EDITORIAL - Toxic cargo

We should count our blessings and give thanks that the pesticide endosulfan, transported on the Princess of the Stars, did not leak out of its packaging in a 40-foot shipping container as the passenger ferry sank off Romblon last June and sat for several months on the sea floor.

Or at least this is what the public has been told as the government plans to declare the waters around the sunken ship safe again for fishing. An American member of the team salvaging the sunken ferry was hospitalized recently for possible cyanide poisoning, raising fears of toxic contamination around the vessel.

The government said it would send back the recovered pesticide to its manufacturer in Israel. Will there also be a ban on the use of endosulfan? Though the pesticide is still used in the United States and India, it has been banned in the European Union. It’s not easy mass-producing fruits and vegetables that meet stringent requirements in the world market for appearance and other physical attributes. Among the substances that keep agricultural exports free of imperfections are the toxic chemicals that zap bugs, mites, worms — all those infestations that are found in farms and gardens.

The Philippines does not take the lead in banning harmful pesticides, and merely takes its cue from the rest of the world. This has often made the country a dumping ground for harmful substances on their way to being phased out elsewhere on the planet. How safe is endosulfan? Pesticide authorities should find out. The country should have the capability to effectively enforce safety standards in the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

The government should also pursue the prosecution of those responsible for stowing toxic cargo in a passenger ferry. The consignee of the endosulfan, pineapple grower Del Monte Philippines, complained that the pesticide was supposed to be transported on a cargo ship. The government must see to it that the shipping industry abides by maritime safety rules and takes responsibility not only for keeping passengers safe but also for protecting the environment.