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Authorities issue health alert for the use of glyphosate herbicide
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Ministry of Health issued a health alert for the use of glyphosate herbicide. The product should be used only by agricultural companies, but it is being used in public areas.
According to the authorities, these herbicides are being used, illegally in public places to eliminate weeds in parks, sidewalks, green areas, and sports fields, among others.
"We have received complaints about the use of herbicides such as glyphosate on sidewalks, sprayed on by municipal workers," said Eugenio Androvetto, from the Ministry of Health. "We have changed the respective sanitary orders to prevent misuse and that is why the health alert has been issued."
Unauthorized uses represent a high risk of exposure to the entire population since its applications are carried out outdoors, without people being aware of the risk involved in exposure to this type of products. The products may cause acute and serious poisoning with effects such as eye and nose irritation, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, and even death.
"These types of products can only be applied by people and companies that have an authorization that guarantees specialized handling," said Androvetto.
Herbicides for domestic use come in ready-to-use presentations without requiring repackaging, diluting it with water or another solvent or mixing it with another product, these are those indicated for use in homes, buildings, and gardens.
The authorities call on the population to report any suspicion of illegal use of the herbicide glyphosate to the email dac.denuncias@misalud.go.cr or telephone (506) 2233-2854.
On August 27th, as A.M. Costa Rica previously reported, health authorities issued the sanitary order to the legal representative of a farm company located in San Juan de Florencia* in San Carlos, to immediately suspend the application of agrochemicals in the area of pineapple crops.
According to the Ministry, this action was taken after suspicions of a pesticide, allegedly used by the company were linked to poisoning students and teachers of the La Ceiba* school.
"The sanitary order was made under the precautionary principle, in order to protect the population of the community close to the pineapple plantation, which includes the area of La Ceiba School," said the Ministry in its statement.
The ministry also announced the opening of a file, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, to investigate the case.
In August, the Ministry confirmed that 22 people, 16 children, and six adults, from the school, were hospitalized for alleged agrochemical poisoning that was used in the crop sprayer in a pineapple plantation.
According to the investigation, children and teachers were at school, when the direction of the wind sent the pesticide to the school area by way of a crop sprayer from a nearby pineapple plantation.
According to the Red Cross officials, more than five ambulances were sent to attend to the emergency. By the time the paramedics arrived, the teachers had already evacuated the children from the school.
"The children presented symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, itching and irritation of eyes, apparently after having been in contact with agrochemicals," said the Ministry in its statement.
The children were sent to the San Carlos Hospital* emergency room, where they received medical treatment for poisoning. All the children were released in the afternoon in stable condition.
According to the Ministry, an investigation into the incident was opened to "make an administrative or possibly a criminal complaint. Measures that are required to prevent similar situations from happening again."
Related to herbicides considered harmful, in May the Ombudsman's office recommended the total elimination of the use, exportation, and import of the herbicide glyphosate considered as harmful to health.
"It is considered necessary and it supported the proposal of Executive Decree for the prohibition of the importation, manufacture, sale, or supply of technical grade active ingredients, its salts, and formulated products containing the active ingredient glyphosate," said the Ombudsman in its statement.
Glyphosate is often applied in urban public areas such as parks, cemeteries, street rounds, sidewalks, pipes, and all kinds of green areas.
Its use is currently prohibited at three universities, the University of Costa Rica, the State University at a Distance and the National Technical University and in municipalities, which in alphabetical order are: Alajuela, Aserrí, Barva, Belén, Corredores, Curridabat, Desamparados, Escazú, Esparza, La Unión, Montes de Oca, Orotina, Pérez Zeledón, Quepos, San Isidro de Heredia, San Mateo, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, Sarapiquí, Talamanca, and Tibás.
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Should the Ministry of Health ban all types of agrochemicals used as pesticides? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your opinion to: news@amcostarica.com.
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