DR Congo Workers for Feronia made Impotent By Pesticides – HRW

DR Congo workers for Feronia made impotent by pesticides – HRW

25 November 2019

Workers exposed to pesticides at a UK-funded firm in the Democratic Republic of Congo have experienced becoming impotent, a rights group has stated.

Feronia, which dominates DR Congo’s palm-oil sector, had actually failed to offer employees adequate protective devices, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated.

The UK government’s advancement bank, CDC, owns 38% of in DR Congo.

It stated Feronia had invested greatly in protective devices and all workers were required to use it.

Feronia, a Canadian-based company, said it was dedicated to running to global standards.

The firm added that it had actually spent $360,000 (₤ 280,000) on individual protective devices in the last 3 years, which workers had actually been trained to use, and it had executed a policy requiring the devices to be used in the office.

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Feronia and its regional subsidiary, Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), employ thousands of employees at palm oil plantations in DR Congo.

PHC has received millions of dollars from the development banks of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

« These banks can play an essential role promoting advancement, however they are undermining their objective by stopping working to make sure the business they fund respects the rights of its workers and communities on the plantations, » HRW researcher Luciana Téllez-Chávez said.

What is HRW’s evidence?

In a report entitled A Poisonous Mix of Abuses on Congo’s Oil Palm Plantations, external, HRW said it had actually interviewed more than 40 employees and two-thirds of them « informed us that they had actually ended up being impotent considering that they began the job ».

Impotence – together with shortness of breath, headaches, and weight reduction that the workers complained about – were health problems « consistent with exposure to pesticides in general, as described in scientific literature », HRW said.

« Many [likewise] experienced skin inflammation, irritation, blisters, eye issues, or blurred vision – all symptoms that are consistent with what clinical texts and the products’ labels explain as health consequences of direct exposure to these pesticides, » the rights group included.

Ms Téllez-Chávez said employees who had actually been talked to had permeable cotton overalls – not the water resistant overalls.

« If pesticides inadvertently spilled, the toxic liquid would likely touch their skin, » she added.

What else does HRW say?

At the Yaligimba plantation, the company discarded the waste from its palm oil mill next to employees’ homes.

The effluents formed a « foul-smelling stream », and ultimately flowed into a natural pond where women and kids bathe and clean cooking utensils.

« Residents of a town of several hundred individuals downstream informed us the river was their only source of drinking water, » Ms Téllez-Chávez stated.

If unattended and neglected, effluent-dumping might eventually also cause fish to suffocate and die, or cause big developments of algae that might negatively affect the health of people who entered contact with polluted water or consumed tainted fish, HRW included.

The rights group likewise accused Feronia of paying « extreme hardship » salaries, saying ladies were the lowest-paid, with some earning as little as $7.30 a month gathering fruit.

HRW said the advancement banks need to ensure the businesses they buy pay living salaries to their workers.

What is the UK advancement bank’s response?

In a declaration, CDC said: « Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is a natural mix of natural waste oils and fats and has been discharged into rivers considering that the plantation came into being in 1911 and does not threaten human health.

« A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar financial investment – money that the company has selected instead to invest on real estate, tidy water provision, healthcare and academic facilities for staff members, their households and other members of the regional communities.

« It is the objective of the business to develop treatment plants for POME, but is sadly not in a financial position to do so presently as it continues to make heavy losses.

« In addition, the business has reconditioned or dug 72 brand-new boreholes for the provision of tidy water in the last six years. »

What does Feronia state?

The business stated working conditions had actually enhanced substantially because the participation of the European banks in 2013.

Employees were now paid considerably more than the base pay for agriculture in DR Congo and the average worker earned $3.30 daily – higher than what a local teacher would earn, it said.

It also verified that it had invested significantly in access to safe drinking water.

« Feronia operates on a social required with regional communities. Without their assistance we would not be able to work. We recognise that there is still a great offer to be done and are committed to running to international standards. We will continue to work relentlessly to achieve these objectives, » the business included in a declaration.

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