DR Congo workers for Feronia made impotent by pesticides - HRW

25 November 2019

exposed to pesticides at a UK-funded company in the Democratic Republic of Congo have actually grumbled of becoming impotent, a rights group has said.

Feronia, which controls DR Congo's palm-oil sector, had actually stopped working to offer workers sufficient protective devices, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated.
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The UK government's advancement bank, CDC, owns 38% of Feronia in DR Congo.

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

Feronia, a Canadian-based firm, said it was devoted to running to worldwide requirements.

The firm added that it had actually spent $360,000 (₤ 280,000) on personal protective equipment in the last 3 years, which employees had been trained to utilize, and it had actually implemented a policy requiring the devices to be worn in the workplace.
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Feronia and its regional subsidiary, Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), utilize countless workers at palm oil plantations in DR Congo.

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

"These banks can play an essential function promoting advancement, but they are sabotaging their objective by failing to make sure the company they fund appreciates the rights of its employees and neighborhoods on the plantations," HRW researcher Luciana Téllez-Chávez said.
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What is HRW's evidence?

In a report entitled A Toxic Mix of Abuses on Congo's Oil Palm Plantations, external, HRW stated it had spoken with more than 40 employees and two-thirds of them "told us that they had ended up being impotent considering that they began the task".

Impotence - along with shortness of breath, headaches, and weight reduction that the workers grumbled about - were health problems "consistent with direct exposure to pesticides in general, as described in clinical literature", HRW said.
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"Many [also] experienced skin irritation, itching, blisters, eye issues, or blurred vision - all signs that are consistent with what scientific texts and the products' labels describe as health effects of direct exposure to these pesticides," the rights group added.

Ms Téllez-Chávez said employees who had been interviewed had permeable cotton overalls - not the waterproof overalls.

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

What else does HRW state?

At the Yaligimba plantation, the business disposed the waste from its palm oil mill next to workers' homes.
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The effluents formed a "foul-smelling stream", and eventually flowed into a natural pond where women and children shower and clean cooking utensils.

"Residents of a village of numerous hundred individuals downstream informed us the river was their only source of drinking water," Ms Téllez-Chávez stated.
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If untreated and untreated, effluent-dumping might ultimately also trigger fish to suffocate and pass away, or cause large developments of algae that could adversely affect the health of people who entered contact with polluted water or taken in tainted fish, HRW included.

The rights group likewise implicated Feronia of paying "severe poverty" salaries, stating women were the lowest-paid, with some earning as low as $7.30 a month gathering fruit.
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HRW stated the advancement banks must guarantee the companies they buy pay living earnings to their workers.
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What is the UK development bank's action?

In a statement, CDC said: "Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is a natural mix of natural waste oils and fats and has actually been released into rivers since the plantation entered into being in 1911 and does not threaten human health.

"A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar investment - cash that the business has picked rather to invest in housing, tidy water arrangement, healthcare and educational centers for staff members, their households and other members of the regional neighborhoods.

"It is the goal of the company to build treatment plants for POME, but is unfortunately not in a monetary position to do so presently as it continues to make heavy losses.
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"In addition, the business has reconditioned or dug 72 new boreholes for the arrangement of tidy water in the last 6 years."

What does Feronia state?

The company said working conditions had improved considerably considering that the involvement of the European banks in 2013.

Employees were now paid substantially more than the base pay for agriculture in DR Congo and the average worker made $3.30 daily - higher than what a regional teacher would earn, it stated.
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It likewise confirmed that it had actually invested substantially in access to safe drinking water.
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"Feronia operates on a social mandate with regional neighborhoods. Without their support we would not be able to function. We acknowledge that there is still an excellent offer to be done and are dedicated to running to global requirements. We will continue to work tirelessly to accomplish these objectives," the business added in a declaration.
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