin, are banned in the country of origin. As pesticides are regulated in the producer countries, manufacturers with stockpiles and expensive production facilities increasingly look to the developing countries for markets. Pesticide production and storage facilities built in developing countries are also generally more hazardous. There are few security procedures and more frequent accidents. Such "offshore" toxic factories continue to flourish in countries like Mexico, India and Turkey, while there are specific cases of massive accidents from pesticide storage in countries like Niger, Cameroon and Senegal.
Incidence
A French agency dossier of 18 particularly toxic pesticides, many of which were banned for use in Europe but not by at least 14 African countries, where 99% of pesticide deaths occur. The pesticide Gramozone, for example, remains a significant cause of death in several countries. An 1990 FAO code of conduct which includes a list of pesticides that could not be exported without sufficient informing the recipient of the product's toxicity, is systematically violated. One clear breach is to put false markings on products to avoid control. It is thought that this type of illegal traffic accounts for some 20% of pesticides that reach the South.
Broader
Aggravated by
Strategy(ies)
Value(s)
Type
(E) Emanations of other problems