Caribbean Pesticides Management Project Newsletter- August 2020

Project Update August 2020

CARIBBEAN PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT NEWS

PROJECT OBJECTIVES/ COMPONENTS Safe disposal of POPs and other obsolete pesticides and PCBs Technology transfer of methodologies for identification and remediation of contaminated sites Development of systems to manage empty pesticides containers Strengthening regulatory framework and institutional capacity for sound management of pesticides Promotion of alternatives to chemical pesticides

In our third edition of Caribbean Pesticide Management News, we will feature some updates and exciting news in the world of pesticides management in the region. Our aim is to keep you informed about project developments quarterly and to provide valuable “info-bits”! Here is some information about happenings from March to June 2020.

The project “Disposal of Obsolete Pesticides including POPs, Promotion of Alternatives and Strengthening Pesticides Management in the Caribbean” is presently being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) in 11 countries of the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Empty Container Management Empty pesticide containers are hazardous to human health and the environments. There is a danger that they be reused for storing food and water that could result in pesticide poisonings.

Containers abandoned in the environment can lead to pesticide pollution in soil and ground water.

During the period June 2019 to February 2020, the Regional Project Coordinator conducted workshops with stakeholders in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis on the need for countries to establish national container management schemes. One hundred and twenty-two persons participated representing pesticides importers, agro-supply stores, solid waste management, Ministries of Health, Agriculture (Extension and Communications) and Environment, non-governmental agencies, Customs departments, Pesticides regulatory authorities and Farmers. Â In each country, a steering committee was formed to oversee the establishment of pilot schemes. Unfortunately, the follow up was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is hoped that work can continue soonest, observing established protocols.

Alternatives to Pesticides Pesticide-contaminated Soil Remediation Pilot During the reporting period, soil remediation activities continued at a pilot site in Marienburg, Suriname under the direction of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus.

Samples for analyses of contaminant levels were taken and thereafter, technicians applied the agreed intervention to the plot which included cow manure, charcoal and microorganisms in recommended quantities. Interventions and sampling are being conducted bi-monthly.

Tractor incorporating charcoal into soil as part of remediation activities.

Photo credit: Brian Wirjo

Other aspects being investigated in collaboration with the University of Suriname and Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) are the microorganism fauna and flora and, the levels of pesticides/contaminants levels in plant life growing on the plot.

Removal of Obsolete PCBs Oil and Equipment Preparing Paperwork for PCBs POLEYCO, a waste recycler and disposal company based in Greece was contracted by FAO  near the end of 2019 to undertake the safeguarding and disposal of obsolete PCBs’ oils and equipment waste from four Caribbean countries: Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

In collaboration with the Basel Convention Regional Center and national government authorities, POLYECO has been working to verify reported

Photo source: https://polyeco.gr/

inventory quantities and preparing shipment notification documentation. This documentation is required to obtain transshipment consents for the hazardous waste to be shipped to Europe via third party ports, for environmentally-sound disposal.

Consent has to be granted by those countries through which the hazardous waste may transit en-route to Europe.

Due to the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this work is expected to continue until late 2020.

DID YOU

KNOW? Women exposed to the pesticide endosulfan during pregnancy are more likely to have autistic children.

Photo credit: @FAOCaribbean Twitter Fact Source: www.panna.org

Strengthening Regulatory Framework and Institutional Capacity Inspectors considering regional manual Pesticide inspectors from 11 project countries were consulted on the draft regional pesticide inspectors’ manual. The series of workshops facilitated by consultant Dr. Thérèse Yarde across several project countries came to end with a final regional session in Barbados.

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pesticide inspectors from 11 project countries trained

From March 9-11, 2020, participants from the Dominican Republic , Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados considered several areas of the draft manual including the duties of inspectors, preparing for inspections, safety, sampling, documenting inspections and communicating with the public. The draft manual is presently with project countries for comments before being finalized for publication and distribution among the CGPC countries.

As an industry regulator it is important that inspectors perform their duties with the highest level of integrity, accountability and transparency. The development of this Pesticides Inspectors Manual for the region will go a long way in achieving these goals, by having a harmonized approach to the way we regulate the importation, exportation, sale, storage, packaging, manufacturing, transport and disposal of pesticides within each of our territories. This will become an excellent foundation upon which to build our training programmes, particularly for new inspectors.

-Richard Glasgow- Pesticides &Toxic Chemicals Inspector III, Trinidad and Tobago

As a Safety and Health Officer, I conduct inspections of workplaces to identify safety and health issues as it relates to the Safety and Health Act of Barbados. This takes me into workplaces that sells, re-package or handles pesticides. The FAO Pesticide Inspectors Training Workshop helped me to identify important areas I need to examine when I do inspections. One of the highlights for me were the pictograms and coloured bands that identify where pesticides should be placed, stored and managed at these workplaces.

