Pesticide Awareness Week: Caribbean Countries Promote Pesticide Awareness Week

Caribbean countries are joining other nations around the world in embracing Pesticide Awareness Week Sept. 25 through Oct. 1.

The week is geared to focus on promoting the 'Green' revolution and reducing the use of chemical pesticides around the world.

This year's theme is 'Save Lives -- Read and Understand Pesticide Labels.' Among the many programs being promoted is safeguarding children from pesticide poisoning.

"When pesticides or herbicides impact the gastrointestinal track, they can induce vomiting and do damage to proteins that deal with hereditary chromosomes and genes," Dr. Martin said.

As part of his presentation, the health official displayed a poster of a small child born with no lips which he says resulted from a birth defect caused when the pregnant mother was exposed to pesticides. He said exposure to pesticides could also lead to male and female infertility.

The Source