DDT disposal starts finally
Finally, about 500 tonnes of DDT pesticide, which is extremely harmful to the environment, will be shipped to France to properly dispose of the substance.
The pesticide has been sitting in a warehouse of Chattogram Government Medical Sub-depot (MSD) in Agrabad for 38 years.
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a persistent organic pollutant (POP): a chemical that can have significant negative effects on human health and the environment, according to the World Health Organization. Only a few countries, which include France, have plants to destroy the substance.
Use of DDT has been gradually banned or restricted across the world since the mid 20th century.
The mentioned amount was imported from Pakistan in the beginning of 1985 for Tk 3.59 crore to control malaria in Bangladesh.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) coordinates disposal activities of such substances. Global Environment Facility (GEF) is supporting the disposal of the 500 tonnes by providing a fund of around Tk 70.09 crore.
The DDT will be destroyed under "The Pesticide Risk Reduction in Bangladesh" project, with involvement of the Department of Environment, Department of Agricultural Extension, Directorate General of Health Services, and Department of Fisheries.
According to FAO officials, authorities will start loading the pesticide onto a ship from today. The ship entered Bangladesh territory yesterday. It will go through ports of 12 countries before reaching France to raise awareness in those countries about the issue.
They said it will take four to five days to finish loading the DDT powder. FAO staffers and government officials have been involved in properly packaging the substance since mid 2021, following the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
The hazardous powder will be destroyed at a plant in France following the convention. Bangladesh signed the Stockholm convention in 2001. It banned use of DDT powder in 1989, after importing the substance for four years.
Saso Martinov, senior technical adviser of FAO, told The Daily Star that the whole process was delayed because the mechanism to destroy DDT is complex and time consuming. Only a few countries have plants to destroy the harmful substance.
Mark Davis, senior technical adviser of Pesticide Risk Reduction in Bangladesh, said that authorities have completed the process to destroy the DDT.
In 2007, an initiative was taken to destroy the DDT pesticides under the project. It has taken 14 years to come to this stage due to various reasons, including fund complexity, sources said.
HOW THE DDT CAME TO CHATTOGRAM
In mid-1984, the government signed an agreement to import 1,000 tonnes of DDT powder from Pakistan to control malaria. A consignment of 500 tonnes arrived at Chattogram port in the first phase in early 1985.
On March 19, 1985, four samples of the DDT were sent to the World Health Organization in Geneva and Dhaka Testing Laboratory for testing.
After test reports stated that the substance was substandard, the government asked the Pakistani supplier -- Exchange International Limited -- to take the consignment back. But it did not do so.
The issue was taken to the Pakistan court, but the matter still remains unresolved.
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