Environmental and economic study of the consequences of pesticide use in Central American cotton production, 1974-1976; final report

MOST OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS EXAMINED -- FOOD, FORAGE, WATER, FLORA, AND FAUNA -- CONTAINED HIGHLY RESIDUAL PESTICIDES. OTHER FINDINGS POINT OUT THAT: AERIAL APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES UNDER UNSTABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS IS A KEY EVENT IN SPREADING PESTICIDES THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT; PESTICIDE DRIFT INCREASES SUB-CLINICAL INTOXICATION OF HUMANS AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF POISONINGS; IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESISTANCE BY THE MALARIA VECTOR; AND IT CREATES HIGH ECONOMIC LOSSES BECAUSE OF MEAT CONTAMINATION BY DDT. PART ONE OF THE STUDY PRESENTS A SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO REDUCE PESTICIDE USE AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES. THE PROGRAM, CARRIED OUT IN GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA, INCLUDED INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL. THIS MEANT REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS BY ABOUT 39% WHILE INCREASING YIELDS; IMPROVING SOIL CONSERVATION; USING FERTILIZERS MORE EFFECTIVELY; AND DISCOURAGING THE USE OF "HARD" PESTICIDES. THE PROGRAM ALSO EXAMINED THE USE OF A MORE REFINED PEST ECONOMIC THRESHOLD AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SELECTED IMPORT DUTIES. PART TWO DISCUSSES THE TECHNICAL ISSUES ON WHICH THIS STUDY FOCUSES, AND IT INCLUDES TABLES AND APPENDICES. THE STUDY MAKES THESE RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) ADOPT OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY PROCEDURES. (2) IMPROVE AND EXPAND EXISTING FIRST-AID CLINICS TO PROMPTLY TREAT HUMAN POISONINGS. (3) IMPLEMENT INTEGRATED COTTON PEST CONTROL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SOLE RELIANCE ON CHEMICAL PESTICIDES. (4) EDUCATE FARMERS REGARDING THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PLANTING COTTON IN SUITABLE LAND AND OF APPLYING PESTICIDES EFFICIENTLY. (5) ESTABLISH AN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAM FOR PESTICIDE USE IN CENTRAL AMERICA.