-Nia Salanky Payne, The Barbados Labour Department

Regional Workshop

highlights

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator welcoming participants and offering opening remarks.

Participants in discussion during the morning pesticide inspection safety session.

At the first stop of the field visits; a participant views storage of pesticides sold to the public at Massy Farm and Garden Shop.

Participants discuss the labeling of pesticides available to the public at Massy Farm and Garden Shop.

Day 3 cont'd

During the second stop on the field visits, participants tour the storage facilities for pesticides and their empty containers at Brighton Farm.

Hear from workshop Facilitator Dr. ThÊrèse Yarde

Group photo of participants taken during the lunch break at King George V Memorial Park.

Better data, better planning There is concern across the region about the risks that empty pesticides containers might pose to human health and the environment. Even when they are empty they are contaminated with toxic residues that can cause harm. Unfortunately, there is a lack of disposal options for these containers in the region. FAO and PAN-UK has been working to support countries across the region to collect data that can inform their next steps towards developing container management schemes.

From 25-26 May 2020, PAN-UK and FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of AgricultureBarbados and the FAO Sub-Regional Office trained four enumerators within the Ministry in conducting surveys to collect information on empty pesticide container management and the use of pesticides, including highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). Information collected through this survey will assist in developing safer practices through providing a better understanding of current management practices of empty pesticide containers and on the use of pesticides and HHPs, which will help to inform the pesticide risk reduction plan for the Caribbean region.

Over the two-day training, information was shared on several existing container management schemes, as well as PAN’s survey tool (which can be used on phones, tablets or laptops) and some practical issues to address during the survey. The team in Barbados was able to ask questions and provide feedback on the questionnaire, which helped PAN-UK to modify it to be more suitable for use in the specific country context.

Similar training will also take place in Dominica and Saint Lucia.

Due to the travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, PAN-UK were unable to conduct the surveys in country. However, our Extension Officers stepped up to collect data. To ensure we got accurate results, it was important that the Officers understood how to conduct the surveys; for example, getting an idea on how to pitch the question so similar data would be captured. I would encourage other Caribbean countries to undertake similar training. Officers can go into the field using their devices and the information will be uploaded immediately for PAN-UK to analyse. -Gennia Oxley, Ministry of Agriculture, Barbados Barbados has been taking steps towards a container management plan, expressed interest and had the necessary connectivity and access to farmers to conduct the surveys safely, despite the COVID-19 situation. They have been working hard and, despite a couple of technical hitches, they have uploaded all the data from the surveys. My colleague, Dr Rina Guadagnini, is currently analyzing it and we’re looking forward to sharing the results with Gennia and her team so that we can discuss the findings and next steps towards better container management.

-Sheila Willis, PAN-UK

Technical Working Group moving ahead The first meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) regional pilot Technical Working Group (TWG) took place from January 27 – 29, 2020 under the auspices of the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Paramaribo, Suriname. As its new technical secretariat, CAHFSA was a fitting location for the TWG meeting, established to evaluate pesticides product dossiers submitted for product registration using the FAO Pesticides Registration Toolkit. Among the points discussed at this first meeting were the operating procedures of the TWG and identifying priority areas to be evaluated in dossiers which are submitted with applications for the registration of pesticide products.

The second meeting, initially scheduled for March 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic took place virtually on 4 June 2020. The main item on the agenda for this second meeting was the review of an Evaluation Assessment Summary forms for a pesticide product which was completed by a member of the TWG.

DID YOU

KNOW? Data from developing countries show that women’s exposure to pesticides is significantly higher than is recognized.

Photo credit: www.fao.org

Monitoring and Evaluation Impact of COVID-19 on Project Activities Like many other programmes, projects and activities around the world, our project has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the activities and plans affected include: Establishment of pilot empty pesticide container management schemes.

Assessment of current pesticide container management and disposal practices.

Meetings of the pilot technical working group for the regional evaluation of pesticides registration application dossiers.

Due to travel restrictions and the variable status of the pandemic in project countries, field visits, meetings and other planned events now have to be rescheduled or conducted virtually including the 5th Meeting of the Project Steering Committee and 24th Meeting of the Coordinating Group of Pesticides Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC).

Meanwhile, participating countries, agencies and institutions have requested an extension to the project end date, so that planned activities can possibly be completed.

13th Virtual Meeting of the CGPC: Making changes in light of COVID-19 The 13th Virtual Meeting of the Caribbean Group of Pesticide Control Boards (CGPC) took place virtually on 1 April 2020. Discussions focused heavily on the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the options available for adapting initial plans and instituting contingency plans where possible, for the implementation of project activities. Read more

National Project Coordinators discuss extension National Project Coordinators (NPCs) were updated on the progress of the project through a virtual meeting convened by the Regional Project Coordinator on 21 May 2020.

