New Zealand has joined a growing number of nations and banned the deadly pesticide Endosulfan. Becoming effective January 16th 2009, all import or use of Endosulfan will become illegal, with a one year period to safely secure unused stocks.

Endosulfan, linked to widespread human health and environmental impacts, was banned by New Zealand’s Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) as it was “considered that the level of adverse effect to the environment, human health, the relationship of Maori to the environment, and to New Zealand's international relationships outweighed any positive effects associated with the availability of Endosulfan in New Zealand”.

EJF is campaigning internationally to press governments to introduce measures to ban the import, sale and use of Endosulfan. We are delighted that New Zealand has taken the bold and progressive step of outlawing the pesticide, and urge that the government now lends its voice to international efforts to secure a global ban of Endosulfan under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. If added to the Convention list, Endosulfan will be subject to restrictions leading to its worldwide eradication, a measure that will directly save countless lives and protect our global environment.

To learn more about EJF’s Endosulfan campaign CLICK HERE

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