Next month in WearOrganic News we will report on the wonderful response we received from fashion schools across Europe during PAN's information tour Organic by Design. We met with 950 of tomorrows' designers, and all promised they will consider using organic cotton in the future. But despite the rise of organic cotton within the fashion world, many farmers in the conventional cotton sector still pay a heavy price to produce the fibre in our clothes: last season, again, at least 20 people died in the region of Benin where our partners work.

Fortunately, PAN's campaigning efforts are starting to pay off, as demonstrated with this month's special report.

1. Special Report: killer pesticide endosulfan finally banned in Benin!

After almost 10 years of environmental damage and a large number of deaths among cotton growing communities, the infamous insecticide endosulfan is finally on its way out from West Africa. On 16th February, the government of Benin, one of the 3 largest cotton producers in the region, announced that the chemical would be banned after the existing stocks are used up.

This decision comes a result of a recommendation from the region's pest management experts who have finally recognised the unacceptable hazards of endosulfan, and paves the way to a probable phase out in most West African cotton producing countries - our sources suggest that Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast are committed to phasing the insecticide out by the end of the 2008/9 growing season.

10 years of poisoning

PAN UK and its partners, especially OBEPAB from Benin, have been campaigning for a ban on endosulfan for many years. Ever since its reintroduction in 1999 in West African cotton growing systems, OBEPAB's field agents have reported an increasing number of pesticide poisoning incidents, leading to many deaths within cotton growing communities (see previous WearOrganic News issue). At the time of its reintroduction, endosulfan, a toxic and persistent organochloride of the same family as the notorious DDT, was know to present a serious health hazard. It was therefore officially scheduled to be used for a maximum of 4 years, until safer alternatives could be explored. Unfortunately, the cotton sector in West Africa completely failed to look for alternatives, and this reckless behaviour led to the current tragic situation.

Building on evidence gathered by PAN partners in 4 West African countries between 2001 and 2004, PAN UK released in 2006 Living with Poison, a devastating report about the level of endosulfan poisoning. This report was widely distributed to the cotton sector throughout Africa early last year, but our recommendations were dismissed by the conventional sector (which is still under strong French influence), who continued to claim that no alternative existed.

Campaigning from PAN members resulted in an investigation from the BBC World Service. Two 20 minute radio programmes were broadcast around the world. This, coupled with a general growing concern about the sustainability of cotton (brought about by the organic cotton movement), as well as the EU's decision to BAN endosulfan in Europe by the end of 2007, have finally forced the West African cotton sector to face its responsibilities.

A cause for Celebration?

The Benin government deserves praise - banning endosulfan will almost certainly reduce the cases of fatal poisonings and serious food contamination. However, it is too early to celebrate. Benin, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast still have over 1.6 million litres of endosulfan in stock, most of which will be distributed to cotton farmers this season. Benin's health ministry documented 20 deaths last season in the northern region of Benin, and PAN's experience suggests that many cases go unreported. There is therefore every reason to believe that many people in cotton growing communities will die of endosulfan poisoning this season. Furthermore, it is not yet clear that all West African countries will adopt a similar ban. And there is a real risk that endosulfan may continue to circulate in the widespread "informal" markets.

The cotton sector plans to replace endosulfan with an alternative insecticide, a new formulation named TIHAN. While less toxic and slightly less persistent than endosulfan, some of its active ingredients are classified as hazardous for their toxicity by the World Health Organisation, are known endocrine disruptors and likely human carcinogens, and are known to kill beneficial insects including bee populations.

The fight for global elimination

Meanwhile around the world, endosulfan continues to be widely used in cotton production, including in India, China and the USA, the world's largest cotton producers. On February 19, more than 13,000 people signed a petition calling on the US Environmental Protection Agency to cancel all uses of endosulfan. The EPA's own studies concluded that even with the best available technology, people applying endosulfan are exposed to unacceptable risks. "It is time for the EPA to take the health of communities seriously and get this dangerous chemical out of the US agriculture", said campaign's coordinator Medha Chandra from PAN North America. Such a move is unlikely to happen in India, a country where cotton farmers continue to use highly hazardous pesticides with completely inadequate protective equipment.

Last October endosulfan was scheduled for consideration by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which could have led to a global elimination. Every year government representatives form all over the world meets in Geneva and every year the industry lobbyists descend in swarms in an effort to sway their decisions. And then of course there is the tiny handful of NGOs like PAN and IPEN trying to protect the health of the planet and its inhabitants. PAN campaigned for the inclusion of endosulfan based on a large body of scientific and social evidence demonstrating its hazards and persistent nature. And in 2007 the European Commission, with whom we met a year ago to discuss the issue along with our friends at the Environmental Justice Foundation, took the positive step of nominating endosulfan for inclusion.

