Source: DH
Context: Ahead of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COP) in Geneva, Indian civil society groups have urged the government to impose a complete ban on chlorpyrifos, a pesticide banned in over 40 countries but still used in India.
About Chlorpyrifos Pesticide:
- What is Chlorpyrifos?
- Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide, acaricide, and miticide.
- Chemical Formula: C₉H₁₁Cl₃NO₃PS.
- Used to control soil-borne and foliage-feeding insects in crops like cotton, paddy, soy, wheat, and maize.
- Neurotoxic Agent: Disrupts the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, critical for nerve function.
- Health Impacts: Linked to reduced IQ, developmental delays, memory loss, and birth defects, especially in unborn children.
- Acute Effects: Can cause convulsions, respiratory failure, or death in extreme exposures.
- Environmental Concerns:
- Bio accumulative and persistent in nature.
- Can travel thousands of miles, contaminating remote ecosystems, including polar regions.
- Harms pollinators and aquatic life, threatening food chains and biodiversity.
- Chlorpyrifos is not yet officially listed under either the Stockholm or Rotterdam Convention, but global efforts are actively pushing for its inclusion.
About Rotterdam Convention (2004) – On Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
- Objective: Promotes shared responsibility in the international trade of hazardous chemicals to protect human health and the environment.
- Key Mechanism: Prior Informed Consent (PIC) — exporting countries must notify and obtain consent before shipping restricted chemicals.
- Scope: Covers pesticides, industrial chemicals, and Severely Hazardous Pesticide Formulations (SHPFs).
- Annexures:
- Annex I: Information requirements for notification.
- Annex II: Scientific criteria for listing.
- Annex III: List of chemicals (52 total – 35 pesticides, 16 industrial chemicals, 1 both).
- Annex IV: Criteria for listing SHPFs.
- Recent Focus: Push to include chlorpyrifos and paraquat under Annex III.
About Stockholm Convention (2004) – On Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- Objective: Protects health and ecosystems from POPs – chemicals that persist, bioaccumulate, and are toxic.
- Initial Focus: “Dirty Dozen” – 12 highly toxic chemicals
- Key Features:
- Annex A: Chemicals to be eliminated.
- Annex B: Chemicals to be restricted.
- Annex C: Chemicals for release reduction.
- Financial Mechanism: Global Environment Facility (GEF).
