dr-congo-workers-for-feronia-made-impotent-by-pesticides---hrw

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DR Congo workers for Feronia made impotent by pesticides - HRW

25 November 2019
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Workers exposed to pesticides at a UK-funded company in the Democratic Republic of Congo have actually suffered becoming impotent, a rights group has actually said.
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Feronia, which dominates DR Congo's palm-oil sector, had actually stopped working to provide employees adequate protective equipment, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated.
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The UK federal government's development bank, CDC, owns 38% of Feronia in DR Congo.

It stated Feronia had invested greatly in protective equipment and all employees were required to wear it.
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Feronia, a Canadian-based firm, stated it was devoted to operating to international requirements.

The company added that it had spent $360,000 (₤ 280,000) on personal protective devices in the last three years, which employees had been trained to use, and it had actually implemented a policy needing the equipment to be used in the workplace.

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Feronia and its local subsidiary, Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), utilize countless workers at palm oil plantations in DR Congo.

PHC has received countless dollars from the advancement banks of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

"These banks can play a crucial function promoting advancement, but they are sabotaging their objective by stopping working to make sure the business they finance appreciates the rights of its employees and communities on the plantations," HRW scientist Luciana Téllez-Chávez stated.

What is HRW's evidence?

In a report entitled A Harmful Mix of Abuses on Congo's Oil Palm Plantations, external, it had actually spoken with more than 40 employees and two-thirds of them "informed us that they had actually ended up being impotent given that they started the job".

Impotence - along with shortness of breath, headaches, and weight-loss that the employees grumbled about - were health problems "consistent with exposure to pesticides in general, as described in clinical literature", HRW stated.

"Many [also] suffered from skin irritation, itching, blisters, eye problems, or blurred vision - all symptoms that are consistent with what clinical texts and the items' labels refer to as health consequences of direct exposure to these pesticides," the rights group added.

Ms Téllez-Chávez said workers who had actually been spoken with had permeable cotton overalls - not the water resistant overalls.

"If pesticides mistakenly spilled, the poisonous liquid would likely touch their skin," she added.

What else does HRW say?

At the Yaligimba plantation, the company disposed the waste from its palm oil mill next to workers' homes.

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

"Residents of a village of several hundred individuals downstream told us the river was their only source of drinking water," Ms Téllez-Chávez said.

If unchecked and without treatment, effluent-dumping could eventually also trigger fish to suffocate and pass away, or cause large growths of algae that could negatively affect the health of people who entered into contact with contaminated water or consumed tainted fish, HRW added.

The rights group also implicated Feronia of paying "severe poverty" incomes, stating women were the lowest-paid, with some earning as little as $7.30 a month gathering fruit.

HRW stated the advancement banks ought to guarantee the services they invest in pay living earnings to their employees.

What is the UK advancement bank's response?

In a statement, CDC stated: "Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is an organic mix of natural waste oils and fats and has actually been discharged into rivers considering that the plantation entered remaining in 1911 and does not threaten human health.

"A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar financial investment - money that the company has chosen rather to invest in real estate, clean water arrangement, healthcare and educational facilities for workers, their households and other members of the regional neighborhoods.

"It is the aim of the company to develop treatment plants for POME, but is sadly not in a financial position to do so currently as it continues to make heavy losses.

"In addition, the business has actually refurbished or dug 72 brand-new boreholes for the provision of clean water in the last 6 years."

What does Feronia state?

The business stated working conditions had actually improved considerably considering that the participation of the European banks in 2013.
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Employees were now paid significantly more than the minimum wage for farming in DR Congo and the average worker made $3.30 each day - higher than what a local teacher would make, it stated.
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It also verified that it had actually invested significantly in access to safe drinking water.
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"Feronia operates on a social required with local neighborhoods. Without their assistance we would not be able to work. We recognise that there is still a lot to be done and are committed to running to international standards. We will continue to work relentlessly to accomplish these objectives," the company added in a statement.

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