This is one of the international articles we sent to Grenoble, as agreed.



                    Pesticides

                 A Danger to our Health

  " Recently the Institute of the Consumer and the Institute for the Quality of Food have performed some tests and found that that there were remains of several pesticides in lettuce, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes, melons..."


  This statement made by the agronomist from the Portuguese Association of Organic Farming (AGROBIO), Jorge Ferreira, to the magazine Agroeconomia, brings once more to the spot light the serious issue that is the remains of pesticides in the food we eat and their impact on our health.
Just a few days ago, on the 22nd of January, on a national television programme Esta Semana on channel 3(SIC), a Portuguese member of the European Parliament, José
Carlos Pimenta, discussed this problem and advised adults to "vary de poisons, when referring to food, and to take more careful with the food you give to children, pregnant women and old people, for they are more vulnerable."

Worrying Numbers

Most people are not aware of the amount of pesticides they intake everyday with the food they eat. Although there is a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) allowed at the national and European level, some studies made in Portugal and in other countries of Europe proved that sometimes these limits are not respected.
In 1992 ,in Denmark, studies performed by the Danish Agrochemical Union revealed that out 1147 tests made on fruit and vegetables, 2,9% contained more pesticides than the limit allowed (MRL).
In 1994, in Portugal, tests performed by the Institute of the Consumer and the Institute for the Quality of Food detected remains of pesticides in some fruits and vegetables.
In another study carried out by two famous experts on pesticides, Ton Van der Linden and Reinier Van der Berg, Portugal was considered the 5th consumer of pesticides (7,9 kg of active substance per hectare of arable soil ) out of 27 industrialised countries. In the front are Holland (21,0 kg), Japan (16,2 kg), Belgium (8,6 kg) and Bulgaria (8,4 kg).
An investigation made by the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) from Arcos de Valdevez confirms this high consumption of pesticides at the local level. In an inquiry made to 12 farmers, 83%said they used pesticides even though 66% of them knew
Their harmful effects on our health and the environment. However, if they could, if they had enough support and information, 83% would prefer products without pesticides.

The Dangers

According to Jorge Ferreira (AGROBIO)" out of the many existent pesticides sold all over the world 47 lead to serious effects on our health, namely cancer. Some of them have been spotted in products we consume everyday in Portugal".
The Danish Agrochemical Union is convinced that the remains of pesticides in our food and water cause genetic mutations. They find this very frightening since it can lead to miscarriages and affect the quality of sperm giving origin to infertility.
Some medical researchers say that certain chemical substances may lead to cancer
even if it is present only in very small quantities (inferior to the ones allowed in Portugal).

What Defence for the Consumer?

  On the television programme Esta Semana on channel 3 (SIC), on the 22nd of January, the Portuguese Minister of Agriculture referred to pesticides as a conflict area
For he has to " deal with the interests of the producers and only subsequently with the ones of the consumers", stressing the growing importance of a demanding consumer. In the same programme, Jorge Morgado, chairman from the Portuguese Association for the Defence of the Consumer (DECO), remarked that the consumer himself does not have means of investigation that is the reason why a greater effort should be made to inform and educate the consumer. In fact, the YRE from Arcos de Valdevez found out that the consumers in our country are not very well informed .Out of 40 consumers only 50% prefer products without pesticides, even if more expensive, and 80% do not know anything about Organic Agriculture (practice based on natural processes without chemicals of any kind).These figures contrast with the ones from Denmark where 54% of the consumers know something about Organic Agriculture and are aware of the harmful effects of pesticides.
  It is said that "the Portuguese consumers are not used to assert their rights". Do they know the resources they have for their defence and protection?
  In the Portuguese Constitution (article 60) there is a description of all the rights consumers are entitled to. Among other things, it says that the consumers are entitled to information and quality. But how can they exercise those rights?
  According to the YRE investigations, in Portugal there several organisations to support, protect and inform the consumers. There is the Institute of the Consumer, run by the state which is spread all over the country through local offices called CIAC (Centro de Informação Autárquica ao Consumidor) and SMIC (Serviços Municipais de Informação ao Consumidor) linked to the most important municipalities. There is also a very important association for the defence of the consumer, DECO. In Europe there is the European Agency which provides information about anything that has to do with consuming and consumers.
  All these organisations exist to serve the consumer so if you need to be informed, protected or defended use them. Only consumers aware of their rights will be able to be demanding, fight for the quality of food they are entitled to and protect Nature for as people often say "God will always forgive you, Man will sometimes forgive you but Nature will never forgive you."


  Written by Arcos de Valdevez with the co-operation of Greve Gymnasyum