Project: A holistic analysis of the sustainability of banana and plantain production systems regarding pesticide exposure and its effect on neurodevelopment in early life

Spanish version available in IDRC Digital Library: Programa infantes y salud ambiental con un enfoque ecosistémico (ISA) : informe técnico final (abril 2009 - abril 2013); resumen ejecutivoThe program was created to assess and improve the sustainability of production systems of banana and plantain, using agroecological approaches to human health, particularly with regard to pesticide exposure and neurodevelopment of 0-2 years-old babies. In indigenous communities where plantains are being produced by smallholders, highly toxic pesticides are increasingly used. By analyzing impact of pesticides on children and with implementation of alternatives to pesticides, the project aims to improve pesticide awareness and health of people living in the ‘Huetar Atlántica’ region

Problems of contemporary education

U ovom radu bit će izložen jedan vid shvaćanja modernog obrazovanja. Pojam obrazovanja definicijski je povezan s kategorijom odgoja i pedagoškim područjem . Kategorije obrazovanja i odgoja u međusobnom su suodnosu, no u povijesnom kontekstu nisu oduvijek to bile. Ideja modernog obrazovnog sustava postepeno se razvila tjekom 19.st. U razdoblju od 60-ih do 80-ih godina ponuđena je teorijska literatura koja će formalno utemeljiti ideju modernog obrazovanja. Referiranje na Liessmannovo djelo „Teorija neobrazovanosti“ podrazumijevat će najsuvremeniji koncept obrazovanja – koncept 21. stoljeća. Ideja tzv. društva znanja zasnivat će se na uvođenju Bolonjskog procesa na sveučilišta, a vrednovanje znanja biti će određeno ranglistama. Sve navedene pojavne oblike Liessmann će nazvati simptomima, tj. momentima novonastalog stanja – stanja neobrazovanosti. Nastanak tog stanja biti će pojašnjen kroz prijelazne stadije: obrazovanost-poluobrazovanost-neobrazovanost

Mesoamerican nephropathy: geographical distribution and time trends of chronic kidney disease mortality between 1970 and 2012 in Costa Rica.

Mesoamerican nephropathy is an epidemic of chronic kidney disease (CKD) unrelated to traditional causes, mostly observed in sugarcane workers. We analysed CKD mortality in Costa Rica to explore when and where the epidemic emerged, sex and age patterns, and relationship with altitude, climate and sugarcane production

Variability and predictors of weekly pesticide exposure in applicators from organic, sustainable and conventional smallholder farms in Costa Rica

Estimates of pesticide exposure among applicators from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce, and exposure assessment methods are sometimes costly or logistically unfeasible. We examined the variability in weeklong pesticide exposure among applicators in Costa Rica and its predictors.; We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 221 pesticide applicators from organic, sustainable and conventional farms in 2016. We administered structured questionnaires to assess pesticide application practices at two time points (4-6 weeks apart). We adapted an existing algorithm to fit the context of smallholders and derive weekly pesticide exposure scores. We used linear mixed-effect models to examine within-worker and between-worker score variability. We then identified sociodemographic and occupational predictors of weekly pesticide exposure scores.; We observed high within-worker and between-worker variability in weekly pesticide exposures (eg, up to 180-fold and 70-fold differences in average weekly exposures within and between workers, respectively; intraclass correlation coefficient=0.4). Applicators working on conventional and sustainable farms had exposure scores twofold and 1.5-fold higher than those working in organic farms, respectively. Farm workers who received training on pesticide use had weekly pesticide exposure scores of 33% (95% CI 1% to 55%) lower than those who did not receive any training.; In this study of applicators from smallholder farms in Costa Rica, we determined the importance of collecting questionnaire data on self-reported pesticide use repeatedly due to its high variability within workers and absence of application records. Our questionnaire-based exposure algorithm could allow the calculation of semiquantitative estimates of average pesticide exposure for applicators from other LMICs

Manganese concentrations in drinking water from villages near banana plantations with aerial mancozeb spraying in Costa Rica: Results from the Infants' Environmental Health Study (ISA)

AbstractElevated manganese (Mn) in drinking water has been reported worldwide. While, naturally occurring Mn in groundwater is generally the major source, anthropogenic contamination by Mn-containing fungicides such as mancozeb may also occur. The main objective of this study was to examine factors associated with Mn and ethylenethiourea (ETU), a degradation product of mancozeb, in drinking water samples from villages situated near banana plantations with aerial spraying of mancozeb. Drinking water samples (n = 126) were obtained from 124 homes of women participating in the Infants' Environmental Health Study (ISA, for its acronym in Spanish), living nearby large-scale banana plantations. Concentrations of Mn, iron (Fe), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and ethylenethiourea (ETU), a degradation product of mancozeb, were measured in water samples. Only six percent of samples had detectable ETU concentrations (limit of detection (LOD) = 0.15 μg/L), whereas 94% of the samples had detectable Mn (LOD = 0.05 μg/L). Mn concentrations were higher than 100 and 500 μg/L in 22% and 7% of the samples, respectively. Mn was highest in samples from private and banana farm wells. Distance from a banana plantation was inversely associated with Mn concentrations, with a 61.5% decrease (95% CI: −97.0, −26.0) in Mn concentrations for each km increase in distance. Mn concentrations in water transported with trucks from one village to another were almost 1000 times higher than Mn in water obtained from taps in houses supplied by the same well but not transported, indicating environmental Mn contamination. Elevated Mn in drinking water may be partly explained by aerial spraying of mancozeb; however, naturally occurring Mn in groundwater, and intensive agriculture may also contribute. Drinking water risk assessment for mancozeb should consider Mn as a health hazard. The findings of this study evidence the need for health-based World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on Mn in drinking water

A pilot field evaluation on heat stress in sugarcane workers in Costa Rica: What to do next?

BACKGROUND: Climate change is producing major impacts including increasing temperatures in tropical countries, like Costa Rica, where the sugarcane industry employs thousands of workers who are exposed to extreme heat. OBJECTIVES: This article outlines a pilot qualitative evaluation of working conditions and heat in the sugarcane industry. DESIGN: A literature review, direct observations and exploratory interviews with workers were conducted to reach a preliminary understanding of the dimensions of heat-related health issues in the sugarcane industry, as a basis for the design of future studies. RESULTS: The industry employs temporary workers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica as well as year-round employees. Temporary employees work 12-hour shifts during the harvest and processing ('zafra') season. In many cases, sugarcane field workers are required to carry their own water and often have no access to shade. Sugar mill workers are exposed to different levels of heat stress depending upon their job tasks, with the most intense heat and workload experienced by the oven ('caldera') cleaners. CONCLUSIONS: Research is needed to achieve better understanding of the multiple factors driving and interacting with heat exposures in the sugarcane industry in order to improve the health and safety of workers while maintaining worker productivity

Pesticide Exposure and Respiratory Health of Indigenous Women in Costa Rica

Programa Infantes y Salud AmbientalPrograma ISAInfant´s Environmental Health StudyInfant´s Environmental Health ProgramDescribe si el contacto con plaguicidas está relacionado con problemas de respiración como tos, falta de aire y silbidos en el pecho. En 2007 se entrevistó a mujeres con un cuestionario para saber cuánto contacto tenían con los plaguicidas y cuáles problemas respiratorios tenían.Describes whether contact with pesticides is related to breathing problems such as coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. In 2007, women were interviewed with a questionnaire to find out how much contact they had with pesticides and what respiratory problems they had.Centro Internacional de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo, CanadáUniversidad Nacional, Costa RicaUniversidad de Utrecht, Países BajosInstituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxica