MAKKAH: The deaths in Jeddah over the past few months as a result of the use of poisonous pesticides, especially ones containing aluminum phosphide, have sent shockwaves among residents of Makkah who have urged authorities to prevent the sale of the deadly chemicals.
Speaking to Arab News, some citizens in Makkah decried the unscrupulous sale of restricted-use pesticides — poisons that are only to be used in agricultural applications because they are too dangerous to be used in the home or even the home garden — by merchants. The practice of buying these controlled pesticides and then selling smaller doses in improvised and unlabeled packages has been identified as a problem in the local market.
“We sell only licensed (for domestic use) pesticides that do not cause harm (if used properly),” said Ahmed Abdu, a salesman at a shop that sells pesticides. “We have noticed that some shops selling unlicensed (restricted use) pesticides in their bid to make money.”
Although much ado has been made about the illegal sale of aluminum phosphide, other pesticides on the market may also be harmful — as well as perfectly legal.
Arab News recently purchased a bottle of Saudi-manufactured pesticide containing 60 percent diazinon, a potentially harmful organophosphate — the category of pesticide that sent four Bangladeshis to hospital in Jeddah on Thursday.
Although diazinon is not as dangerous as aluminum phosphide, the United States banned its use in homes and home-gardens a few years ago because the fumes can be dangerous.
The bottle of diazinon-based pesticide purchased by Arab News recently from an agricultural supply vendor provides instructions for home use and even recommends mixing it with other pesticides for increased effect. There is a picture of a bed bug on the bottle, suggesting its use on home furniture.
But for the time being the media seems focused on the more dangerous culprit: the odorless and deadly phosphine gas produced when water is added to aluminum phosphide tablets.
Dr. Mohammed Abdul Wahab, professor of thoracic diseases at Egypt’s Tanta University, said pesticides containing phosphides kill pests by damaging the respiratory system. “The same thing happens when a human being is exposed to this gas: extreme suffocation,” he said.
People suffering from asthma, bronchitis and allergy will have more negative effects than others, he added. Children are most susceptible to this poisoning.
“These people may suffer from suffocation when high doses of pesticides are used and when they stay close to the chemical in areas that do not have adequate ventilation. It may also lead to the death of those people,” he said, adding that some pesticides would have long-standing effect.
Brig. Jameel Al-Arbaeen, director of Civil Defense in Makkah, said a number of field committees have been formed in the holy city to check the use of restricted-use pesticides. “These committees have started inspecting markets, especially shops selling pesticides, in order to make sure they sell only licensed ones,” he added.
Al-Arbaeen said the committees have confiscated a number of unauthorized pesticides.
Mahmoud Saeed, director of the Agricultural Ministry’s office in Makkah province, said authorities have started inspecting shops in Jeddah to prevent the sale of unauthorized pesticides. They have been removing all pesticides containing aluminum phosphide from the stores.
“There are different types of pesticides. Some of them are highly poisonous and their use is restricted. The Ministry of Agriculture has licensed the imported pesticides,” he said. He stressed the need to restrict import of pesticides to some dealers.
Aluminum phosphide is considered an effective pesticide for use in agriculture because while the gas is extremely dangerous it leaves no residue on foodstuffs. Phosphide pesticides are commonly used in grain processing and storage facilities, as well as in crops (for tunneling vermin), under controlled circumstances administered by trained professionals.
