Nine pesticides banned in Turkey: 'There are bans but no inspections'

By Tansu Pişkin

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has banned the nine pesticides used to prevent diseases and harmful organisms from damaging crops. Also, the use of seven pesticides has been restricted until a reevaluation in December 2021.

According to a circular sent to 81 provinces, the use, import and export of the banned pesticides have been terminated. The plant protection products containing the banned substances will be collected by the company and destroyed within the knowledge of the Ministry.

"The ban of even a single agricultural poison is pleasing but it's not enough," Turgay Özçelik from the No Pesticides On My Plate Civil Society Network, an EU-supported campaign, told bianet. 

"Although we don't know the exact numbers, there are about 300 agricultural poisons in Turkey and there are agricultural poisons defined as 'very dangerous and possibly carcinogen' by the World Health Organization, which harm the health of all living beings and the environment.

"At this point, no decision has been given regarding them yet, and their legal use continues."

"No inspections despite bans"

"Another point is that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has not shared its data for seven years as to whether an inspection has been carried out for pesticides for seven years, and if so, what the results are.

"In many studies, we see that some pesticides continue to be used, even though they are banned, or products exported to the EU are returned because they contain the banned pesticides.

"Therefore, in addition to the ban, the inspections carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the provincial and district directorates of agriculture need to be increased and the inspection results should be shared [with the public]."

"For the last part, even if inspections are carried out, there are no efforts to develop and support alternative methods.

"The agricultural policies should also encourage this. Banning something and directing [people] to its alternative are different things. Therefore, these developments are a good starting point but not enough."

Demands from the Ministry

The Network makes the following demands from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

13 active ingredients used in agriculture, listed as 'extremely hazardous', 'highly hazardous' and ''possible carcinogen' by the World Health Organization (difenacoum, ethoprophos, cyfluthrin, beta-cyfluthrin, zeta-cypermethrin, fenamiphos, formetanate X formetanate hydrochloride, methiocarb, methomyl, tefluthrin, zinc phosphide, glyphosate, malathion), must be banned primarily and immediately.

We ask the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to take necessary actions aiming to ban all pesticides by 2030, and to move towards pesticide-free, eco-friendly food production methods; and to develop policies, which support environmentally safe farming practices and smallholder farmers using these practices, and which encourage farmers to use eco-friendly and pesticide-free methods.

We demand increased controls and audits on pesticide use in agricultural food products in Turkey, and the results of these audits to be made transparent and public.

How do pesticides affect health?

Pesticides harm human health; they cause neurological damage and endocrine disruption, lead to many cancer types, infertility, developmental disorders in children, biodiversity loss by effecting bees and other living beings, damage ecosystems, pollute our water and air, thus, we demand a hasty ban on 13 active ingredients commonly used in pesticides, which are listed as 'extremely hazardous', 'highly hazardous', and 'possible carcinogen' by the World Health Organization.

Many pesticides are found in breast milk, umbilical cord and meconium of newborns and even baby food, and pose the highest threat to babies and young children. They cause an increased risk of miscarriage and premature birth in pregnant women, as well as birth defects, leukemia and other cancer types, autism and respiratory diseases in newborn babies.

Many similar pesticides are banned, but only many years after their adverse health effects are identified and thus, after many years of exposure to them; the authorities have failed to fulfill their responsibilities. Even after years of scientific evidence pointing to their adverse effects, nothing has been done to ban these 13 active ingredients in question.

Source: zehirsizzorfalar.org