The Marketing of Potentially Toxic Pesticides Worldwide: The Issues and a Proposed Control System

Abstract

It is estimated by 1990 United States based multinational corporations (MNCs) will export over one billion dollars or pesticides and chemicals that have been banned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for sale in the domestic market. The potential environmental hazards and dangerous side effects to inhabitants of foreign countries could be devastating. This article examines the growth of sales of pesticides which have been banned domestically, why they create such a hazard in foreign countries as well as a “boomerang effect” in the United States, and explores a means to more adequately monitor and control the sale of these pesticides worldwide.

Antisocial Behavior and the Continuing “Tragedy of the Commons”

“…The health and environmental impacts of these harmhl products, are frequently not calculated in the MNC strategy. The developing country needs the pesticide, fertilizer, or pharmaceutical products, as it does not have alternatives to meet the needs of its growing population (Harvey, 1988). The question becomes one of magnitude from the standpoint of the "benefit for many and the harm to few.…”

Marketing Pharmaceuticals to Developing Nations: Research Issues and a Framework for Public Policy

“…In two large-scale surveys conducted by the International Congress of Consumer Unions, a large majority of available pharmaceutical products were found to contain no label/insert information on contraindications, dosage or possibly fatal side effects (Dunn, Flood, 8~ Herxheimer, 1976). A similar problem has been discussed in the area of pesticide marketing (Harvey, 1988).…”

“…The transfer of enforcement obligation to the marketer, at least in part, may be especially advantageous since most developing countries lack implementation resources, such as funds for product testing, trained workers, etc. (Albers & Gelb, 1991;Harvey, 1988).…”