Philippine Daily Inquirer/NEWS/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo
Philippine Daily Inquirer/NEWS/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo
(unshortened version)
MANILA, Philippines—Don’t eat the flowers. But is it safe to smell them?
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, which triggers a huge demand for flowers, an international food organization issued a warning on the toll pesticides used in the flower growing takes on flower workers.
FIAN called attention to the European campaign “Fair Flowers—for Human Rights” and its study on the toxic effects of pesticides in flower production to back up its warning.
The study was conducted by a partner in the campaign, the Uganda Workers’ Education Association (UWEA).
Prodded by the study’s alarming findings, campaign organizers are demanding stricter controls on pesticide residue on flowers imported by the European Union, and are asking that the country of origin of imported flowers should be indicated.
UWEA is urging public institutions, flower traders, and consumers to buy “socially and environmentally produced flowers.”
There are as yet no environmental, health, or labor watchdogs checking whether flower farm workers in the Philippines are exposed to the danger or how they are being protected when handling pesticides, in spite of the vigilance of advocates for organic food production.
FIAN said the study showed that flower workers in all areas of production were exposed to pesticides.
It said that more than 40 percent of the interviewed workers never used protective equipment. Because of lack or inadequate protective equipment and limited knowledge on the recommended use of pesticides, a large number of workers showed symptoms that were “very likely the consequences of pesticide exposure.”
Ugandan workers, FIAN noted, had reported problems such as chest discomfort, skin irritation, headaches, and sleep disorders. Workers in other flower-producing countries had reported similar ailments.
“The lack of adequate protection is caused by employers’ ruthless ignorance of national and international occupational health and security standards,” said Sophie Vessel of FIAN Austria.
“The respective governments lack the political will to control the implementation of labor laws,” said Gertrud Falk of FIAN Germany.
The findings in Uganda are backed by surveys of the Pesticide Action Network in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are in line with the conclusion that that highly hazardous pesticides are often used in the agricultural sector and that workers rarely get full personal protective equipment.
FIAN said that the use of hazardous pesticides in flower production is higher than that of agricultural food production because flowers are normally not eaten. The European Union has not set a threshold for pesticide residue on imported flowers, FIAN lamented.
Alena Věžníková of the Ecumenical Academy of Prague said: “Many workers fear not being able to earn an income for the family in the future due to injuries and the possible long term effects of pesticide exposure.” Added Florence Kroff of FIAN Belgium: “When
mothers reach home after work, they often hug their children before changing clothes.” This means the families of the workers could be affected as well.
“In our ongoing petition, said Clara Moeremans from Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken, “we ask the decision makers in the European Union to call for a European legislation which makes it obligatory that flowers imported to the European Union are examined for pesticide residue. Pesticides which the World Health Organization categorizes as hazardous (WHO class I) should not be allowed to enter the European Union market.”
”Furthermore, an increasing demand for fair flowers by the labels Flower Label Program (FLP) and FAIRTRADE can put more pressure on the owners of the Ugandan flower farms to convince them to comply with their standards,” added Steffi Neumann of Vamos Muenster.
Online petitions and links to the study could be accessed on the Internet. Flowers for Human Rights pose these questions:
The link to the to the study is: www.flowers-for-human-rights.org while the link to the online petition is: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fairflowers/
Philippine Daily Inquirer/NEWS/by Ma. Ceres P. Doyo
(unshortened version)
MANILA, Philippines—Don’t eat the flowers. But is it safe to smell them?
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, which triggers a huge demand for flowers, an international food organization issued a warning on the toll pesticides used in the flower growing takes on flower workers.
FIAN, an international human rights organization that has been for the right to food for more than 20 years and which has a network in the Philippines, disclosed the results of a study that showed the adverse health impact of pesticides in Ugandan flower production for the European market.
FIAN called attention to the European campaign “Fair Flowers—for Human Rights” and its study on the toxic effects of pesticides in flower production to back up its warning.The study was conducted by a partner in the campaign, the Uganda Workers’ Education Association (UWEA).
Prodded by the study’s alarming findings, campaign organizers are demanding stricter controls on pesticide residue on flowers imported by the European Union, and are asking that the country of origin of imported flowers should be indicated.
UWEA is urging public institutions, flower traders, and consumers to buy “socially and environmentally produced flowers.”
There are as yet no environmental, health, or labor watchdogs checking whether flower farm workers in the Philippines are exposed to the danger or how they are being protected when handling pesticides, in spite of the vigilance of advocates for organic food production.
FIAN said the study showed that flower workers in all areas of production were exposed to pesticides.
It said that more than 40 percent of the interviewed workers never used protective equipment. Because of lack or inadequate protective equipment and limited knowledge on the recommended use of pesticides, a large number of workers showed symptoms that were “very likely the consequences of pesticide exposure.”
Ugandan workers, FIAN noted, had reported problems such as chest discomfort, skin irritation, headaches, and sleep disorders. Workers in other flower-producing countries had reported similar ailments.
“The lack of adequate protection is caused by employers’ ruthless ignorance of national and international occupational health and security standards,” said Sophie Vessel of FIAN Austria.
“The respective governments lack the political will to control the implementation of labor laws,” said Gertrud Falk of FIAN Germany.
The findings in Uganda are backed by surveys of the Pesticide Action Network in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are in line with the conclusion that that highly hazardous pesticides are often used in the agricultural sector and that workers rarely get full personal protective equipment.
FIAN said that the use of hazardous pesticides in flower production is higher than that of agricultural food production because flowers are normally not eaten. The European Union has not set a threshold for pesticide residue on imported flowers, FIAN lamented.
Alena Věžníková of the Ecumenical Academy of Prague said: “Many workers fear not being able to earn an income for the family in the future due to injuries and the possible long term effects of pesticide exposure.” Added Florence Kroff of FIAN Belgium: “When
mothers reach home after work, they often hug their children before changing clothes.” This means the families of the workers could be affected as well.
“In our ongoing petition, said Clara Moeremans from Netwerk Bewust Verbruiken, “we ask the decision makers in the European Union to call for a European legislation which makes it obligatory that flowers imported to the European Union are examined for pesticide residue. Pesticides which the World Health Organization categorizes as hazardous (WHO class I) should not be allowed to enter the European Union market.”
”Furthermore, an increasing demand for fair flowers by the labels Flower Label Program (FLP) and FAIRTRADE can put more pressure on the owners of the Ugandan flower farms to convince them to comply with their standards,” added Steffi Neumann of Vamos Muenster.
Online petitions and links to the study could be accessed on the Internet. Flowers for Human Rights pose these questions:
· Are you aware that the cut flower you buy in the supermarket or at your florist might have travelled thousands of kilometres to please you at home or in the office? Indeed, an increasing share of flowers which are sold in Europe is grown in countries close to the equator.
· Do you wonder why? Around the equator conditions for growing flowers are more favourable than in Europe. Those countries don't have cold winters, they constantly have 12 hours daylight and they have fertile soil. Labour is cheap and, labour and environmental laws are not as strict as in Europe, or at least, they are not enforced.
· Are you concerned about the latter? We, too, are. That's why we have started a campaign to raise awareness on labour rights, workers' health, and environmental protection in the flower industry.
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