1. Centre for Science and Environment Session 1 Overview and agenda Briefing workshop August 4-5 2004

2. Centre for Science and Environment CSE: Background Set up in 1980. A public-interest research institute. Policy research and public awareness. On water, forest management, air pollution, climate change, industry, health.

3. Centre for Science and Environment Pollution Monitoring Laboratory Set up in 2000, with state of the art equipment for pesticide residue, heavy metal and air pollution monitoring. We set it up to: a. respond to community requests: (endosulfan case in Kerala) b. to investigate issues of public health concern: air pollution monitoring, water (fluoride), bottled water (pesticides). Conspiracy of silence in data. Need science for ecological security. Need information publicly. Concerns our health. Our bodies. Our children.

4. Centre for Science and Environment Endosulfan: confirmed by ICMR 2001: villagers from Padre, Kerala write to CSE. Mysterious diseases.

5. Centre for Science and Environment Endosulfan: confirmed by ICMR CSE lab finds endosulfan in human blood, tissue, food, water, fish… Industry fights back. Hires “accredited” lab. Says no endosulfan found. 10 months later, NHRC asks ICMR. ICMR collects blood samples of children. Confirms endosulfan. Says that it is possible “causative factor” for high reproductive, neurological and congenital abnormalities in village. Kerala government bans pesticide spraying. Industry still fighting.

6. Centre for Science and Environment Why study soft drinks? 2002: Looking at pesticides in drinking water. Collected samples from Delhi colonies. No visible trend as area very big. Decided to look at bottled water. We detected pesticides, so looked at source. Collected samples of groundwater in and around bottling plants…

7. Centre for Science and Environment Ranking of bottled water: Delhi

8. Centre for Science and Environment Found pesticides… Because groundwater used by companies for bottling. Profile matched.

9. Centre for Science and Environment What happened? Regulations for pesticide residues in bottle water existed. But not quantified. Post-CSE study: July 18, 2003: government issued notification for revised norms: Individual pesticide: 0.0001 mg/l Total pesticide: 0.0005 mg/l Implemented from January 1, 2004. Most companies are adhering to new norms, says BIS.

10. Centre for Science and Environment Why ‘EU’ standards for water? Pesticides are contaminants in water. There is no trade-off between nutrition-poison. WHO says pesticides are “tolerable daily intake” not “acceptable daily intake”. Cannot afford contamination. Have to prevent it with tough standards. Also need easy to use standards – single residues+multiple residues. Not each pesticide, different standard

11. Centre for Science and Environment Two giants of the corporate world.

12. Centre for Science and Environment Soft drinks: what did we find? Same pesticides as bottled water: DDT, lindane, chlorpyrifos, malathion. Same level as bottled water. But poorer (in fact non-existent) regulations compared to bottled water

13. Centre for Science and Environment No pesticides in US bottles Same pesticides are used in US. In a 2000 total diet study, Food and Drug Administration found five most frequently observed chemicals: DDT, malathion, chlorphyrifos, endosulfan and dieldrin. But not found in US soft drinks: Is human health more important in US regulations?

14. Centre for Science and Environment Scandalous regulations: ‘Fixed’ / Non-existent Regulations worse than bottled water industry. It had poor norms for pesticides. But at least mandatory norms existed. No norms for this ‘food’ industry. Virtually let off. Why??? Bottled water norms in 1998. Made mandatory saying ‘food’ consumed by many. Why were soft drinks not included? Amnesia? Deliberate?

15. Centre for Science and Environment Meaningless maze Licensed under Fruit Product Order. Part II-(D): Sweetened aerated water with no fruit pulp...less than 10 % fruit juice…. No regulation on basic raw material, water. Says.. “Potable” water should be used. What is potable? No definition. Rule 65 of Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) regulates pesticides in food. But food is defined to exclude ‘beverages’. Sub-section A.01-01 in appendix B defines the standards of quality for non-alcoholic beverages. But has nothing to say about pesticide residues.

16. Centre for Science and Environment Key issues Pesticide contamination is growing. Even soft drinks contain pesticides. Need a stringent policy for safe and wise use of pesticides. Pesticides found in soft drinks pose a long-term health hazard as they are above standards. A cocktail of different pesticides found. Regulations for pesticide residues in soft drinks do not exist. Is that acceptable? Water used by this industry as raw material not regulated. Not paid for. Is this right?

17. Centre for Science and Environment Cola companies respond…. August 5 (12 noon): CSE releases study August 5 (4 pm): Pepsi-Coke joint press conference rejecting our study; say we are not capable of doing this research; they have tested; they know that they are safe… August 8: Pepsi file defamation suit (gag-SLAPP) case against CSE. Coke case not accepted by SC (withdraws case after we file counter in November) August 21: Government releases its test report. Confirms 3 pesticides, in smaller quantities. But uses phrase: drinks “safe”: meet existing packaged drinking water standards (which were already changed because they were not safe). August 22 : sets up Joint Parliamentary Committee (4 th in India) to investigate matter. Sharad Pawar chairman.

18. Centre for Science and Environment Terms of reference of JPC “Whether the recent findings of CSE regarding pesticide residues in soft drinks are correct or not” “To suggest criteria for evolving suitable safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages where water is the main constituent.”

19. Centre for Science and Environment “We are safe: Aamir drinks it”

20. Centre for Science and Environment What JPC considered…what coke-pepsi said..what we said… Drinks are safe..learning the science of analysis and the politics of standard setting; Pesticide contamination is not a problem in India..learning how India uses and misuses pesticides; Standards for soft drinks and juices are the same..learning the global politics of food standard setting; Pesticide residues should not be regulated in water…learning the imperative of water quality, the need for legal standards for clean drinking water for all and cost of cleaning dirty water…

21. Centre for Science and Environment “Working” our democracy Endorsed our findings, government to set stringent standards for soft drinks; wants entire system of pesticide use and food and water standards revamped. A vindication of public health concerns. Sets the agenda for reform for water security and food safety. Our agenda. Our fight…

22. Centre for Science and Environment Agenda for change: session 1 1. To set standards for soft drinks (ongoing..BIS standards/Health ministry standards…companies fighting). standards for pesticide residues; standards for caffeine/pH 2. July 15, 2004: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) finalised draft standards for finished products. 3. July 27, 2004: Ministry of Health sets standards for quality of water to be used in the manufacture of soft drinks.

23. Centre for Science and Environment Why not check milk..vegetables…? …..Because we know they are contaminated. The legal standards set (MRLs) are too high. The food we ingest is unsafe. There is no enforcement to check if the standards are being exceeded for not. 2. Revamp pesticide regulation so that all food is safer. Nutrition-poison trade-off

24. Centre for Science and Environment Unsafe water: define what is “potable” No definition of what is potable water. No standards for the quality of water that is “safe” to drink. Without legal standards, there is no right of Indians to clean drinking water. How will this “right” be created. What will clean drinking water cost? Can we afford this cost? Can we afford not to pay this cost?

25. Centre for Science and Environment Water used by industry free 4. Regulate the water used in soft drink and beverage industry. How should this be done? Groundwater law says that water belongs to person who owns the land…right to exploit. To use. To sell. How much water does this industry consume? Who knows?

26. Centre for Science and Environment Regulations for “safe food” 5. Strengthen institutions and regulations for food safety. What are the issues in modern food and processed food? Why should we worry? Do we not have a malnutrition problem? Why should we care about new epidemics like obesity? What should we do?

27. Centre for Science and Environment See-through change Translating protest into policy needs (constant) public pressure. Challenge for Indians is to work democracy. It is being done. Must be supported and enabled. Change needs knowledge and information and public awareness for change.