Unfortunately, not all countries agreed. India, along with a few other countries, produced a paper arguing the insecticide did not meet the convention's criteria (Interestingly, India's agrochemical industry is a major producer of endosulfan). So PAN's representatives were aware that there would be a real fight over the issue. And then literally just minutes before the start of the session - the Chair of the Committee announced the discussion would be postponed for a year (a crucial Risk Assessment document could not be released due to a legal challenge). It seemed the fight was over before it had even begun.

But the fight is not over. The process will go ahead next year, and in the meantime PAN will gather more data to support the case for a global ban, building on the momentum created by Benin's ban. In the meantime people will continue to be exposed to this appalling pesticide.

The case for sustainable cotton

The positive step from Benin should not hide the fact that the only way to achieve truly safe and beneficial cotton production is to move towards more sustainable agricultural practices, organic cotton in particular. Organic cotton not only protects the environment but also offers small-scale farmers better livelihoods. The number of West African farming households involved in producing organic cotton more than doubled in the past two years. In Benin, the area under organic cotton grew from 500 hectares in 2005 to an estimated 1,800 hectares in 2008, which proves that more and more cotton farmers are seeing the benefits of organic cotton. These farmers took their fate in their own hands; they recognized the hazards of pesticides years before their government did, and do not really care about which insecticide will now replace endosulfan, as they have chosen another path, and all claim they will never go back.

Organic cotton farmers supported by OBEPAB expect to produce over 700 tons of organic cotton this season in Benin, and are looking for long-term and fair commercial partners. Contact us for more information. PLEASE SUPPORT US! PAN UK and its partners are small independent charities. Our cotton project crucially needs your support to continue campaigning against those who have an interest in selling toxic pesticides to farmers. Your donation could help us pay for an African partner's participation to the Stockholm Convention; train many families in West Africa to grow organic cotton; develop efficient pest management tools for organic cotton farmers; or invite an organic cotton farmer to visit European fashion schools and convince the designers of tomorrow to use organic cotton. Contact us for more information.

 

2. Organic Exchange Europe is Launched

he Organic Exchange, a California-based organisation whose specific goal is to increase the production of organically grown fibres such as cotton, has just established a European office in Amsterdam. The organisation's European programme will focus on expanding, connecting, stimulating and supporting the market for organic and sustainable textiles in Europe. OE is in the process of hiring a program director who will soon be on board.

In 2008, OE will organise training seminars for brands, retailers and suppliers in several European markets. OE will offer a basic training for those new to organic and sustainable textiles as well as a more advanced training for those who already have experience with organic fibres during each session.

The first seminar was held in Amsterdam last month, in collaboration with the MADE-BY, an umbrella label for sustainably produced fashion. The 110 participants were able to learn how to develop their cotton strategy, calculate their cotton footprint, and understand how to build a successful organic cotton programme. This was an opportunity for many brands and retailers to come with their questions, and get them answered by some of the leading industry experts. Many questions concerned the basics of labelling and certifications.

"We had an impressive turn out and are very excited about supporting the brands and retailers in the EU in expanding their organic and sustainable textile programs." Said Kathleen Wood, acting EU programme director.

The next seminar will be in Bremen, Germany, held at the Bremen Cotton Exchange, 8th and 9th April 2008. For more information, visit OE's website.

A seminar is scheduled for the UK in early June. More information will be found in next issue of WearOrganic News.

3. IFOAM International Organic Fibre and Textile Conference

The world organic movement will gather next June in Modena, Italy, for the 16th Organic World Congress, organised by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. For the first time, a thematic pre-conference will be dedicated to organic fibres and textiles. This international conference will be hosted by the historical town of Carpi, considered as the capital of Italian's textile industry, located a few kilometers away from Modena. Carpi is where famous Italian fashion brands choose to have many of their high-end knitwear manufactured.

The conference will give an updated overview of the main environmental and social achievement attributed to the development of the organic textile sector, and take a closer look at the main critical issues that could affect the development of the organic textile market.

Side events will include an Organic Fashion and Contemporary Dance show presented by ATERBALLETTO, and an exhibition entitled "Communities of Organic Fiber", located in the court of the Carpi Castle.
For more information and full programme, visit IFOAM's website.

Register here before 15th April, and receive a 10% discount. A Further 20% discounts is available for IFOAM affiliates, certified organic producers and traders, students, etc… You can register for the whole congress or the textile conference only.

Organised by	In collaboration with
Under the patronage of United Nations Environment Programme, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana With the support of COOP, REMEI AG, VIS Media Partner EcoTextileNews