Pesticides Empty Containers (EPC) in the Area of Ouagadougou: Actors, Risks and Prospects of Secure Management

Abstract

The use of the pesticides knew since the middle of last century a considerable expansion in the developed countries but also in those of the Third World for the treatments improvement of the cultures of export and subsistence (Ramade, 2008). According to International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)( 2004) Burkina Faso consumes chemical inputs more and more. Indeed, the concern of increasing the agricultural outputs leads the producers to the generalized use of the pesticides for the control of the parasitic attacks on the cultures and the weeding of the Also, the pesticides according to their chemical formulation have other uses in particular in maintenance of the gardens, conservation of the foodstuffs, the cleaning of swimming pools etc. However, this practice is not without detrimental consequence on the biophysics environment and populations (FAO, 1996; Traore & Toe, 2008; Assogba-Komlan and al, 2007). The residues of the pesticides can be found in the cow's milk, in fish, in the ground and cashew nut (Ramesh & Vijayalakshmi, 2002). One of the important aspects in the process of dissemination of the pesticides and their residues in the ecosystems are empty pesticide containers (EPC). This aspect has a very little attention in our country, yet also a diagnosis of this activity reveals a number of risks on the environment and human populations are exposed. Indeed, some studies have shown that empty containers including vials are commonly used by farmers for repackaging food (IFDC, 2004). According to several authors (Whitford and al. 2006; Nesheim & Fishel, 2005; Bliefert & Perraud, 2008), empty containers of pesticides are toxic and hazardous waste and must be collected as all other waste and eliminated in healthy and rational environment. It appears that the management of empty pesticide containers must constitute a concern for governments but also for all actors of the development. The contamination of environmental matrices is related to the ability to rationally manage these packages. It is, therefore, appropriate to characterize these actors, the modes of management of empty containers, the ecological evaluation of the risks and to seek opportunities to manage safely these empty packages. It is the objective through this study in the area of Ouagadougou.