Rapal muestra preocupación por uso de herbicida paraquat y por declaraciones de representante durante conferencia internacional
Entre el 28 de abril y el 9 de mayo tuvo lugar en Suiza la COP de los convenios de Basilea, Róterdam y Estocolmo. Asistieron aproximadamente 1.600 personas, entre ellas 1.190 representantes de países (para hacerse una idea, durante la COP de Cambio Climático de 2022 asistieron más de 35.000 personas). Los tres acuerdos regulan diferentes aspectos vinculados a las sustancias químicas peligrosas, exigiendo diferentes medidas. Basilea trata sobre el control de los movimientos transfronterizos de los desechos peligrosos y su eliminación; Róterdam tiene por objetivo regular el comercio internacional de productos químicos peligrosos, aplicando un procedimiento de consentimiento fundamentado previo; y Estocolmo busca proteger la salud humana y el ambiente de los contaminantes orgánicos persistentes –sustancias químicas que permanecen intactas durante largos períodos– tomando medidas para eliminar o reducir su producción, utilización, importación, exportación y emisión.
Existen varias situaciones que pueden ayudar a dimensionar la importancia de esta temática y lo que se decide en esta COP. Por tan sólo citar dos, los insecticidas y también contaminantes orgánicos persistentes DDT y Dieldrin, prohibidos desde hace varias décadas en nuestro país y también incluidos en los acuerdos, han sido detectados en la cuenca de la laguna Merín (DDT) y en la cuenca del río Santa Lucía (Dieldrín) en 2022 y 2023.
Clorpirifós: la lucha por prohibirlo en Uruguay y el mundo
María Isabel Cárcamo es la coordinadora de la Red de Acción en Plaguicidas y sus Alternativas para América Latina (Rapal) en Uruguay. Referente en el activismo contra sustancias tóxicas, participó en la COP de los convenios de Basilea, Róterdam y Estocolmo. En 2024, Rapal pidió al Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca (MGAP) que prohíba el insecticida clorpirifós por entender que las regulaciones vigentes en aquel momento no eran la solución, recomendando entonces prohibir totalmente su uso.
En abril de este año, la cartera restringió el uso del agroquímico en los cultivos de arándanos, cebolla, ciruela, durazno, girasol, limón, mandarina, manzana, pera, pomelo, sorgo, pulgón de maíz y tomate. En la resolución se indica que a nivel regional el producto está prohibido en Argentina, Perú y está en proceso de reevaluación en Brasil. Además, Estados Unidos también lo restringió en algunos usos alimentarios y la Unión Europea lo prohibió en 2020. A su vez, detalla la normativa, “el ingrediente activo posee riesgos en diferentes organismos no objetivos, incluyendo insectos benéficos” como pueden ser los polinizadores, y el Centro de Información y Asesoramiento Toxicológico de la Universidad de la República ha emitido informes sobre la toxicidad del clorpirifós. Añaden que la sustancia será propuesta para ingresar al anexo III del Convenio de Róterdam por el Comité de Examen de Productos Químicos. En esta lista se incluyen plaguicidas y productos químicos industriales que han sido prohibidos o severamente restringidos por razones sanitarias o ambientales.
Según datos del MGAP, en 2021 el clorpirifós fue uno de los insecticidas más importados, con 130.658 kilogramos. Asimismo, su presencia se ha detectado en forma frecuente en cursos de agua, como la laguna del Cisne, donde OSE tiene una toma de agua potable, en peces, e incluso una investigación reciente analizó la presencia del metabolito de clorpirifós en alumnos de primer año de escuelas de Montevideo y se reportó una alta cantidad. Por otro lado, entre 2002 y 2011, provocó 126 intoxicaciones en personas.
Rapal integra la Red Internacional de Eliminación de Contaminantes (IPEN, por su sigla en inglés), que agrupa a más de 600 organizaciones de 127 países que trabajan para eliminar sustancias tóxicas y que estuvo presente en la COP. En un comunicado que Cárcamo compartió con la diaria, la red pide que el clorpirifós ingrese al anexo A –donde están las sustancias que deben ser prohibidas– del Convenio de Estocolmo y en el anexo III del Convenio de Róterdam (la inclusión en esta lista no impide su uso, pero la parte que exporta el producto químico debe notificar a la parte importadora y obtener su consentimiento previo). IPEN apunta que el insecticida es “altamente tóxico para organismos acuáticos, aves y vertebrados” y que tiene “una toxicidad aún mayor para los insectos”. “Existen pruebas fehacientes de su neurotoxicidad en el desarrollo humano”, resalta, y agrega que “más de 50 países de muy diversos climas, niveles de desarrollo económico y con diversas aplicaciones han conseguido prohibir las clorpirifós (total o parcialmente)”. Insisten en que “existen alternativas para todos los usos, incluidas alternativas no químicas” para la eliminación “progresiva” del producto.
