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1113 tonnes of toxic fertilizer distributed

By S Y Bakht
Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has already distributed 1113 tonnes of toxic fertilizer. Imported from the United States earlier this year, before deciding against its distribu tion. an Agriculture Ministry source said The total Import amounts to 3132 tonnes.
The distribution of the toxic fertilizer was carried out virtually ignoring a timely warning from the US embassy that the consignment. Imported as zinc oxy-sulphate, might contain hazardous toxic substances. the source added.
Distribution was finally discontinued only after the embassy confirmed that the consignment contained highly toxic arsenic compounds.
BADC is currently tn a tough spot about what to do with the remaining stock of 2019 tonnes of the toxic fertilizer
Of the stock. 1717 tonnes
are being stored at BADC's Shirlmonl godown in Khulna while 267 tonnes remain in Chittagong and another 35 tonnes are 1n various distribution points around the country, the ministry source said.
The consignment was accepted despite various other Irregularities detected In the first consignment of the same order, the source noted, and BADC even lodged a claim against the supplier.
The corporation, with the necessary clearance from the Ministry of Agriculture, received the consignment of 3132 tonnes on January 16 after conducting a single teat to check on the US embassy
In a letter to the BADC chairman in mid-December 1991. US embassy Economic and Commercial Officer William Christopher Walker said, quoting the US Environ-' mental Protection Agency (EPA). that the consignment of zinc oxy-sulphate fertilizer, already shipped on the Indian flag-carrier MV Vfswas Prafulla, might be contaminated.
It may contain "a type of sludge which contains lead and ’ cadmium", he warned, adding that the EPA was conducting detailed investigations.
Representative samples of the fertilizer were collected both by BAt)C and the US em bassy after the said ship arrived at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port on January 1.
Under instruction of the ministry. BADC sent the samples for testing at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and the tests were completed and the results returned .during the same month.
Tests results at BARI revealed that the samples con tained 3.1 per cent to 4.17 per cent of lead and 0.18 per cent to 0.195 per cent of cadmium.
In the report of the test results, BARI noted that the quantum of these substances found In the samples were not toxic for plants and would not have any adverse effect on the environment, the ministry source pointed ouL
The Institute further went on to state that there would be no difficulty tn using the prod uct to recoup the zinc dcfl clency in the soil.
Based on the results of this lone test the ministry allowed BADC to release the cargo and distribute it among the farmers.
However, in April, the US embassy subsequently confirmed that the collected sam plcs were found to be contain inated after tests were conducted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control.
The test results showed that the sample's exceeded the regulatory limits of 5.0 parts per million for lead and 1.0 parts per million for cadmium. the embassy said in a letter.
Followlhg receipt of this letter, the Agriculture Ministry finally decided to order BADC to stop further distribution of the toxic fertilizer.
Meanwhile, a US Federal Grand Jury in Charleston, South Carolina went on to indict four US companies for allegedly exporting more than 3000 tone of hazardous wastes to Bangladesh, a report which was earlier published in The Dally Star.
Of the four firms, Gaston Copper Recycling Corp of Gaston, South Carolina came under criminal indictment charge for generating the wastes In Its copper smelting furnace.
Stoller Chemical Co of Jericho. South Carolina was charged for converting the waste into agricultural fertilizer component.
The Indictment also char ged Hy-Tex Marketing of Beaufort, South Carolina for allegedly serving as the broker for marketing the product and Southwire Corp as the main stockholder in Gaston Recycling.
Three company officials of Stoller. Southwire and Hy-Tex
were also, charged in the indictment by the US Federal Court.
BADC had originally floated the tender for about 6000 tonnes of the fertilizer in November 1990 and It was closed by the end of the following month.
The tender order to purchase zinc oxy-sulphate fertilizer was recommended by the ministry and the Asian Development Bank, the financier of the deal.
The ministry source noted that this type of fertilizer was being procured for the first’ time In Bangladesh as previously zinc sulphate was being used regularly.
Despite reservations by the BADC lender committee, the ministry gave the decision to procure 6000 tonnes of zinc oxy-sulphate fertilizer for 298 US dollars per tonne from the Washington-based supplier M/s Trans Continental Imex Inc with Stoller Inc being documented as the manufacturer.
The local agent of the supplier was Trans-Oceanic Private Ltd based in Dhaka.
After the first consignment of 3150 tonnes arrived aboard the Indian flag-carrier MV Jalatapi in August 1991, BADC discovered many irregularities in the stock.
The corporation lodged a claim with the supplier on account of shortage, excess port dues, excess moisture content and letter of credit amendment charges for a total of over 1.69 lakh US dollars, the source pointed out.
Presently, the BADC authorities seem to be somewhat un
aware about the possible areas where the fertilizer may have been distributed.
However, the corporation has sent more samples for tests to the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), the Rajshahl University (RU) and the Dhaka University (DU).
The source said that test results from BCSIR and RU had already been returned. But the results arc 'not clear and does not provide a clear Indication'. he added.
BADC has also asked BARI to find out the long term effects on crop and land due to the use of the toxic fertilizer and whether the effects can be passed on to humans through the consumption of the food products.
"This would take time, at least three to four months to find out," the ministry source added
Observers, however, say that the laboratories in the country may not be sufficiently equipped to conducting such tests.
They also questioned the sle0s taken by the Ministry of Agriculture even after receiving the US embassy warning.
The ministry should have also conducted tests on the first consignment Just to check and make sure that It did not contain toxic materi als, they added.
Meanwhile. the ministry remains officially silent about the whole Issue and did not even bother to provide an explanation to appease public