DR Congo workers for made impotent by pesticides - HRW
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25 November 2019
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Workers exposed to pesticides at a UK-funded firm in the Democratic Republic of Congo have actually experienced ending up being impotent, a rights group has actually said.
Feronia, which controls DR Congo's palm-oil sector, had actually stopped working to provide workers adequate protective equipment, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
The UK federal government's advancement bank, CDC, owns 38% of Feronia in DR Congo.
It said Feronia had actually invested heavily in protective devices and all workers were needed to wear it.
Feronia, a Canadian-based firm, said it was committed to operating to international standards.
The company added that it had actually spent $360,000 (₤ 280,000) on individual protective equipment in the last three years, which workers had been trained to use, and it had actually carried out a policy needing the equipment to be worn in the workplace.
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Feronia and its local subsidiary, Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), employ thousands of employees at palm oil plantations in DR Congo.
PHC has actually received millions of dollars from the development banks of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
"These banks can play an important function promoting development, however they are sabotaging their mission by stopping working to ensure the company they finance appreciates the rights of its employees and neighborhoods on the plantations," HRW scientist Luciana Téllez-Chávez said.
What is HRW's proof?
In a report entitled A Toxic Mix of Abuses on Congo's Oil Palm Plantations, external, HRW said it had actually talked to more than 40 employees and two-thirds of them "informed us that they had ended up being impotent because they began the job".
Impotence - in addition to shortness of breath, headaches, and weight reduction that the workers grumbled about - were health issue "constant with direct exposure to pesticides in general, as explained in scientific literature", HRW stated.
"Many [also] suffered from skin inflammation, itching, blisters, eye issues, or blurred vision - all signs that are consistent with what scientific texts and the products' labels refer to as health effects of direct exposure to these pesticides," the rights group included.
Ms Téllez-Chávez stated workers who had actually been interviewed had permeable cotton overalls - not the waterproof overalls.
"If pesticides mistakenly spilled, the harmful liquid would likely touch their skin," she added.
What else does HRW state?
At the Yaligimba plantation, the company disposed the waste from its palm oil mill beside employees' homes.
The effluents formed a "foul-smelling stream", and eventually streamed into a natural pond where ladies and children shower and wash cooking utensils.
"Residents of a village of several hundred people downstream told us the river was their only source of drinking water," Ms Téllez-Chávez stated.
If unattended and untreated, effluent-dumping might ultimately also trigger fish to suffocate and die, or trigger large growths of algae that could adversely affect the health of people who came into contact with contaminated water or consumed tainted fish, HRW included.
The rights group also implicated Feronia of paying "severe poverty" earnings, saying women were the lowest-paid, with some earning as low as $7.30 a month gathering fruit.
HRW stated the advancement banks must make sure business they invest in pay living salaries to their workers.
What is the UK advancement bank's response?
In a declaration, CDC stated: "Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is an organic mix of natural waste oils and fats and has been discharged into rivers because the plantation came into remaining in 1911 and does not threaten human health.
"A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar financial investment - money that the business has chosen rather to invest in real estate, tidy water provision, health care and instructional facilities for workers, their families and other members of the regional neighborhoods.
"It is the aim of the company to build treatment plants for POME, however is unfortunately not in a financial position to do so currently as it continues to make heavy losses.
"In addition, the business has actually reconditioned or dug 72 brand-new boreholes for the arrangement of clean water in the last six years."
What does Feronia state?
The company said working conditions had actually enhanced significantly given that the participation of the European banks in 2013.
Employees were now paid significantly more than the base pay for agriculture in DR Congo and the typical worker made $3.30 each day - higher than what a regional teacher would earn, it said.
It likewise confirmed that it had actually invested considerably in access to safe drinking water.
"Feronia runs on a social mandate with local communities. Without their assistance we would not be able to function. We acknowledge that there is still a good deal to be done and are devoted to operating to worldwide requirements. We will continue to work tirelessly to achieve these goals," the company included a statement.
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DR Congo Workers for Feronia made Impotent By Pesticides - HRW
katrinamonti6 edited this page 2025-02-14 03:12:50 +01:00