Investigating the current situation of chemical pesticides trade in Tripoli region and its suburbs in Libya

This study was conducted within the framework of a research program at the Agricultural Research Center for Sustainable Development during the 2021-2022 agricultural season through field visits to pesticide marketing and storage sites in Tripoli and its suburbs to investigate the condition of commercial stores and their suitability to health conditions, the nature of their activity and their legal status, along with the status of the people working in them, their educational level and the extent to which their awareness of the dangers of pesticides and their impact on their health. Some questions were also about the types of pesticides traded in the Libyan market, their physical condition, their specialties, their commercial sources, and how to dispose of their empty containers. It became clear from this study that approximately half of the pesticide shops were in the main streets of Tripoli, and only 27% of them were in rural areas. Moreover, no less than 50% of the stores do not have warehouses, and those that do have warehouses are considered inappropriate for storing these dangerous materials. It was also shown that there is a lack of attention and implementation of the sanitary conditions in pesticide stores, including ventilation, air conditioners, and the height of the stores. We also noticed that the percentage of licensed shops designated for selling pesticides did not exceed 35%, and that many of them hold licenses not designated for selling pesticides, and some of them don’t have license. As for the materials that are marketed alongside pesticides, most of them are agricultural equipment, with the presence of fertilizers and seeds. Regarding the persons that are selling pesticides, their ages range from the twenties to the fifties, and their educational levels vary, as the percentage of illiterate people was 15%, the percentage of those who obtained compulsory primary, middle, and secondary education was 49%, the percentage of those who obtained an intermediate and higher diploma was 23%, and the percentage of university salespeople was 13%. It is striking that 79% of the sellers are not specialized in the agricultural field. As for the level of knowledge of the sellers about the dangers of chemical pesticides, it was found that 72% of them have little to moderate knowledge. In addition, 77% of them do not wear protective clothing, and only sometimes at best, which shows that 43% of the workers’ health was negatively affected by their handling of pesticides. Finally, this study showed that the pesticides circulating in the Tripoli area are liquid, solid and gaseous in approximately equal proportions. As for the specialties of pesticides on offer, it turned out that 22% of them are insecticides, 21% are herbicides, 21% are fungicides, 19% are rodenticides, and 17% are acaricides. As for the sources of pesticides offered on the market, 36% of them were issued by commercial agents of international companies or from well-known wholesalers with clear addresses. However, 27% of the pesticides offered were imported by unknown importers or obtained through unlicensed and often unknown street traders. As for the methods used to dispose of containers, the study showed that 50% of the containers are disposed of by filling them up, burning them, or using the containers to place other materials such as food and medicines, which is generally considered a violation of internationally recognized health methods. This study is considered a model for the other Libyan cities and will contribute to providing decision-makers with important and vital information for regulating the pesticide trading sector in Libya.