Worldwide Stockholm Convention Pushes to Ban Toxic Endosulfan Pesticide this Week

by Zachary Shahan · 2011-04-25 05:19:00 UTC
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Endosulfan — ever heard of it? It is a highly toxic off-patent organochlorine insecticide. It has been shown to stay in the environment for a long period of time, and is an endocrine disruptor.

Thought it has been banned in over 70 countries, the toxic chemical is still widely used in India, China, and a handful of others. Why? Because it's cheap, of course. Also, in India, the government-owned Hindustan Insecticides Limited is one major producer and a number of people in government and industry there benefit financially from its production. India actually exports 50% of the endosulfan it produces.

This chemical is highly controversial and it is a hot topic at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Conference happening this week, April 25-29 in Geneva. An international ban has been on the table for some time, but those in Indian government and industry have been strongly opposed to such a ban, despite the fact that a couple of regions in India have actually banned it themselves now. India was the lone member country that opposed an international ban at the Sixth Meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee to the Convention when it was brought up last year.

"World will be watching India as the conference of parties of Stockholm Convention meets in Geneva from April 25 to 29 to discuss, among other things, a global ban on pesticide endosulfan," Roy Mathew of The Hindu writes.

The Solidarity Youth Movement, based in the state of Kerala in India, recently started a petition on our site encouraging the Indian Minister of Environment and Forests to support an international ban at the Stockholm Convention. In Kerala, where endosulfan has been banned since 2005, a mass fast is being held today, as part of an 'anti-endosulfan day' being observed. Nearly 500 deaths and chronic health problems are attributed to the past use of the pesticide in cashew plantations in the area.

The Solidarity Youth Movement has done a lot of work educating people about endosulfan and it is one of the main focuses of its social services. It launched the Endosulfan Rehabilitation Project in 2008 and it has helped countless in significant ways since then. The project helps provide treatment, housing, rehabilitation, ration distribution, education, employment, and more for Indians affected by endosulfan. They have turned people's lives around and protected many others'.

Using the Change platform, the Solidarity Youth Movement is looking to put a lot of pressure on Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh before and during the upcoming conference. Ramesh has said that if the negative health effects of endosulfan are proven, a national ban will be implemented. If he can work with other world leaders in this field and let an international ban move forward, that may not even be an issue.

Sign the Solidarity Youth Movement's petition below to encourage Mr. Ramesh to support an international endosulfan ban.

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Photo via Youth Solidarity Movement

Zachary Shahan has studied society and the environment for years, writes on these issues for a number of blogs, and is now the editor of planetsave.com, ecolocalizer.com, and cleantechnica.com.

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