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

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DR Congo employees for Feronia made impotent by HRW

25 November 2019

Workers exposed to pesticides at a UK-funded firm in the Democratic Republic of Congo have complained of ending up being impotent, a rights group has said.

Feronia, which controls DR Congo's palm-oil sector, had actually stopped working to provide workers adequate protective devices, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

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

It stated Feronia had actually invested heavily in protective devices and all employees were required to use it.

Feronia, a Canadian-based company, stated it was committed to operating to international requirements.

The company 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 use, and it had actually executed a policy needing the equipment to be worn in the workplace.

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

PHC has gotten countless dollars from the development banks of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

"These banks can play a crucial function promoting development, but they are undermining their mission by failing to make sure the company they fund appreciates the rights of its employees and communities on the plantations," HRW scientist Luciana Téllez-Chávez said.

What is HRW's evidence?

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

Impotence - in addition to shortness of breath, headaches, and weight-loss that the workers complained about - were health issues "constant with direct exposure to pesticides in general, as described in scientific literature", HRW stated.

"Many [likewise] experienced skin inflammation, itchiness, blisters, eye issues, or blurred vision - all symptoms that follow what scientific texts and the products' labels describe as health repercussions of direct exposure to these pesticides," the rights group added.

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

"If pesticides accidentally spilled, the harmful liquid would likely touch their skin," she added.

What else does HRW say?

At the Yaligimba plantation, the company discarded the waste from its palm oil mill beside employees' homes.
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The effluents formed a "foul-smelling stream", and eventually streamed into a natural pond where ladies and kids bathe and wash cooking utensils.

"Residents of a town of several hundred people downstream told us the river was their only source of drinking water," Ms Téllez-Chávez stated.

If untreated and unattended, effluent-dumping could eventually likewise cause fish to suffocate and die, or cause big developments of algae that might adversely impact the health of people who came into contact with contaminated water or taken in tainted fish, HRW added.
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The rights group also accused Feronia of paying "extreme hardship" earnings, stating females were the lowest-paid, with some earning just $7.30 a month event fruit.

HRW said the advancement banks need to make sure business they purchase pay living incomes to their workers.

What is the UK development 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 been discharged into rivers since the plantation entered remaining in 1911 and does not threaten human health.

"A treatment plant for POME represents a multimillion dollar investment - cash that the business has chosen rather to spend on real estate, clean water arrangement, healthcare and educational centers for staff members, their families and other members of the regional communities.

"It is the objective of the company to develop treatment plants for POME, however is unfortunately not in a financial position to do so presently as it continues to make heavy losses.

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

What does Feronia say?
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The company said working conditions had enhanced significantly considering 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 worker earned $3.30 per day - greater than what a local teacher would make, it said.

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 communities. Without their support we would not have the ability to function. We acknowledge that there is still a lot to be done and are dedicated to operating to worldwide requirements. We will continue to work relentlessly to achieve these goals," the business included a statement.

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