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UNSEEN
POISONS: POPs IN ASIA
ASIA
HAS NOT ESCAPED GLOBAL CHEMICAL POLLUTION
The
whole of Asia is being threatened by pollution with highly toxic
man-made chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs),
which are found in elevated levels in air, water, fish, marine
mammals and in human tissues, reveals a report released by Greenpeace
today.
More Info:
Media
Briefing Paper
 Full
Report
Report in Chinese available
here
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The
report, entitled “Unseen Poisons in Asia”, reviews studies of persistent
organic pollutants in South and South East Asia and Oceania, reveals
evidence of continuous and widespread production and use of some of
the most hazardous POPs, such as the pesticides DDT and HCH, in some
parts the region.
The report also suggests that Asia, through its tropical climate with
high temperatures, contributes significantly to the global POPs pollution
problem through rapid dissipation to the atmosphere.
“The report demonstrates that parts of Asia are still significant generators
of persistent organic pollutants, particularly the pesticides HCH and
DDT, despite the fact that these chemicals have been linked to catastrophic
effects in wildlife”, said Dr Michelle Allsopp, author of the report
from the Greenpeace Research Laboratories, University of Exeter, in
the United Kingdom.
“High levels of HCH were evident in human tissues from India and China
reflecting its widespread use in these countries. The pesticide DDT
is still used in some tropical countries of South East Asia, and particularly
in India for control of malaria-carry mosquitoes. The environment in
general and particularly some marine mammals such as dolphins, contained
high levels of DDT relative to its breakdown products, suggesting some
use of DDT in China even though production was officially ceased in
1983”, Allsopp added.
“The current release of POPs in South- Southeast Asia is not simply
a local or regional problem. High temperatures appear to lead to rapid
dissipation of some POPs to the atmosphere. Therefore, persistent chemicals
released in tropical regions add to the global contamination problem,
and to the burned of ‘unseen poisons’ in our bodies,” said Allsopp,
on board Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior docked today in Hong
Kong as part of its five country Toxic Free Asia tour.
The report also raises the alarm that the full scale of the POPs pollution
problem is not yet known due to large gaps in the scientific data on
levels of POPs in the environment of South- South East Asia and Oceania.
Most scientific studies are restricted to investigating levels of a
few organochlorines, such as DDT, and many other persistent and potentially
toxic organic chemical undoubtedly remain largely overlooked.
Greenpeace called on Asian governments to support the global elimination
of persistent toxic chemicals at the United Nations meeting of over
100 governments next week in Bonn, in Germany. Greenpeace demands that
these chemicals are eliminated at source and stresses a need for a strong
global treaty with appropriate financial and administrative mechanisms
to ensure that all countries, rich or poor, can safely eliminate the
use of these chemicals.
More Info:
Media
Briefing Paper
Full
Report
March
20 2000 - Hong Kong Stop Dioxin Protest
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