Factory farming self-destructing

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One in five farm workers sick from pesticides

A study in Washington state, released in February, showed that 20% of

farm workers who mix spray chemicals get sick from them.

A year ago, Washington entered into its first comprehensive survey

of the health affects of agricultural spraying on farm workers,

following the lead of Oregon and other states. Only Washington and

California make testing mandatory, and only for those who are

handling the chemicals directly. Farmers generally oppose the tests,

saying that reduced usage and less toxic pesticides make mandatory

testing unnecessary. However, test results do not support this

claim.

A blood test measures levels of the enzyme, cholinesterase, which is

affected by more than three dozen pesticides. The US Environmental

Protection Agency ( EPA ) has become concerned about their affects on

handlers, but has declined to implement a nationwide testing

program. Even low levels of exposure can cause headaches,

respiratory problems and other flu-like symptoms. Severe cases,

characterized by seizures, respiratory depression and loss of

consciousness, could be deadly.

In the Washington tests, 580 workers, or 20.6 percent, had enzyme

levels sufficiently lowered for the state to require employers to

conduct a workplace safety audit.

In 4.4 percent of the workers, enzyme levels dropped 30 percent,

enforcing their removal from pesticide handling chores. The results

are strikingly similar to those found in California 20 years ago.

Two commonly used pesticides that affect workers' cholinesterase

levels are organophosphates azinphos methyl (Guthion ) and

chlorpyrifos, which is sold under a variety of brand names (Dursban,

Lorsban, etc ). The EPA says about 80 percent of orchards in the

Pacific Northwest are sprayed with these chemicals.

" Our findings, along with the other recent studies, make it clear

that these highly toxic pesticides need to be phased out. " said

Carol Danserau, executive director of the Farm Worker Pesticide

Project which, with the Farm worker Justice Fund and the United Farm

Workers Union, had initiated the study.

Workers whose cholinesterase is depressed must be removed from

exposure to the pesticides and given other work until it returns to

normal. They are retested every 30 days to monitor their status.

The Department of Labor and Industries works with the farmer to

determine causes of the problem -- not wearing proper protective

gear, not following handling guidelines, improper training of

employees, the language barrier ( many farm workers are Mexican and

often unable to read labels, even in their own language).

In 2005, all employees handling pesticides for more than 30 hours a

month are given the opportunity to have their cholinesterase levels

checked. It is mandatory for the farmer to track the hours his

employees spend in this activity and offer testing to them. Farmers

are also expected to encourage their employees to have a baseline

test early in the season, before starting to work with the

pesticides, then to follow up after 30 hours.

AGRI DIGEST British Columbia April 2005