Pesticides are an effective tool used by farmers all across the globe to prevent insects, rodents and other pests from eating or spoiling their crops. Although, because these chemical compounds are deadly to these pests, it has been important to ensure that pesticides do not have poisonous effects past insects to humans and other aspects of nature.
However, it can be difficult for communities to police pesticides and it is not as effective to test pesticide use after it has already been applied to a field or farm. For these reasons, there have been a number of international bodies that have joined together to create testing guidelines to ensure that the pesticides used in the U.S., Australia, Africa and anywhere else will not result in unwanted repercussions for humans nearby. Pesticide users and manufacturers can use certified and approved standards to check whether their pesticides meet quality and specification requirements to work effectively without harmful consequences.
Countries working toward a common goal
Since the 1960 formation of the Convention on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, countries including the U.S, U.K., Mexico, Japan, Chile and Germany have created a set of pesticide testing protocols. The OECD pointed to nearly 100 testing methods it approves for the testing of these chemicals. The international group both creates guidelines for pesticide uses as well as tests the residue of pesticides in OECD and non-OECD countries to study their effects and determine further usage plans.
Separate from the OECD, the Collaborative International Pesticide Analytical Council, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the World Health Organization also work to regulate safe pesticide use on an international scale. In a 2005 report published by all three organizations outlining the quality to be used in national laboratories, they explained the importance of using standards from approved international providers.
Additionally, the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme pointed out that the reason using quality pesticides was important was because it is the only way to ensure safe use.
"Good product quality is essential for effective and safe pesticide use. Impurities formed during manufacture of the pesticide or by interaction in unstable formulations can increase product toxicity to humans and the environment," the organization explained.
When trying to regulate such a useful and potentially dangerous substance across every country in the world, the best tool that international bodies can turn to are well-respected standards providers for testing the quality of a pesticide to ensure that it will be safe and effective.
