Arsenic And Cyanide Found In Pesticides

Makmal Kimia Consolidatory Laboratory in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia where the samples were tested

By Janith Aranze

The Green Movement of Sri Lanka has said that up to 20,000 deaths in North-Central Sri Lanka could be due to arsenic and cyanide in pesticides. Banduranga Kariyawasam, Programme Manager for the Green Movement of Sri Lanka, told The Sunday Leader that after research was conducted they concluded that the deaths were the result of arsenic and cyanide in pesticides.

The Green Movement sent 15 samples to Malaysia for impartial chemical analysis and the results that came back revealed traces of arsenic, mercury and cyanide in pesticides. “In those samples were traces of not only arsenic, but mercury and cyanide as well,” member of the Green Movement, Ranjan Karunanayake, explained. Cyanide-based pesticides became infamous due its use in Nazi Germany to kill thousands of prisoners in extermination camps during the Holocaust.

Kariyawasam said that the samples further supported the research carried out by teams in Sri Lanka. “It has been recorded that around 20,000 deaths in North-Central Sri Lanka are a result of kidney failure. Much research has been conducted on the matter over the last ten years. However more recently Dr. Channa Jayasumana with a team from Rajarata University and Prof. Nalin de Silva with a team from the University of Kelaniya also conducted a deep research on the same issue. They found that those with kidney failure displayed the same symptoms of arsenic poisoning,” he explained. Kariyawasam said that through extra research, they were able to conclude that traces of arsenic and mercury contents were found in agrochemical sources. “They tested different samples from different areas and they realised that arsenic and mercury contents were in the pesticides,” he said. He added that though they immediately informed the relevant authorities of their research, still no action has been taken. “We immediately informed the Pesticide Registrar General of our findings but still no action has been taken,” he stated.

This week the Green Movement along with other farming and women’s organisations held a press conference on the issue in an attempt to gather some much needed publicity. “We held a press conference this week to try and extend the campaign and raise awareness. The only way to overcome this is to encourage further research on the issue, education and awareness among communities and to continue to pressurise the relevant authorities” Kariyawasam explained.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/08/07/arsenic-and-cyanide-found-in-pesticides/