Chemical Pesticide Markets, Health Risks and Residues

by Jeremy Harris

Overview

During recent decades, there has been a steady increase in the use of chemical pesticides in both developed and developing countries. This has caused widespread concern about their impact on human health and on the environment. This is particularly the case in less developed countries which may lack appropriate resources to minimize the risks and rectify problems. The purpose of this book is to provide a review of:information on the scale of manufacture, import, export and use of chemical pesticides; examples of direct risks to human welfare in terms of acute poisonings caused by occupational exposure and pesticide residues in food; examples of problems with the storage of obsolete stocks of pesticides in developing countries. The focus is on acute problems in developing countries, particularly in Latin America, Asia and Africa, but some information is also provided about developed countries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780851994765
Publisher:	CABI
Publication date:	07/25/2000
Series:	Biopesticides , #1
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	90
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Harris, Jeremy

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Daniel L. Sudakin, MD, MPH (Oregon State University)
Description: This is a bibliography providing information on pesticide use in developing countries.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide a summary of information on the scale of pesticide manufacture, import, export, and use in developing countries. The related risks to humans through occupational exposure and through residual food contamination are explored. Examples are provided of the problems associated with the fate of obsolete stocks of pesticides in developing countries. The objectives are certainly worthy and the authors acknowledge that the bibliography is not complete due to the scarce resources available for surveillance of these issues in developing countries. Through a combination of references to newsletters devoted to increasing awareness of global pesticide issues and scientific reports from international health organizations, the authors' objectives are met.
Audience: The authors do not define a specific target audience in the preface or introduction. This book is one of a series developed by the publisher as part of its mission to disseminate information and promote the role and value of biopesticides. The content is targeted towards the public health community (particularly those with an interest in international health), as well as occupational and environmental toxicologists.
Features: The book is sectioned into four topics, chemical pesticide markets, exposure and health effects, pesticide residues, and obsolete pesticide stocks. Each section begins with an introduction, followed by brief summaries and references on the available literature for different geographic regions by continent. Tables, bar charts, and pie diagrams are used to supplement the text content, and are clearly presented. The majority of the references provided are recently published within the past five years. The majority of the references are newsletter articles (particularly Pesticides News and Global Pesticide Campaigner). There are relatively few references provided to peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Assessment: This book effectively presents data on the scope and magnitude of pesticide risks in developing countries. There is certainly a need to increase awareness of this international health issue, although the objectives would be better met if the bibliography provided more peer-reviewed scientific references rather than repeated citations to a limited number of newsletters that may not be easily accessible to all interested readers.

Doody's Review Service

2 Stars from Doody

This is a bibliography providing information on pesticide use in developing countries. The purpose is to provide a summary of information on the scale of pesticide manufacture, import, export, and use in developing countries. The related risks to humans through occupational exposure and through residual food contamination are explored. Examples are provided of the problems associated with the fate of obsolete stocks of pesticides in developing countries. The objectives are certainly worthy and the authors acknowledge that the bibliography is not complete due to the scarce resources available for surveillance of these issues in developing countries. Through a combination of references to newsletters devoted to increasing awareness of global pesticide issues and scientific reports from international health organizations, the authors' objectives are met. The authors do not define a specific target audience in the preface or introduction. This book is one of a series developed by the publisher as part of its mission to disseminate information and promote the role and value of biopesticides. The content is targeted towards the public health community (particularly those with an interest in international health), as well as occupational and environmental toxicologists. The book is sectioned into four topics, chemical pesticide markets, exposure and health effects, pesticide residues, and obsolete pesticide stocks. Each section begins with an introduction, followed by brief summaries and references on the available literature for different geographic regions by continent. Tables, bar charts, and pie diagrams are used to supplement the text content, and are clearly presented. The majority of thereferences provided are recently published within the past five years. The majority of the references are newsletter articles (particularly Pesticides News and Global Pesticide Campaigner). There are relatively few references provided to peer-reviewed scientific journals. This book effectively presents data on the scope and magnitude of pesticide risks in developing countries. There is certainly a need to increase awareness of this international health issue, although the objectives would be better met if the bibliography provided more peer-reviewed scientific references rather than repeated citations to a limited number of newsletters that may not be easily accessible to all interested readers.

Daniel Sudakin