Abstract

SALCEDO MONSALVE, Alejandra  and  MELO TRUJILLO, Olga Lucía. Evaluation of Pesticides Used in Agriculture - Putumayo, Colombia. Rev. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2005, vol.3, n.2, pp.168-185. ISSN 1692-7273.

The objective was to identify the pesticides employed by farmers in Putumayo, evaluating the fulfillment of legal dispositions on management and personal protection measures. Methodology: Field descriptive observational study, in areas of illicit crops. Results: 490 subjects were evaluated, from whom 25.9% were identified as exposed to pesticides. The age distribution of the pesticide exposed was: 1-10 years-old (19,7%), 10-18 (18,1%), 18-35 (33,9%), 35-55 (23,6%) and more than 55 years old (4,7%). Most of the reported products were toxicological category I. Out of the 109 subjects in formulation activities, 95,4% used a manual method with no gloves.. Out of the 115 subjects in application, 76,5% used back bomb and 23,5% estacionary bomb. 97,6% of the exposed group did not use elements of personal protection. The empty bottles were disposed in an inappropriate way. In the six months preceding the study 198 accidental contacts were reported in 72 subjects. Conclusion: the inadequate used of toxic pesticides is worrying, as well as the lack of knowledge about their legislation. It is advisable that academic, governmental and agrochemical entities establish efforts to fulfill the function of education, control and supervision of the pesticides use, disregarding if it is a licit or illicit crops.

Keywords : Pesticides; Colombia; protective devices; pesticide residues.

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