Unep Japan - Reducing & Preventing the Usage of Pesticides & Herbicides

Committee: UNEP

Country: Japan

Topic: Reducing & Preventing the Usage of Pesticides and Herbicides

Delegate: Juan Zepeda

Reducing & Preventing the Usage of Pesticides & Herbicides

Background

The problem of the usage of pesticides began in the 1960’s (Daly H, Doyen JT, and Purcell AH III). Pesticides were used extensively and weren’t being tested. People were starting to see the consequences, dead birds and other animals were being seen as obvious casualties from the pesticides. In response to the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, president Kennedy did an investigation into Carson’s claims, which lead to an increased regulation. “Associated with birth defects, low birth weights and reproductive problems among humans, even at concentrations that meet current federal standards.” (Regulators Plan To Study Risks of Atrazine New York Times, Oct. 7 2009.)

Use pesticides to manage pest problems has become a common practice around the world. Pesticides are used to practically everywhere. Not only in agricultural fields but also in homes, parks, schools, buildings, forests and roads. The problem with pesticides is it can enter the body in many different ways and with repeated contact, even with small doses, it can build up and possibly cause immune and nervous system disorders after years of exposure.

II. UN Involvement

There has been international efforts to decimate toxic pesticides.There are a number of international conventions dealing with pesticides including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, an agreement developed by the UNEP works with non-governmental organizations to promote integrate pest management. UNEP has also been cooperating with FAO which tries to introduce globally modern agricultural practice with aims to minimize future use of pesticides. Another of the conventions was the Rotterdam convention which aimed to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals and contribute safe use. The Basel convention aims to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous and other wastes. Many of the countries in the Wider Caribbean Region have signed and or/ ratified the Stockholm convention. The few contries that have signed are the Barbados, Colombia, Costa Rica, Saint Lucia, and some other countries have ratified such as Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, and Venezuela the Rotterdam convention.

III. Country Policy

A key element of Japan's food safety program is the assurance that imported foods do not contain pesticide residues over the maximum residue limit (MRL) or tolerance. Japan has increased its emphasis on pesticides, increasing the number of pesticide residue tolerances for imported foods and increasing the resources devoted to ensuring that imported foods meet the established tolerances. Over the past two years, Japan has more than doubled the number of pesticide chemicals on which tolerances are established for imported foods. Currently, 73 pesticide chemicals have tolerances for one or more of about 130 fruits and vegetables. When tolerances do not exist, Japan may use a tolerance established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, or it may elect to use the tolerance of the exporting country. Inspection of imported foods is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Inspection is directed by the Ministry's Office of Port Health Administration, within the Food Sanitation Division of the Environmental Health Bureau. Pesticide residue testing is usually conducted by one of the Ministry's