For its third newsletter, Justice Pesticides looks back at the last two months of pesticide-related news. The impacts of these toxic chemicals affect every country in the world, and the information in this newsletter covers Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, United Kingdom and United States.

We hope you will find this information interesting and useful. To support our action and raise awareness of the problems posed by these poisons, please feel free to share this newsletter with your contacts.

You can also receive the Justice Pesticides newsletter on a regular basis by signing up here and noting “Subscribe to newsletter” in the Message box.

Summary:

JURISDICTIONAL NEWS

USA: Chlorpyrifos ban in sight?

Crowning 14 years of legal battles led by American associations, the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has enjoined the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the use of chlorpyrifos, a particularly toxic insecticide. It considers that the EPA’s delay in doing so has exposed an entire generation of American children to brain damage.

USA: Bayer’s strategy in the face of Roundup lawsuits

Bayer is paying a plaintiff to appeal a decision in the company’s favor in a lawsuit over his cancer, which he believes is linked to his use of the herbicide Roundup. Bayer’s objective is to confirm the positive decision at the federal level.

USA: Massive lawsuit against Syngenta and Chevron over Paraquat

Syngenta and Chevron are facing a growing number of lawsuits over the production and marketing of Paraquat, an old herbicide linked to Parkinson’s disease, contained in the product marketed under the name Gramoxone.

Chile: Victory of the residents of Chaitén against the use of glyphosate for road maintenance

Thirty-three residents of the municipality of Chaitén, in the province of Palena in Chile, filed an appeal on March 25, 2021 before the Court of Appeal of Puerto Montt after having noted the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in the maintenance of municipal roads by the company Constructora San Felipe S.A.

France: The elaboration of departmental charters of commitments on pesticides contrary to the Constitution

The Constitutional Council considers the procedure for the elaboration of departmental charters of commitments on pesticides contrary to the Constitution. From now on, any person will be able to participate in the elaboration of these charters, whether he or she is a neighbor of the concerned places or not.

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY NEWS

Canada: The Quebec government recognizes the link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease

The Quebec government, led by François Legault, has added Parkinson’s disease to the list of occupational diseases, thus recognizing for the first time the link between the use of pesticides and the onset of this disease.

UK: Neonicotinoids remain banned

The United Kingdom is reversing its decision of last January to authorize the use of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam for the cultivation of sugar beets.

Colombia: Resumption of aerial spraying of glyphosate in the fight against coca

The Colombian President, Iván Duque, signed on April 12, 2021 a decree authorizing the resumption of aerial spraying of glyphosate in the fight against illicit coca crops.

USA: Ban on pesticides in New York parks

New York City is banning pesticides in parks, playgrounds and other public spaces. This decision follows the claims of a group of children who demonstrated for several years for the abandonment of these substances.

CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVITIES

Glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides in court

Justice Pesticides has realized, with the financial support of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, a synthesis of the legal cases involving glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) in Europe and in the world.

Brazil: Our Brazilian Board member Larissa Mies Bombardi victim of intimidation attempts

Since the accession to the Brazilian presidency of Jair Bolsonaro in January 2019, threats against academics, national administrators, and environmental advocates have been growing.

Corinne Lepage and Christian Hugo: Our Battles for the Environment: 50 trials, 50 years of fighting

Corinne Lepage, lawyer, former Minister of the Environment and Member of the European Parliament, President of the Board of Directors of Justice Pesticides, has just published with her husband, the lawyer Christian Hugo, her latest book.

Weed killers and crop treatments, what you need to know

Justice Pesticides, Friends of the Earth, Secrets Toxiques, Réseau Environnement Santé and Vivre et agir en Maurienne propose a summary of the rules to know about pesticides in the form of a leaflet to download. The objective of this brochure is to provide citizens with a synthetic instruction manual so that any potential victim can easily become aware of his rights.

European Citizens’ Initiative for an agricultural policy that saves both bees and farmers

Justice Pesticides is a partner of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Save bees and farmers”. In order to protect bees and citizens’ health, we ask the Commission to propose legal acts to phase out synthetic pesticides by 2035, restore biodiversity and help farmers during this transition phase.