A recent study by eminent oncologists Dr. Lennart Hardell and Dr. Mikael Eriksson of Sweden, has revealed clear links between some of the world's biggest selling herbicides to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer. "What these scientists unearthed is indicative of the long-term chronic effects of pesticides, even in countries that have the resources. We in the pesticide reform movement have continually stated that if environmental degradation and especially human health impacts are to be minimized, precaution must be the overriding principle. In this case, where there are serious implications to human health, the precautionary principle must apply. We have to take precaution against using these dangerous chemicals," comments Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director for the Pesticide Action Network, Asia and the Pacific (PAN-AP).

Lymphoma is a form of cancer that afflicts the lymphatic system. It can occur at virtually any part of the body but the initial symptoms are usually seen as swellings around the lymph nodes at the base of the neck. There are basically two main kinds of lymphoma, i.e. Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The increase in NHL in most Western countries during the last few decades is also rapidly increasing in many other countries. According to the American Cancer Society, there has been an alarming 80% increase in incidences of NHL since the early 1970's.

In the study published in the 15 March 1999 Journal of American Cancer Society, the researchers also maintain that exposure to glyphosate "yielded increased risks for NHL." They stress that with the rapidly increasing use of glyphosate since the time the study was carried out, "glyphosate deserves further epidemiologic studies."

Glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup is the world's most widely used herbicide. It is estimated that for 1998, over a 112,000 tonnes of glyphosate was used worldwide. It indiscriminately kills off a wide variety of weeds after application and is primarily used to control annual and perennial plants. It is used throughout Asia on a wide range of crops including rice, and under a number of different brand names. For example, according to AGROW Crop Protection Report 1996, glyphosate accounted for 48% of the Malaysian market in pesticides.

There are serious health implications from the use of this pesticide. There is a long list of reported toxic effects from glyphosate exposure and this Swedish study provides compelling evidence of the links between glyphosate and cancer. However, in an article in the Bangkok Post on June 9th, Sakorn Tripetchpaisal, the business manager of Monsanto Thailand, suggested that Roundup is safer than table salt and coffee.

"This is a clear violation of Article 11.1.8 of the FAO International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides which states that industry should not make statements that these chemicals are 'safe', 'non-poisonous', 'harmless' or 'non-toxic'," says Ms. Rengam. "These comments go against the spirit of the Code and are but careless misrepresentations that could endanger both farmers and consumers."

In some Asian countries, national standards for glyphosate residue levels have not even been set and therefore, the monitoring of such chemicals is virtually non-existent. Malaysia for example, imports the bulk of its soy beans from the U.S. Malaysia's "Food Regulation of 1985" does not provide for the Minimum Residue Level (MRL) for glyphosate in soybeans. As the U.S. has raised its MRL from 6 parts per million (ppm) to 20 ppm, this means that Malaysians could end up consuming alarmingly high levels of glyphosate. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics from 1997 show that expanded plantings of Roundup Ready soybeans (i.e. soybeans genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide) resulted in a 72% increase in the use of glyphosate. Scientists estimate that plants genetically engineered to be herbicide resistant will actually triple the amount of herbicides used. Farmers, knowing that their crop can tolerate or resist being killed off by the herbicides, will tend to use them more liberally. "Industry claims that the use of genetic engineering in agriculture is environmentally sound and will reduce the use of agrochemicals. But this is clearly not the case. They will only perpetuate and possibly increase the use of herbicides, especially glyphosate, as can be seen from the US example," concludes Ms. Rengam.

The findings are based on a population-based case-control study conducted in Sweden between 1987 n 1990. The necessary data was ascertained by a series of comprehensive questionaires and follow-up telephone interviews. Dr. Hardell and Dr. Eriksson found that "exposure to herbicides and fungicides resulted in significantly increased risks for NHL." The increased risk was "highest for exposure to 4-chloro-2-methyl phenoxyacetic acid (MCPA)."

MCPA is used primarily on cereal crops and is marketed by major pesticide companies like Rhone-Poulenc, Zeneca and Nufarm. It was first registered in Asia in the 1950's and is widely used in most countries in Asia for weed control in rice. In Japan alone, it was used on more than 110,000 hectares of rice fields in 1993.

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