§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent studies the Health and Safety Executive has carried out into the safety of organophosphorus sheep dips in relation to(a) humans and (b) sheep. [136205]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has completed studies on the following subjects since 1993:
- occupational hygiene in sheep dipping;
- biological monitoring techniques;
- spontaneous reactivation and ageing of acetylcholinesterase in human red blood cells after inhibition by orgnophosphorous (OP) pesticides;
- in vitro effects of OP pesticides on cell surface esterases and functional tests at the cellular level;
- the relative inhibitory effect of OPs and carbamates towards pseudocholinesterase in human blood;
- handling of sheep dip concentrates;
- the epidemiology of chronic effects of low level exposure to OP dips (two studies);
- human liver metabolism of OP pesticides;
- improvements to laboratory analyses for organophosphate pesticide exposure.
Studies are ongoing on the following:
- the role of A-esterases in moderating the toxicity of OPs;
- psychological effects of exposures to OPs;
- genetic variation in susceptibility to chronic effects of organophosphate exposure;
- improved engineering controls for sheep dipping;
- risk perception of sheep dippers.
All the studies in the list relate to effects in human beings. HSE does not conduct studies into the safety of dips on sheep. Such work is co-ordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.