Expert warns of insecticide hazards

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: One mosquito repellent coil emits toxic Carbonyl Compounds equivalent to 51 cigarettes posing threats to the human population at large, experts warned.

The use of mosquito coil is more hazardous to human health than tobacco smoke, said Senior scientist at NAST, Dr Kanti Shrestha addressing a workshop today on Management and Awareness of Household Insecticides.

“A mosquito coil generates particles in 2.5 PM size that causes environmental and health damage leading to the respiratory disease asthma,” she said referring to a study.

A two-year long study conducted by Natural Product Research Lab under NAST shows that 71 per cent of people use domestic insecticides. The mosquito coil accounts for 50 per cent use of the insecticides.

Experts stressed the need to make people aware about health hazards of the use of domestic insecticides.

Iswor Prasad Khanal, chief of Faculty of Science at NAST said, “We need to encourage our families and neighbours to stop using insecticides and educate society about its long-term effect on health and environment.”

According to NAST, the objective of the workshop was to cooperate with concerned bodies to adopt a policy against the use of domestic insecticides, and create awareness amongst the people.

Vice Chancellor of NAST Prof Suresh Raj Kafle lamented that they were facing a tough time in managing insecticides due to the poor record-keeping system in concerned bodies as most of their consignments are imported to Nepal from India.

“Even the educated lot are no exception when it comes to use of domestic insecticides,” he said.

NAST Secretary Prof Prakash Chandra Adhikari underscored the need to forward the feedback and suggestions of scientists to the government to combat the impact of domestic insecticides.

Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Keshavman Shakya pledged to work together with all concerned parties to mitigate the effect of domestic insecticides.