A widely used farm chemical that is a key ingredient in a new herbicide developed by Dow AgroSciences “possibly” causes cancer in humans, a World Health Organization research unit has determined.The classification of the weed killer, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, known as 2,4-D, was made by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The IARC said it reviewed the latest scientific literature and decided to classify 2,4-D as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” That is a step below the more definitive “probably carcinogenic” category but two steps above the “probably not carcinogenic” category. IARC’s findings on 2,4-D have been awaited by environmental and consumer groups that are lobbying U.S. regulators to tightly restrict its use, as well as by farm groups and others that defend 2,4-D as an important agent in food production that does not need more restrictions. Since its introduction in 1945, 2,4-D has been widely used to control weeds in agriculture, forestry, and urban and residential settings. A senior official in the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) confirmed the news, stating that the IARC had reviewed recent scientific literature and decided to classify them as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’. If this is true, why are we still using them in our fertilizers? These ingredients have been used in Pakistan since before 1999. Existing documents show that the Cotton Research Institute (CRI) in Multan has been against the use of 2, 4-D since 2000, where they maintain that the chemicals are injurious to the cotton crop. If there was some awareness about the detrimental effects, why we are still importing them for the cotton season, is beyond comprehension. Is it the monetary benefit being provided to the government? Or is it simply that they are indifferent to the effect it is having on the quality of food being given to the population at large? The incidence of cancer is on the rise in Pakistan but the concerned government authorities have not been giving due attention to it. These are times when chemicals and toxins have become the greatest cause of it. Through lack of quality control regarding fertilisers and pesticides, the contamination in our food is on a sharp rise
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