The presentation included an update on implementation per component, identifying activities to be completed, the impact of COVID-19 and possibility of a no-cost extension for the project to complete its activities. NPCs were also reminded to submit country co-finance information for the past year and to expect a terminal evaluation and project workshop. The next CGPC meeting is expected to take place in Guyana.

Visibility Thinking of a theme for Pesticide Awareness Week 2020

Making use of CAHFSA

Pesticide Awareness Week is fast approaching, as we prepare to observe this week which starts on 28 September, the CGPC is considering themes which best fit the current climate. This year also coincides with the International Year of Plant Health.

As CAHFSA now hosts the new technical secretariat of the CGPC, countries are reminded to make full use of this resource.

Media zone

Use the hashtag #PlantH ealth an d tag @FA OCarib bean when p osting!

The United Nations has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. Share this video to inspire action for #PlantHealth!

Click here to download printable versions of the Triple Rinse Pamphlets and Posters.

GENDER AND PESTICIDES In our last edition, we focused on how exposure to harmful pesticides affects women, men and children differently. In this edition, we take a deeper look at women’s exposure to pesticides and what specific experiences may be overlooked during the pesticide management process.

Women’s Exposures to Pesticides…

In developing countries, pesticide application largely remains a task reserved for men.

Although women do engage in pesticide application, it is often associated with being a ‘man’s role’.

Research has shown that the perceived risk of pesticide exposure is often linked to tasks that involve direct application and less or non-existent for other tasks. For example, research amongst women farmers in the Western Cape indicated that the women themselves did not perceive certain high-risk tasks as ‘exposure’ because pesticide exposure is associated only with crop spraying, which is regarded as men’s work.

Although women may be less involved in physically applying the pesticides, women may be present during application activities, either weeding or harvesting in adjoining sections of sprayed fields, working in recently sprayed fields or may be present during mixing of chemical solutions for sprayers used by men. Men often hold their wives responsible for functions they see as routine or less critical, but which subject them to high exposures of chemicals.

...looking beyond pesticide application Women’s work is often dictated by stereotypes related to perceptions of genderspecific biological abilities. Thus, work requiring meticulous handedness, such as thinning fruit on deciduous trees, or micro-trellising of vines is often allocated to women, ostensibly because of their ‘natural’ abilities to do this work ‘better’ than male workers. However, this gender allocation probably has more in reality to do with other aspects such as the requirement for available pools of temporary labour for such tasks, and/or societal acceptance of pay discrimination. These activities however, often coincide with the period of peak application of pesticides, thus making residues exposure a significant potential threat for women undertaking these tasks.

Within the agricultural sector, women in developing countries are often employed as casual labour- tasks that can be done without requiring high levels of training are often allocated to them. These tasks may include participating in particularly unsophisticated and high exposure activities. Women are also less likely to receive adequate training or protective clothing which is often reserved for men, and due to the perception that their tasks are less or not hazardous.

Photo credit: Brian Wirjo

Other issues that increase exposure for women include re-entry into sprayed fields, spray drift and general lack of sanitary facilities in the fields where women suffer more than men do from the lack of sanitary facilities in the fields. Particularly where labour is done under the supervision of males. The potential threats of violence against women may deter women from walking long distances to seek protective clothing, or to reach water sources for drinking or washing, before consuming food or drink in the field.

Even where showers or bathroom facilities are provided they are usually available only to spray operators who are usually men and not to women workers whose jobs are seen as ‘non-exposed’.

Interested in reading more research on this topic?

Read: Pesticide Usage and Health Consequences for Women in Developing Countries: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?

Distinction between paid and unpaid work in pesticide management The nature of women’s paid and unpaid work, makes it much harder to make the distinction between occupational and nonoccupational exposure for women than for men.

Particular domestic duties increase the likelihood of exposure for women moreso than male family members. Such duties include washing contaminated clothing, domestic pest control in the maintenance of the house which is often seen as a women’s role and the reuse of pesticide containers for cooking, storage or washing.

Photo credit: FAO

These kind of exposures are often not recognized as problematic, even in environments where male workers have a high level of awareness of health and safety, reflecting the internalization of gender roles expected of women. For women this may multiple the risks of exposure, as they are more likely to have domestic duties on top of field production.

Where possible facilities to wash contaminated clothing in the workplace can provide a safer alternative and reduce exposure to designated areas that can be better managed.

Pesticide Exposures for Women beyond Direct Pesticide Application Mixing of pesticides

Disposal

Domestic Pesticide Use Domestic Storage

Acting as marker for aerial spray

Vector Control

Drift into Domestic Environment

Food and Water Contamination

Contamination of fodder for animal use

Packaging

Reuse of pesticide containers

Washing contaminated clothing

Contact with residues during fieldwork: weeding, thinning, harvesting, collecting cotton sticks

CONTACT US: Caribbean Pesticide Management Project FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean 2nd Floor, United Nations House Hastings Christ Church Barbados 1(246) 426-7110 fao-slc@fao.org firhaana.bulbulia@fao.org