November 22, 2000
This document gives us an idea of the
laxity of procedures in application of pesticides to
tobacco in developing countries. This (Philip Morris)
document reveals that not only was very little if any attention paid to the
safety of the workers applying the chemicals, but also little if
any monitoring of the application of the pesticides to the tobacco
itself.
With an unregulated, unmonitored and uninspected product that
people regularly take into their bodies, such a situation this could be a
problem.
Title: REVIEW OF PHOSPHINE FUMIGATION PRACTICES AT ORIENTAL
LEAF DEALERS IN TURKEY AND GREECE
Type of Document: Memo,
outline
Author: Faustini, DL
Recipient: Mr. Richard J.
English
Date: 19891204
Page Count: 5
Found Using Search Criteria: "Turkey & confidential" on the Philip Morris site
(Happy Thanksgiving!)
Quote:
At your request, a visit was made to PM oriental leaf
dealers in Izmir, Turkey and Thessaloniki, Greece, to review current
management practices...relating to tobacco fumigation.
CURRENT CONTROL PRACTICES:
...Treatments are conducted under tarpaulin (tent) of selected
tobacco stacks within dealer storage areas...No monitoring is PH5 gas
concentrations during application, gassing, or degassing periods are
performed...Neither monitoring pumps or gas concentration tubes were available
for use by State license fumigators. Inspection of gas concentrations of
tobaccos under fumigation at two locations revealed considerable variability and
low readings suggest ineffective treatments. No safety equipment
(e.g., self-contained breathing apparatus and gas masks with phosphine filter
canisters) were available for protection. State agriculture experts
informed me that they were aware of safety protection and monitoring
equipment but did not feel that devices were readily available in Turkey.
Gas readings taken in the breathing zone of an applicator during the course of a
fumigation revealed gas concentrations in excess of 4.0 ppm exceeding the TLV
(threshold limit value) of 0.1 ppm phosphine.
...Two phosphine accidents occurred in 1988 from lack of pesticide
safety knowledge: (1) at one location four employees were informed they
could enter a phosphine tarpaulin treatment area because an expert assured them
"there was no problem, the gas will not hurt you." All four had to be
taken to a local hospital for phosphine gas exposure...
________________________________________________________________________________
The Five D's of Corporate Behavior:
Deny that your product is harmful,
Delay Solutions and regulations,
Divide the opposition,
Dupe the public with P.R., and
Dump the product in the third world, claiming it assists
the poor economically.
--Taken from The Nation
magazine
_____________________________________________________________________________
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