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 complained of becoming impotent, a rights group has said.

Feronia, which dominates DR Congo’s palm-oil sector, had actually failed to give workers sufficient protective equipment, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

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

It said Feronia had actually invested heavily in protective equipment and all workers were required to use it.

Feronia, a Canadian-based firm, stated it was committed to operating to international standards.

The firm added that it had actually invested $360,000 (₤ 280,000) on personal protective devices in the last 3 years, which workers had been trained to use, and it had implemented a policy requiring the equipment to be used in the work environment.

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

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

“These banks can play a crucial role promoting development, but they are undermining their objective by failing to make sure the business they fund appreciates the rights of its employees and neighborhoods on the plantations,” HRW scientist Luciana Téllez-Chávez said.

What is HRW’s evidence?

In a report entitled A Harmful Mix of Abuses on Congo’s Oil Palm Plantations, external, HRW said it had spoken with more than 40 workers and two-thirds of them “told us that they had become impotent since they began the job”.

Impotence – in addition to shortness of breath, headaches, and weight reduction that the employees grumbled about – were illness “consistent with direct exposure to pesticides in general, as described in scientific literature”, HRW said.

“Many [also] struggled with skin inflammation, itching, blisters, eye issues, or blurred vision – all signs that follow what scientific texts and the products’ labels explain as health repercussions of direct exposure to these pesticides,” the rights group included.

Ms Téllez-Chávez stated employees who had been interviewed had permeable cotton overalls – not the waterproof 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 dumped the waste from its palm oil mill beside workers’ homes.

The effluents formed a “foul-smelling stream”, and eventually flowed into a natural pond where women and children bathe and wash 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 said.

If unattended and without treatment, effluent-dumping might ultimately likewise cause fish to suffocate and die, or trigger large growths of algae that might negatively impact the health of people who entered contact with polluted water or taken in tainted fish, HRW added.

The rights group also accused Feronia of paying “severe poverty” wages, stating ladies were the lowest-paid, with some earning as low as $7.30 a month gathering fruit.

HRW said the advancement banks must ensure business they buy pay living salaries to their employees.

What is the UK development bank’s action?

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

“A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar financial investment – money that the business has selected rather to invest on real estate, clean water provision, health care and academic facilities for employees, their families and other members of the regional neighborhoods.

“It is the objective of the business 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 refurbished or dug 72 brand-new boreholes for the provision of tidy water in the last 6 years.”

What does Feronia state?

The company stated working conditions had improved considerably given that the participation of the European banks in 2013.

Employees were now paid considerably more than the minimum wage for agriculture in DR Congo and the typical employee earned $3.30 per day – higher than what a local instructor would make, it said.

It likewise verified that it had actually invested substantially in access to safe drinking water.

“Feronia operates on a social required with regional communities. Without their support we would not have the ability to work. We recognise that there is still a good deal to be done and are devoted to running to international requirements. We will continue to work tirelessly to accomplish these objectives,” the business included a declaration.

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