Situation Report on Chlorpyrifos in Indonesia
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide that has been used since 1970 and non-officially licensed for distribution since 1970 in Indonesia. It is used in agriculture, plantations, household, hygiene and sanitation. Chlorpyrifos is widely used similar to other types of pesticides permitted for circulation and trade in the country. In 2021, the Pesticide Commission of the Indonesia Ministry of Agriculture allowed sixty (60) trademarks for use in agriculture and other sectors. This number continues to increase from 8 brand names (1998) to 60 brands (2021). Even the import of this chemical continues to increase from 31.089 tons in 2013 to 128.280 tons in 2016. In 2021, Indonesia imported 20,610.612 metric tons (US$ 230.605.834) and exported .03939 metric tons / 39.390.184 kg (US$ 174.430.163) of Chlorpyrifos although there is no publicly available data as to which countries the government is importing from or exporting to.
Several countries have already banned the use of Chlorpyrifos because it causes serious health problems and environmental pollution. However, in Indonesia the prohibition is limited. When there was an extraordinary attack by the brown planthopper, Indonesia only banned 57 other types of pesticide trademarks from being used in rice cultivation through Presidential Instruction No. 3 of 1986 entitled ‘Improving the control of brown planthoppers’. This limited prohibition is only to regulate the use of chlorpyrifos pesticides in households and the health sector but not in the agriculture sector. Agriculture, which is the source of food, continues to use chlorpyrifos primarily as an insecticide. There are published journals on chlorpyrifos residues and health impacts that are quite serious, such as cases of goiter in elementary school students and female students in the shallot area of Brebes, Central Java. There are also published journals on chlorpyrifos residues in food crops in many areas in Indonesia but until now the Indonesian government has not announced any plan to ban the pesticide.
This country report recommends an in-depth investigation of the impacts of Chlorpyrifos on the health of communities where it is widely used and the revision of the regulation on Chlorpyrifos in Indonesia from a limited regulation to a ban and its strict implementation to prevent or lessen serious threats to health and the environment in the future.
This project relates to Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Special thanks to IPEN's Southeast and East Regional Coordinator Chinkie Peliño-Golle and the SEA Regional Hub Ecowaste Coaltion, and the lead organization developing this report, Gita Pertiwi, for their important contributions to the development and finalization of the project.
Attachment | Size |
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Full Report (Bahasa) | 2.5 MB |