Poisoning for Profit

Environment under Fire

Central America: Pacific Coast Traditionally, peasants

lived on cattle haciendas rented from large landowners.

Peasants were advanced money or goods, and rented plots of land in exchange for labor.

1900s: Coffee producers took over land and forced peasants to migrate into the pacific lowlands

Peasant cleared forests for subsistence farming.

The pacific coast was once teeming with forests. When commercial farmers started clearing the land for cotton, plant life was devastated and many animal species were displaced.

Land Transformation Post-WWII: International capital and

local oligarchs recognize profit potential in the Pacific coast.

Perfect for growing cotton and sugar, and raising cattle, but lacked infrastructure.

Pacific coastal highway was constructed, raising land-values and potential for crop transport. Partly built from $16.1 loans from the World Bank.

Land owners rented to people who paid more. Peasants became seasonal cotton pickers or moved to land not suitable for agriculture.

Rampant deforestation and soil degradation through the practices of commercial farmers.

Displaced peasant farmers practiced “slash and burn” to clear forest land, which sometimes rendered soil unable to produce for generations.

The Pesticide Treadmill 1950s: New organosynthetic pesticides were begin

tested in Central America.1.2 million lbs. of methyl parathion tested in Nicaragua, causing dozens of deaths and widespread illnesses. ‘

1960s: Organophosphates emerge as cheap and effective pesticides. However, insects quickly developed a resistance to these pesticides. Additional applications of larger volumes are needed to

fend off the adapting pests. Predator/prey balance is thrown off. Formerly

harmless pests are emerging as threats to cotton crops.

Rising costs and diminishing soil quality forces many cotton growers to switch to corn or sugar, pushing economically disadvantaged farmers out of business. These crops are grown in the former contaminated cotton fields and absorb residual poisons.

Health Costs to Workers 1960s – 70s: Reports of insecticide poisonings are

increasing with accelerated use of pesticides. It is suspected that many cases go unreported.

Growers practices encourage and cover-up poisoning Crops are planted very close to waterways + workers

have no running water and bathe in waterways. Cutting costs: slave wages with long hours, no protective

clothing, using cheaper but more toxic pesticides without hazard labels.

ULV spray equipment sprays smaller more concentrated droplets to save time.

Governments disguise the problems: One death squad in Guatemala kidnapped a doctor

for reporting pesticide poisonings to the state. 19 out of 25 commonly used organochlorines were

found to be carcinogenic.

The Malaria Epidemic 1950s: The PAHO + World Health

Organization implemented programs to eradicate the malaria mosquito.

Mosquitoes developed cross-tolerance. (Parathion Carbamide) DOT-susceptible mosquito populations

declined from nearly 100 percent in 1959 to 5 percent in 1980.

“For every two pounds of insecticide added to the Central American environment, roughly 100 new cases of malaria would result.”

The Ecological costs of Cotton ULV sprayed drops drift widely (50+ miles)

contaminating the surrounding ecosystems. Pesticides with lengthy half-lives, like

organochlorines, build up in animal and plant life. Birds: the food-supply of insects decreases and more are

becoming contaminated, which affects reproductive systems.

Fish: 2 fish kills per year. Rainy season run-off washes chemicals into nearby waterways, and sprays at the beginning of the dry season. Shrimp breeding grounds are poisoned, clam populations decreasing, and fish exports falling sharply.

Beef Cattle: Cows feed on the former cotton fields and grave on contaminated grass. In beef, contamination levels are often much higher than the safety standards.

A small sample of imported beef is tested, while the remainder proceeds to the market. By the time contamination is discovered, most beef has already been consumed.

Conclusions? Widespread chemical contamination and ecological

depletion. Poor land-conservation and heavy use of chemical fertilizers

have made land unsuitable. In some parts of Central America, it is no longer economically viable to grow cotton.

Farmers are switching to different crops to replace cotton, pushing small farmers of that crop out of business.

UN: "Protection Against Products Harmful to Health and Environment.” Reagan administration casted the only ‘no’ vote. Required health and environmental safety information to be

provided to countries importing pesticides. US congress: 25 senators sponsored “The Circle of Poison

Prevention Act of 1991“, which ban the export of banned pesticides.