3.4. The perception of store owners of the safe use of pesticides
The store owners knew more about pesticide use than the farmers
did (p b 0.01) (Table 5). Nearly all the retailers in the two regions
emphasised that they provided suggestions for the use of the pesticides
they sold. They claimed, especially in S2, that protective measures
should be taken before and after use and that new and previously purchased
pesticides should be stored in storerooms away from children,
water, and food. Most retailers in S2 suggested that empty pesticide
containers should be recycled and buried (including burned), accounting
for, 90% and 80% of interviewed retailers, respectively. Only 70% of
the retailers in S1 recommended burying or burning the containers,
and 30% suggested disposing of themas garbage (p b 0.01). All retailers
in S2 admitted that national and other supervisory authorities play
dominant roles in their decision to not sell banned pesticides, with toxicity
being another important reason. In S1, 60% of the retailers agreed
that national controls were important, and half of them thought halted