Rapal shows concern about the use of paraquat herbicide and about statements by representative during international conference
Activist pointed out that a representative of the MGAP opposed the herbicide entering Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, despite the fact that "that was not the position that Uruguay brought" and considers that the focus of the discussion should be on the fact that "a substance that is very toxic" continues to be used
Between April 28 and May 9, the COP of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions took place in Switzerland. Approximately 1,600 people attended, including 1,190 country representatives (to get an idea, during the 2022 COP on Climate Change more than 35,000 people attended). The three agreements regulate different aspects related to hazardous chemicals, requiring different measures. Basel deals with the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal; Rotterdam aims to regulate international trade in hazardous chemicals by applying a prior informed consent procedure; and Stockholm seeks to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants – chemicals that remain intact for long periods – by taking steps to eliminate or reduce their production, use, import, export and emission.
There are several situations that can help to measure the importance of this issue and what is decided at this COP. To name just two, the insecticides and also persistent organic pollutants DDT and Dieldrin, banned for several decades in our country and also included in the agreements, have been detected in the Merín lagoon basin (DDT) and in the Santa Lucía river basin (Dieldrín) in 2022 and 2023.
Chlorpyrifos: the fight to ban it in Uruguay and the world
María Isabel Cárcamo is the coordinator of the Action Network on Pesticides and their Alternatives for Latin America (Rapal) in Uruguay. A reference in activism against toxic substances, he participated in the COP of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. In 2024, Rapal asked the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) to ban the insecticide chlorpyrifos on the grounds that the regulations in force at the time were not the solution, recommending a total ban on its use.
In April of this year, the ministry restricted the use of the agrochemical in blueberry, onion, plum, peach, sunflower, lemon, tangerine, apple, pear, grapefruit, sorghum, corn aphid and tomato crops. The resolution indicates that at the regional level the product is banned in Argentina, Peru and is in the process of reevaluation in Brazil. In addition, the United States also restricted it in some food uses and the European Union banned it in 2020. In turn, the regulation details, "the active ingredient poses risks in different non-target organisms, including beneficial insects" such as pollinators, and the Center for Toxicological Information and Advice of the University of the Republic has issued reports on the toxicity of chlorpyrifos. They add that the substance will be proposed for entry into Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention by the Chemical Review Committee. This list includes pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for sanitary or environmental reasons.
According to MGAP data, in 2021 chlorpyrifos was one of the most imported insecticides, with 130,658 kilograms. Likewise, its presence has been frequently detected in watercourses, such as the Cisne lagoon, where OSE has a drinking water intake, in fish, and even a recent investigation analyzed the presence of the chlorpyrifos metabolite in first-year studentsof schools in Montevideo and a high amount was reported. On the other hand, between 2002 and 2011, it caused 126 poisonings in people.
Rapal is a member of the International Pollutant Elimination Network (IPEN), which brings together more than 600 organizations from 127 countries that work to eliminate toxic substances and was present at the COP. In a statement that Cárcamo shared with the newspaper, the network asks that chlorpyrifos be included in Annex A – where the substances that should be banned are listed – of the Stockholm Convention and in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention (inclusion in this list does not prevent its use, but the party exporting the chemical must notify the importing party and obtain its prior consent). IPEN points out that the insecticide is "highly toxic to aquatic organisms, birds and vertebrates" and that it has "an even greater toxicity for insects". "There is irrefutable evidence of its neurotoxicity in human development," he stresses, adding that "more than 50 countries with very different climates, levels of economic development and with various applications have managed to ban chlorpyrifos (totally or partially)." They insist that "there are alternatives for all uses, including non-chemical alternatives" for the "progressive" elimination of the product.
Information on the negotiations and agreements taking place at the international level is not easy to obtain. One of the few coverages is provided by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, which is defined as a "balanced, timely and independent information service on the United Nations negotiations on environment and development." The Bulletin indicated that, during the international instance, chlorpyrifos entered Annex A (where the substances to be phased out are located) of the Stockholm Convention, but there will be a long list of specific exemptions to this ban. In other words, it can continue to be used in some cases. Cárcamo said that Uruguay was one of the countries that asked for exemptions for some crops.
Paraquat and a non-agreed decision
For Cárcamo, the COP of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions should be more disseminated to have "more information". "We are talking about issues that are very complicated for human health, but the economic, the productive is prioritized," he says. "I think one of the reasons why it is not prioritized is because in the three agreements there is a lot of power behind it. Here I see – I am speaking at a general level – a delegate with five people from the industry. The industry takes the floor in the plenary sessions, because it is part of how it is negotiated. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but we do have to see why decisions are made," he says. He immediately puts on the table that "going out to say this in some countries complicates a lot". "Fortunately, in Uruguay you can talk. I have contact with absolutely all the ministries and you can talk, chat, say 'look, there are alternatives here'. Being cut off later is another thing," she jokes, but she immediately becomes serious and remarks: "But you can talk, not in other places."