ASSIST THOSE IN NEED - PAKISTAN FLOODS

Comment

Comment by Michael Stanley-Jones on September 10, 2010 at 9:59pm

"There are approximately 6033 MT [metric tonnes] of obsolete stocks of POPs pesticides (3800 MT Punjab, 2016 MT Sindh, 48 MT NWFP, 135 MT Balochistan, 31.5 MT AJK and 0.5 MT Northern areas). Large stocks of obsolete pesticides are situated in areas of intensive cash crops/ agricultural activities. Since stockpiles are located in towns or villages and near water bodies, there are potential human health and environmental risks.” - National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Phasing Out and Elimnation of POPS from Pakistan under Stockholm Convention

Persistent organic pesticides (POPs] are both water soluable and volatile - they dissolve into the water and vaporize into the atmosphere. If their containers are opened, there is a risk they could contaminate the flooded agricultural lands.

POPs also become bioavailable, meaning organisms can absorb them into their own bodies or structures. In this way, they may enter the food web. Once they get into organisms, they biomagnify up the food chain, with higher loadings appearing in higher organisms. Humans stand high up in the food web - especially those who eat animals and fish. POPs are lipophilic, meaning they stick to fatty tissues in the animals they contaminate.

And POPs travel long distances. If Pakistan´s POPs pesticides are released into the environment, the entire planet´s loading of POPs will increase, putting everyone at greater risk of exposure to POPs.