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PANUPS: Chinese Pesticide Poisonings



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Chinese Pesticide Poisonings and Production 

June 25, 1996

According to a recent report from the Chinese National 
Statistics Bureau, 48,377 pesticide poisoning cases were 
reported in 27 provinces in 1995, including 3,204 fatalities. 
The total number of poisonings increased 13% over 1994 
figures. Three provinces, Jiangsu, Shandong and Anhui, 
accounted for 76% of total poisonings nationwide.

The report indicates that organophosphate insecticides with 
high toxicity are a major threat to farmers' health in China. 
Poisonings are divided into two categories in the report: 
poisoning due to pest control and poisoning by accidents, 
which includes suicides and improper use of pesticides. In 
1995, 90% of the 15,300 poisoning cases due to pest control 
were caused by insecticides, and 91% of these were 
organophosphates. Over 61% of the organophosphate poisonings 
were caused by parathion, methamidophos and omethoate.

Some experts feel that the actual number of pesticide 
poisoning cases in China is much higher than those officially 
reported. The reporting system, which has been in operation 
for only four years, is still in need of improvement. Some 
areas of the country have not yet established a reporting 
system, and in other areas reporting is limited. Some 
estimate that poisoning incidents could be under-reported by 
60% or more.

The Chinese agrochemical industry continues to grow, 
producing 95,000 tonnes of pesticides in the first quarter of 
1996. This represents 41% of the annual target of 230,000 
tonnes set by the Chinese Ministry of Chemical Industry. 
China was a net exporter of insecticides in 1995 with export 
sales of US$109.3 million. In the same year, China was a net 
importer of herbicides, with sales valued at US$93.2 million. 
The Chinese government expects chemical sales to reach 
US$29.5 billion in 1996, up 8% from 1995. 

Zeneca Agrochemicals, a British multinational corporation, 
recently announced plans to double the size of its proposed 
herbicide plant in Nantong. Zeneca originally planned to 
invest US$60 million to build a 3,000 tonne capacity plant to 
manufacture paraquat (sold as Gramoxone); however the company 
now plans to increase the investment to US$80 million and to 
expand the plant's capacity to 6,000 tonnes. According to 
Zeneca officials, the proposed increase in production is due 
to growth in the market for paraquat in China and throughout 
Asia. 

Recent Chinese pesticide company advertisements in industry 
publications list a number of pesticides available in China 
for both domestic use and export, including many highly 
hazardous chemicals. Shenzhen Jiangshan Commerce and Industry 
Corporation based in Shenzhen, China sells Dirty Dozen 
pesticides DDT, lindane, parathion-ethyl, parathion-methyl, 
paraquat and pentachlorophenol, as well as the ozone-
depleting fumigant methyl bromide. The CAC Chemical Company, 
Ltd., in Shanghai sells the insecticides carbofuran, 
dimethoate, malathion, monocrotophos and parathion-methyl; 
the herbicides atrazine and glyphosate; and a range of other 
pesticides.

Sources: Agrow, May 3, April 19, and February 1, 1996; 
Pesticides News, June 1996.

Contact: PANNA.
 
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