Practices used by pesticides fumigators from the middle and low Sinú department of Córdoba

• Main Authors: Concepción E. Amador, José M. Luna, Elsy C. Puello
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Córdoba 2017-01-01
• Series: Temas Agrarios
• Subjects: pesticides; occupational exposure; experience; knowledge
• Online Access: https://revistas.unicordoba.edu.co/index.php/temasagrarios/article/view/913

In the agricultural sector, in most countries, there is a massive use of pesticides, and a deficit of knowledge of users on the management and risks of them, which can be a cause of labor type of poisoning. The objective of this research was to determine the practices and knowledge on management of agrochemicals in the crop dusters manners of the Middle and Lower Sinú in Cordoba (Colombia). A descriptive study, with quantitative approach using non-probability sampling, interviewing 486 sprayers was carried out. Among the results, it was observed that 89.8% of the sample did not have knowledge about the risks produced by the chemicals used and how to protect themselves. A 89% of them transport agrochemicals with other inputs and food, 87%, discard the packaging on the shores of crops; 14.4% usually safe management practices; 13.1% indicated that reuse pesticide containers for transporting liquids for consumption. Among the most commonly used chemical compounds, 23.7% corresponded to the group of component fertilizers with apparent predilection for the use of the herbicide glyphosate; 43.8% of the Exterminators reported the use of toxic compounds III and 25.9% of toxicity IV; 20.8% of the organochlorides used are prohibited in Colombia such as Aldrin, DDT, lindane, and Tiodan. It was concluded that the use of pesticides among the exterminators of the Middle and Lower Sinú is due to lack of knowledge and naivety regarding safe handling of pesticides, which is a potential risk to human and environmental health.