Pineapple growers end endosulfan use

MANILA, Philippines - Dole Philippines, Inc. and Del Monte Philippines, Inc. — the only companies permitted to use endosulfan in the country — will no longer be using the highly toxic insecticide in their plantations starting next year, an official of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Monday said. The two pineapple producers have opted not to renew their licenses to use the chemical and instead have drawn up a list of alternative pesticides, company officials said. "Because of the overpublicity of the hazards of endosulfan due to the mishap of the M/V Princess of the Stars, Dole Philippines, Inc. and Del Monte Philippines, Inc. are saying that they would stop using the chemical," Dario C. Sabularse, deputy director of the FPA, said in an interview. Early this month, salvors completed the retrieval of 400 packs of endosulfan, each pack weighing 25 kilograms, or a total of 10 metric tons, from the M/V Princess of the Stars. The marine vessel capsized on June 21 off Romblon province at the height of typhoon Frank. In the Philippines, endosulfan is used in pineapple plantations to kill pineapple mites that cause pink disease — a discoloration of canned fruits. While banned in Europe and most countries, endosulfan is being used in the Philippines on a restricted basis. Since 1995, the pesticides agency has required companies to annually register the use of endosulfan. "It seems that they would no longer ask for an extension because they are contemplating the use of alternatives," Mr. Sabularse said, citing that the permit to use the chemical will expire on December 31. The agency had permitted the use of Pirimiphos methyl (Actellic 50 EC), Avermectin (Agrimek 1.8 EC), Fenazaquin (Magister 10 EC), and Fenpyroximate (Ortus 5 SC) as alternatives to endosulfan. "We have sent a notice to the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority last month regarding our initiative to move out of [using] endosulfan," Luis F. Alejandro, chief operating officer and general manager of Del Monte, said in a phone interview. The alternatives have been tested for their "efficacy", a Dole official said. "[The alternatives] are comparable in efficacy but not as toxic as endosulfan," Mr. Alejandro said, adding that alternatives would cost a little higher than endosulfan. Reports sent to the FPA show that Del Monte tested more than 50 pesticides while Dole tested more than 30 alternatives since 2005, Mr. Sabularse said. The pineapple companies have each been importing 10 metric tons of endosulfan yearly since 1995, data from the FPA showed. The last shipment of the chemical costed $87,000 per metric ton, Mr. Sabularse said. However, the FPA will monitor the possible resistance to chemicals that can be developed by pests. "The companies are still thinking of putting endosulfan in reserve just in case pests develop resistance to the alternative pesticides," Mr. Sabularse said in Filipino. This week, ministers and officials from 120 member-countries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations will meet in Rome to decide whether to add endosulfan, along with pesticide tributyl tin compounds and industrial chemical chrysotile asbestos, to a trade watch list that already names 39 hazardous substances. "Everytime any volume of endosulfan is coming in a country, it has to be reported to the Rotterdam Convention secretariat," Mr. Sabularse said. The Rotterdam Convention is an international treaty designed to ensure that hazardous chemicals do not endanger human health and the environment. - BusinessWorld