EU Banned Pesticide Trade Expands Despite Promises to End It
A joint investigation by Unearthed and Public Eye reveals that the European Union’s export trade in pesticides banned for domestic use has expanded significantly, contradicting a five-year-old European Commission promise to halt the practice. Data obtained through freedom of information requests shows that EU companies notified plans to export agricultural chemicals containing 75 different prohibited substances last year, nearly double the number recorded in 2018. This surge is driven by recent bans on dozens of pesticides due to health and environmental risks, such as mancozeb, which is toxic for reproduction. Despite being forbidden on European farms, these chemicals are legally manufactured and exported to countries with weaker regulations. The majority of destinations are low- or middle-income nations, including Vietnam, Ecuador, and Cambodia, where hazardous pesticide use poses severe risks. Critics, including activists from South Africa, condemn the practice as a racist and colonial double standard that prioritizes corporate profit over human health in developing regions. The European Commission has yet to propose legislative changes to enforce its earlier commitment to stop producing hazardous chemicals for export.
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EU Banned Pesticide Trade Expands Despite Promises to End It
A joint investigation by Unearthed and Public Eye reveals that the European Union’s export trade in pesticides banned for domestic use has expanded significantly, contradicting a five-year-old European Commission promise to halt the practice. Data obtained through freedom of information requests shows that EU companies notified plans to export agricultural chemicals containing 75 different prohibited substances last year, nearly double the number recorded in 2018. This surge is driven by recent bans on dozens of pesticides due to health and environmental risks, such as mancozeb, which is toxic for reproduction. Despite being forbidden on European farms, these chemicals are legally manufactured and exported to countries with weaker regulations. The majority of destinations are low- or middle-income nations, including Vietnam, Ecuador, and Cambodia, where hazardous pesticide use poses severe risks. Critics, including activists from South Africa, condemn the practice as a racist and colonial double standard that prioritizes corporate profit over human health in developing regions. The European Commission has yet to propose legislative changes to enforce its earlier commitment to stop producing hazardous chemicals for export.
Unearthed