NAGPUR:
Syngenta
, the manufactures of Polo brand of pesticide which was among those used by spraying victims, says the formulation it makes is among the less risky types.
In India, Polo is classified as Blue tox triangle product, which is considered as far more safer for humans as compared to those
pesticides
carrying a yellow or red triangle mark on the packets. Blue stands for moderately toxic with yellow and red for extremely and highly toxic categories, respectively.
“This insecticide is non-irritant to skin and the mucous membrane. With regard to acute inhalation toxicity, it falls under GHS category IV which is far less critical as compared to GHS categories I to III. The antidote is ‘symptomatic treatment’ only as it has been seen in most cases of eye-related exposure,” a company spokesperson said.
Also according to a statement issued by Syngenta, “The treatment has been generally a lot of water and fresh air. The product has been successfully used by farmers across the country for the last 14 years without any reported incidents of fatality or casualties. Polo 50% WP is a broad spectrum insecticide-cum-acaricide, which paralyses pests and insects, thus protecting the crop.”
“The tox triangle classification is based on the quantum one needs to consume or inhale to cause fatality. For death to take place, the person needs to actually consume this pesticide like it happens in attempts to suicide,” said a technical expert from the company.
According to the expert, blue triangle means oral consumption in the range of 501 to 5000 mg per one kg of the body weight can lead to death. “In case of skin contact, it has to be in the range of 2000-20000 mg. For example, an individual with 50kg of weight will have to consume as much as 25,000 mg of Polo to cause death.”
The company spokesperson also pointed out that pesticide users have been “neglecting to take safety measures as the cotton crops have grown unusually high this time around”.
Syngenta plans to start a drive in the villages by next week. “This will include keeping an ambulance on standby for any problems in the villages. Drives will be undertaken to educate the farmers on safe usage of pesticides,” said the official.
“In
Yavatmal
, our teams are conducting stewardship programmes, doctor training programmes and mobile health clinics. Our mobile health clinics will cover over 25,000 farmer families in the course of next several months. In addition, we are supporting a government safety initiative by distributing 10,000 PPE kits for spray men in collaboration with the panchayats,” stated the release.
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