Carbendazim is a fungicide of major concern due to its suspected hormone disrupting effects. It has been highlighted by Friends of the Earth as one of their ‘filthy four’ pesticides as it could be harmful to human health and the environment.
Carbendazim is a systemic benzimidazole fungicide(1) that plays a very important role in plant disease control(2). It was first reported in 1973(3) and was developed by BASF, Hoeschst (now part of Bayer) and Dupont(4). Carbendazim is used to control a broad range of diseases on arable crops (cereals, oilseed rape), fruits, vegetables and ornamentals(5). It is also used in post-harvest food storage, and as a seed pre-planting treatment(6). It is frequently sold in combination with other fungicides, such as triazoles, dithiocarbamates and dicarboximides(7). Carbendazim works by inhibiting the development of fungi probably by interfering with spindle formation at mitosis (cell division)(8).Usage
Carbendazim has extensive applications worldwide(9), with the global market worth over $200 million at user level, equivalent to over 12000 tones active ingredient(10). It is particularly applied in Europe and the Far East(11). In China, production is over 8000 tonnes per year, and 1000 tonnes are produced every year in India, where the increasing consumption of carbendazim has now reached over 700 tonnes per annum(12). In Great Britain, the annual area treated in 2001 was 819,398 hectares, with arable crops accounting for 95% (718,757 hectares) of this use(13). For example, 38.6% of the winter oil seed rape grown (197,463 ha) in Great Britain is given at least one treatment of carbendazim, and 24% (71,548 ha) is given two treatments(14). Over the years, there has been a gradual reduction in carbendazim use – in 1996 just over two million hectares were treated with carbendazim in Great Britain, compared to nearly 1.8 million hectares in 1999 and 821,000 hectares in 2000(15). This is because modern conazole and strobilurin fungicides are more efficacious(16). /.../
Conversando ontem com nossa filha Lucia Helena Robinson Achutti que dirige Programa Rural da RBSTV, várias questões surgiram:
1. Este agrotóxico que muitos insistem em denominar DEFENSIVO AGRÍCOLA é extensamente utilizado, não somente nos laranjais. Pelo que li é também usado nas plantações de soja e outros alimentos.
2 Qual a possibilidade de estar contaminando também nossos mananciais e a água quebebemos?
3. FDA dizia que não havia problema para humanos, e agora proíbe a importação...
4. Quem produz o fungicida e nos vende e agora não quer comprar nossos produtos contaminados?
5. Alguma semelhança entre a produção e venda de agentes químicos para o processamento da cocaína e o extenso consumo da droga em países ditos desenvolvidos e a tentativa de bloquear a produção da folha de coca?
6. Como está provado que interfere na reprodução animal, até onde nossa redução da natalidade é também um parefeito e não somente consequência do desenvolvimento e educação?
7. Que tal a solução política proposta de nosso governo comprar o suco não exportado e distribuí-lo na merenda escolar para nossos estudantes?
8. Qual a semelhança entre o mensalão que alguns continuam afirmando que nunca existiu e a liberalidade no extenso uso deste agrotóxico cuja nocividade vem sendo denunciada há tanto tempo?
9. Onde estão nossos técnicos e acadêmicos que já têm conhecimento destes riscos?
10. É somente uma questão econômica e comercial ou também de saúde?
11. Mais?...
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Is Your Orange Juice Safe?: FDA Says Carbendazim Causes No Safety Concern
Low levels of a banned pesticide found in orange juice imported from Brazil is safe for sale in the domestic supply, says the Food and Drug Administration after conducting new tests.
The juice, which is stored in huge, three-story high tanks in Florida, is tainted with the fungicide carbendazim, and will soon reach American grocery stores.
"In this case, we've been really cautious in working with EPA to insure that these residues are posing no safety concern," Michael Taylor, deputy director of the FDA, said Thursday.
http://g1.globo.com/economia/
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