Social and environmental impacts of agrotoxic substance use

New government, same old indifference?

The Alliance for the Protection of Biodiversity* organized an event to raise awareness on the social and environmental impacts caused by the use of agrotoxic substances in the country. Authorities continue to turn a deaf ear to the situation of the people affected by Chronic Renal Failure (CRF)

According to Denis Meléndez, of the Health Information and Advisory Services Center (CISAS), “The agro-export model adopted in Nicaragua in the mid 20^th century was characterized by the use of very large quantities of chemicals in production and for not requiring skilled labor. Starting in the 1960s, Nicaragua was called to play the leading role in the development of Central America’s chemical industry, in the framework of the region’s industrial growth process. People started dying with no identifiable cause, a dramatic situation that has become increasingly worse over time. In recent years, and predominantly in Nicaragua’s western region -the hub of agro-export productions-, the devastating impacts of the indiscriminate use of agrotoxic substances have become evident.”

One of the most severe consequences of this model of production is the case of former sugar workers affected by Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). According to information provided by the Nicaraguan Association of People Affected by Chronic Renal Failure “Domingo Téllez” (ANAIRC), a total of 2,427 people had died as of April 8, 2007. In the last 24 months alone, an appalling 1,420 deaths have occurred, with an average of 59 people dying per month.

“If we look at the incidence figures for deaths from occupational illnesses –Meléndez continued– or for deaths caused by epidemics or AIDS, we’ll see that CRF is decimating the population. This should be cause for alarm among the authorities, who should be moving to immediately adopt measures in the country’s western region and in any other areas where cases have been reported among the people working in major agricultural productions.”

In Nicaragua, like in other Central American countries, it was some time before the phenomenon of CRF was identified, because people didn’t know what they were dying from and the organizations lacked the means to understand what was going on, and also because doctors were treating people as if they were suffering from a common illness. They failed to include in the patient’s medical or work file the relevant information that could establish a connection between the worker’s job and the illness that he or she was suffering from.

“The remnants of the chemical industry developed years ago are still standing in the country –the CISAS representative recalled–, and chemical products that have been banned are still stored in some sites. This is all an ongoing source of pollution. We have serious water and soil contamination problems, but what’s worst is that history is repeating itself, because agrotoxic chemicals that are no longer marketed in developed countries are still being used here. The Ministry of Agriculture (MAGFOR) has been indulgent with these products,” Meléndez observed. “This is further aggravated by the risk posed by the implementation of the new model of biofuel production -he continued-, which is designed to feed vehicles, not meet the needs of people. Corn is being grown to produce ethanol, while the price of tortillas –the main staple of the national diet- has shot up throughout the country. Palm oil plantations are also competing with people for the use of groundwater sources, and this is a model of production that will exacerbate the situation. In the case of CRF, not even with the adoption of Law N° 456 (Act for the Addition of Occupational Risks and Illnesses in Law N° 185, Labor Code) have the authorities assumed the responsibility of dealing with the effects of this disease. People are still drinking the water, unaware that it is contaminated,” Meléndez said.

Carmen Ríos, president of ANAIRC, also spoke at the event.

“The most horrible thing is happening in the west: people are dying to produce sugar, rum, and, now, ethanol,” Ríos denounced. The region is known for its excellent conditions for production, but that shouldn’t have to be a curse. A large corporation, the owner of Ingenio San Antonio, has brought jobs to the region, but it has also brought death. The company is not the only one responsible for what’s happening, the governments are also at fault, for failing to protect the health of the workers, the population and the environment. Ingenio San Antonio claims it has no responsibility, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) says it has nothing to do with us, because our problem falls under the responsibility of the Social Security agency (INSS), and the INSS tells us that it has a very small supply of medicines and refuses to grant us occupational risk insurance. Who’s going to answer for everything that has already happened?” the president of ANAIRC asked the audience. “We have the right to claim compensation for everyone who is suffering from CRF and for everyone who has died. We have a law that backs us and even though we’re coming up against a large company, we know we can win this battle. This is the harsh life of the former sugar cane workers, the bitter sorrow of their widows and of all those who gave their lives to this company and now don’t even have the means to buy the medicine they need,” she concluded.

Closing the event, the Alliance for the Protection of Biodiversity and ANAIRC announced to the media the demands aimed at the various bodies and authorities:

• Health, labor and social authorities must deal with this situation as an emergency.

• On March 13, ANAIRC sent a letter to the executive president of the INSS and has received no answer to date. Social Security authorities must continue working to urgently address pension requests from CRF victims and to grant any pensions that have been denied due to faults in the social security system.

• The company or companies involved in these CRF cases must be held accountable for the damage caused to workers, former workers and their families, for their living conditions, and for exposing them to health hazards. Formal negotiations must begin immediately, facilitated by national authorities, to make any companies involved assume their responsibility for this situation.

• Labor authorities must adopt measures to properly enforce any applicable legislation.

• The government must adopt a technical standard for cane burning. Such standard should incorporate the recommendations of the people that have been exposed to unsafe working conditions and whose health has been negatively affected.

• It is necessary to reactivate the mechanisms provided under the regulatory framework to give immediate attention to the situation caused by the intensive and indiscriminate use of synthetic agrotoxic substances, and to encourage the adoption of production practices consistent with a healthy environment.

  From Managua, Giorgio Trucchi © Rel-UITA April 13, 2007

* Nicaraguan Human Rights Center (Cenidh), Humboldt Center, Health Information and Advisory Services Center (Cisas), National Federation of Agriculture and Agro-Industrial Cooperatives (Fenacoop), Consumer Defense League of Nicaragua (Lideconic), Peasant-to-Peasant Program-UNAG, Mesoamerican Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (Simas), National Associated Producers Union (Unapa), International Union of Food Workers (IUF).