Pubdate: Mon, 20 Aug 2001
Source: In These Times Magazine (US)
Copyright: 2001 In These Times
Contact:  http://www.inthesetimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/207
Author: Solomon Hughes
Note: Solomon Hughes writes for the British muckraking magazine
Private Eye. His work also has appeared in the Guardian, The Ecologist
and Red Pepper, among other publications.

STICKY SITUATION

British Chemical Company Abandons Plan Colombia

British chemical company ICI has pulled out of Plan Colombia's 
controversial fumigation campaign. The firm was supplying ingredients for 
toxic chemicals used in the U.S.-funded aerial spraying of coca- growing 
regions, but abandoned the scheme amid health concerns. Local hospitals in 
the Putumayo region, where the coca fumigation is taking place, have 
reported increases in skin rashes, diarrhea and stomach aches (see "Death 
Falls from the Sky," April 30).

ICI was providing the Colombian company Cosmo Agro with gluey soap- like 
substances that help herbicides stick to plants. The Colombian government 
classes the chemicals made from ICI's ingredients as toxic. ICI's own 
materials describe them as "irritants" and warns against inhalation.

U.S. and Colombian authorities have played fast and loose about the 
specific chemicals used in the fumigation scheme. In January, the State 
Department claimed "the only chemical currently used for aerial eradication 
is glyphosate." The U.S. Embassy in Bogota issues the same claim. 
Glyphosate, made by Monsanto, is commonly known as Roundup. However, the 
chemicals used are actually a toxic brew of Roundup Ultra mixed with Cosmo 
Agro's product Cosmo-Flux, a compound that includes ICI chemicals. The 
combined chemicals have not been tested for safe use in crop-dusting by the 
Environmental Protection Agency or the Colombian Ministry of Health.

ICI stated they were unaware that their chemicals were being sprayed from 
airplanes in Colombia and claimed no knowledge of Cosmo Agro. ICI suggested 
that there "may be some confusion" with an anti-fungal they sell in 
Colombia that is used on banana crops.

However, after an investigation for London's Observer, this author 
presented ICI with documents proving the use of their chemicals in the coca 
fumigation campaign. The documents were obtained from Cosmo Agro by Elsa 
Nivía of the Pesticides Action Network as part of her research into the 
safety of the fumigation program.

Following an in-house investigation, in late June the company confirmed 
that "Cosmo-Flux has been used as an additive to reduce the amount of 
active ingredient used in spraying coca plants and to prevent undesirable 
spray drift. However in light of concern about spraying coca plantations, 
Cosmo Agro has committed not to sell Cosmo- Flux for this application."

ICI was disparaging about the use of their chemicals in the fumigation 
campaign, saying "it doesn't make any sense to us." ICI spokesman John 
Edgar claimed "it's the wrong material" for coca eradication, and using it 
"seems illogical." Edgar further stated that "Monsanto wouldn't be very 
happy" about mixing the chemicals with Roundup as "it doesn't square." He 
added, "Somewhere along the line something has gone wrong."

The State Department refused to answer questions about the spraying and 
referred In These Times to the U.S. embassies in London and Bogota, where 
officials were unavailable for comment as the magazine went to press.

The confusion about the chemicals used in the fumigation campaign, the 
curious mix used, and the lack of testing suggests that the crop- dusting 
procedure is unorganized, even chaotic. ICI's removal of its chemicals from 
the spraying is a particular blow to Plan Colombia's reputation, especially 
as the firm has supported military-style fumigations in the past. (ICI 
supplied chemicals used to defoliate in present-day Malaysia during the 
"Malayan emergency," a British colonial "police action" of the '50s and a 
forerunner of the American use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.) However, ICI is 
apparently unwilling to tie its corporate reputation to Plan Colombia.

ICI's action is a vindication of Nivía, who has been critical of the use of 
Cosmo-Flux in the fumigation. "Toxicological studies do not exist on the 
effects of the mixture with herbicides," she says. "The inclusion of these 
two additives was decided in an arbitrary way."

It seems that ICI finally came to the same conclusion as the opponents of 
Plan Colombia.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens