[Prepared by IDIS June 2007]
Issue 1: The chemicals sprayed is inherently poison. Pesticides are designed to kill. Even if registered by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, they still have ill effects on non-target organisms. Women and children are especially vulnerable to effects of pesticides.
Issue 2: Aerial spraying increases the spray drift. Predictable percentage of spray drift can reach to 3.2 km from the treatment site (USEPA). A study in Central Washington says ir can reach 80 km in hilly terrain under windy conditions. Aerial Spraying contaminates open/exposed bodies of water (rivers, wetlands, and springs) where people get drinking water! It contaminates the roofs of houses where people usually collect rainwater for domestic use! So, it sure contaminates people, animals, other crops.
Issue 3: Poor regulation on aerial spraying; lack of enforcement; lack of monitoring. Vegetative buffer zones required near schools, rivers, public roads, and houses, is not complied with by banana companies. It is amazing that the proposed buffer zone by different concerned organizations, which is less than 1 mile around drinking water, cannot be complied with. In Alaska, the current required buffers to protect drinking water sources is 66 meters.
Regulations for aerial spraying are not regularly monitored by Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority because of lack of personnel and budget……….which means there is a lack of environmental health monitoring in the country.
