European companies export banned pesticides – Natursidan

Using loopholes in international trade laws, tens of thousands of tons of pesticides banned within the European Union are exported to other countries. Among others, the USA, Japan, Australia and many others purchase agents that can cause serious harm to people and nature and are prohibited within the European Union. This was revealed through the investigative activities of Greenpeace Discover.

Greenpeace of Great Britain and the Swiss organization Public Eye have found documents showing that tens of thousands of tons of various banned agricultural pesticides are being sold to other countries.

This applies, among other things, to paraquat, which It has been banned in Sweden since 1983, among other things due to a fight by the Nature Conservation Society Which since 2007 may not be sold within the European Union. In 2011, representatives of both environmental organizations and Swedish food producers such as LRF and Lantmännen joined forces To urge Sweden to try to stop the use of the agent worldwide because there are concerns that the agent may reach Sweden via food products or animal feed from farms in other countries.

Nearly ten years later, European producers are still exporting paraquat to other countries, and their products can then be exported around the world.

The export of paraquat and the pesticide containing the carcinogen 1,3-dichloropropane remains legal, although it is banned in the European Union.

to Watchman Baskut Tuncak, who worked on hazardous materials and human rights for the United Nations from 2014 to 2020, says Britain should immediately stop exporting paraquat and 1,3-dichloropropane. He believes that these pesticides are among the worst and undoubtedly harm human health.

Just because a country is rich does not mean that serious human rights violations do not occur in vulnerable communities. In the United States, where three times the amount of pesticides is permitted to be produced and used, agricultural workers suffer more chemical-related injuries and illnesses than any other worker. Many of those who work in agriculture are immigrants or belong to minorities.

Earlier this year, 35 experts, including Baskut Tuncat, came out with Demanding a halt to exports of toxic substances from rich countries to developing countries.

sources: Discover Greenpeace And Watchman