Press Release - The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton

As the fashion industry gets together to celebrate future fashion, The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton, a new report by the Environmental Justice Foundation, in collaboration with the Pesticide Action Network UK, reveals the routine use of harmful chemicals, including nerve agents and neurotoxins, on cotton crops.

Vomiting, paralysis, incontinence, coma, seizures and death are some of the many side effects suffered by farmers and children in the developing world who are routinely exposed to pesticides, many of which are banned or restricted in use in the West.

Cotton, the most valuable non-food agricultural product, is labelled as the world's “dirtiest” crop:

• US$2 billion’s worth of chemicals are sprayed on the world’s cotton crop every year, almost half of which is considered toxic enough to be classified as hazardous by the World Health Organisation.


• Cotton is responsible for the release of 16% of global insecticides – more than any other single crop.


• In total, almost 1kg of hazardous pesticides is applied for every hectare of global cropland under cotton.


• Aldicarb, a powerful nerve agent, is one of the most toxic pesticides applied to cotton worldwide. Despite its World Health Organisation classification, “extremely hazardous”, US$112 million’s worth is applied to cotton crops each year.


• Endosulfan - attributed to serious health problems, including coma, seizures, convulsions and death – remains as one of the most widely used pesticides in the world: in India, over 3,000 tonnes is applied to cotton crops annually. Endosulfan is thought to be the most important source of fatal poisoning among cotton farmers in West Africa.


• Children are inherently more vulnerable to the negative impacts of exposure to pesticides. In countries such as Uzbekistan and India, children work in the cotton industry, live near cotton fields or are at high danger of pesticide exposure from reused pesticide containers and food.

Steve Trent, Director of EJF, says “With no less than 99% of the world’s cotton farmers living in the developing world, the pesticides are applied in fields where illiteracy is high and safety awareness is low, putting both the environment and lives at risk”. He adds “The dangers faced by poor illiterate children and farmers, to keep our clothes cheap, is unacceptable”.

“Today, only 0.15% of the world’s cotton is guaranteed to be pesticide free. This means that the majority of the cotton we wear is likely to have contributed to the poisoning of lives and the environment in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities”, says Linda Craig, Director of PAN UK. “If the fashion industry is truly concerned about its impact in this world, then it needs to clean up its act and demand organic cotton.”

Leading fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, says “By insisting on organic cotton and fair pay for garment workers and by paying 1% more for a t-shirt, you can change the world and make it a better and safer place.”

Consumer demand for organic cotton currently stands at between US$800 million and US$1 billion, demonstrating that organic cotton offers a strong economic option; currently demand outstrips supply.

EJF and PAN UK believe that the dangers associated with pesticides is too high a price to pay and calls on all buyers of cotton to Pick Your Cotton Carefully and choose organic, fairly traded cotton.

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Contact Person: Petra Kjell
Organisation Name: Environmental Justice Foundation
Telephone Number: 020 7288 6958
Mobile Number: 07734 942760 / 07951 019504
Email Address: petra.kjell@ejfoundation.org
Web site: http://www.ejfoundation.org
Direct report link: http://www.ejfoundation.org/reports

The Environmental Justice Foundation will be showcasing its Cotton Campaign with the support of leading fashion designer Katharine Hamnett at London Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion arena Estethica, Stand ES20, from 12–16 February 2007.

Hard copies of the report The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton, film screenings of EJF's award winning documentary White Gold – The true cost of cotton and campaign information will be available.

Pesticides

• Pesticides are hazardous by design: chemicals manufactured with the aim of killing, repelling or inhibiting growth of living organisms by impairing biological processes essential for the maintenance of life.


• Acute symptoms of pesticide poisoning include headaches, vomiting, tremors, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing or respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, seizures and death. Chronic effects of long-term pesticide exposure include impaired memory and concentration, disorientation, severe depression and confusion.


• While developing countries account for less than 30% of global pesticide consumption, the bulk of pesticide poisonings occur in a developing world scenario; including an estimated 99% of pesticide induced deaths.


• Between 1 and 3% of agricultural workers worldwide suffer from acute pesticide poisoning with at least 1 million requiring hospitalisation each year, according to a report prepared jointly for the FAO, UNEP and WHO. These figures equate to between 25 million and 75 million agricultural workers worldwide.


• In some major developing countries, such as India and Pakistan, cotton production accounts for over 50% of all pesticides used in agriculture – despite covering just 5 and 15% of primary cropland respectively.


• One drop of the pesticide aldicarb, absorbed through the skin, is enough to kill an adult.


• Monocrotophos, banned in 7 countries and used restrictively in another 12 countries, is the most heavily used pesticide in India. In 1997, Paraguay’s Ministry of Health and Welfare identified the pesticide as being responsible for causing paralysis in children living in cotton growing areas.


• The nerve agent deltamethrin, probably the most extensively applied cotton pesticide in the world, is applied to cotton in over half of cotton producing countries. Traces of deltamethrin have been found in human breast milk in a village on the edge of a major cotton production area in South Africa.


• Pesticides can have serious side effects on the environment. Numerous studies undertaken in major cotton producing countries, such as USA, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Australia, Greece and in West Africa, have documented detectable levels of hazardous pesticides commonly applied to cotton in local water resources. In Uzbekistan, the world’s third largest cotton exporter, toxic agro-chemicals first applied to cotton 50 years ago now pollute the country’s land, air, food and drinking water.

Cotton

• Cotton is one of the most important commodities in the world, accounting for approximately 40% of overall fibre consumption. It is produced in 80 countries, with a global harvest of 24 million tonnes, worth around US$35 billion. Cotton production occupies around 2.5% of the world’s cropland.


• 99% of the cotton farmers live and work in developing countries. Together developing country farmers are responsible for producing 75% of global cotton production.


• The primary product manufactured from cotton is clothing, which accounts for some 60% of the world’s total cotton production, with a further 35% used to make home furnishing. Up to 80% of all cotton-fibre products are destined for the consumer market.


• Organic cotton production has increased five-fold over the past four years. Consumer demand for organic cotton currently stands at between US$800 million and US$1 billion, demonstrating that organic cotton could offer a strong economic alternative to conventional cotton production.

About EJF and PAN UK

• The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a UK based non-governmental organisation working internationally. More information about EJF’s work and a PDF version of this report can be found at http://www.ejfoundation.org.


• Nationally and globally, Pesticide Action Network promotes safer alternatives to pesticides, the production of healthy food, and sustainable farming. For further information, see http://www.pan-uk.org/cotton.