Thursday, October 12, 2006
Documented cases manifest symptoms warned in Dithane
CASE profiles of aerial spray victims submitted by Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spray (Maas) to the Office of the City Mayor manifested symptoms warned of in Dithane labels should users not follow the instructions in proper handling and spraying of the chemicals.
Dithane, a fungicide aerially sprayed by banana plantations in Davao City, has in its label and material safety data sheet a list of complications resulting from exposure to the chemical.
These complication including dermatitis, blindness, thyroid and respiratory diseases top the list as the most common health complaints of the 182 aerial spray victims identified by Maas.
In an e-mail, Maas said sixty percent of the 200 workers in the Prayer Mountain of evangelist Apollo Quiboloy in Tamayong, Calinan have also manifested the symptoms of spray exposure as revealed by in-house nurse Elene Radaza.
The most common of these are dermatitis, respiratory disease and goiter.
Quiboloy is among the strong opponents of aerial spraying.
The Kalusugan Alang sa Bayan, Inc. (Kaabay), a non-government organization with focus on health, recently found new cases manifesting the same symptoms and cancer in Sirib, Dacudao, and Mandug that has 12 of 22 cancer cases.
Other diseases found were cerebral palsy and reproductive system defects.
While there can be no conclusive evidence to show yet, all these diseases suffered by the residents have been warned of in the Dithane labels.
Among others, the Dithane's label under "Directions for Use" states: "Do not apply this product in a way that will contact workers or other persons, either directly or through drift."
Residents have been complaining because they are regularly exposed to drops from the aerial sprays.
The Dithane labels further require that flaggers -- or plantation workers who stand as markers for the spray planes -- have to be in enclosed cabs.
A blind man who claimed he was a flagger and among those presented by Maas in a press conference last Monday said that all they were using as protective gears were "kacha" overalls.
Inhalation of the Dithane M45 (a specific formulation of mancozeb by Dow AgroSciences, the trademark owner of Dithane) dust can cause irritation of nose, throat and lungs, while direct contact can cause moderate irritation.
Prolonged or repeated skin contact can cause possible skin irritation due to sensitization.
Dow AgroSciences make different formulations under the Dithane brand, among which are: Dithane 75DF Rainshield Specialty Fungicide, Dithane DF Rainshield Fungicide, Dithane F45 Rainshield Fungicide, Dithane M45 Fungicide, and two special formulations for banana plantation spraying -- Dithane 60OS and Dithane OS Special.
Also for Dithane M45, its safety sheet states: Dithane M45 Fungicide at high levels has caused hind leg paralysis in test animals and an increased incidence of retinal degeneration. It has caused thyroi tumors and birth defects in test animals, resulting from ethylenethiourea (ETU) formation.
ETU, a trace contaminant and breakdown product of Dithane M45 Fungicide, primary affects the thyroid and liver. It has also caused other endocrine and blood effects, tumors and birth defects in test animals.
The specimen label of M45 further warns against grazing livestock in treated areas, although for bananas, applications can be made up to the day of harvest.
Other excerpts from the product label and safety sheets include: "This product contains mancozeb and ETU, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. ETU is also known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm." (GLP)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (October 12, 2006 issue)
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