Communities in the Costa Rican province of El Limon are protesting against aerial application of fungicides by Standard Fruit Company on its banana plantations, carried out since 1993 without proper controls or compliance with regulations. Smallholder farmers and farmworkers in the neighbourhood of the plantations complain of serious chronic dermatitis, respiratory problems and allergies as a result of regular spraying. In some cases, the plantations are as close as four metres from houses, roads and watercourses. The fungicides most commonly sprayed are mancozeb and chlorothalonil, both probable carcinogens. Farming communities have raised concerns that the spraying is contaminating their crops and water sources and that cattle eating contaminated pasture have experienced loss of hair and more frequent abortion. In the latest incident on 27 August 2004, farmers in Waldeck village denounced the spraying operations of Gmelina company, cultivating 719 ha of banana. The aerial application covered their crops, badly affecting fruit trees, rice, cassava and pasture.
The Inspector for the Ministry of Environment’s Natural Resources Vigilance Committee (COVIRENA) in Limon, has submitted a formal complaint to the government ombudsman, in support of affected communities. COVIRENA has complained specifically that AFCA crop spraying company operating in Carrandi plantation violated government regulations, which stipulate that a buffer zone should be left around houses, roads and water sources of 100-200m, according to pesticide toxicity class, droplet size, flight altitude and wind speed.
Pressure from the banana companies, however, seems to be driving the government’s response. The Civil Aviation Board has refused to suspend or cancel AFCA’s license and in December 2003, the government issued a new decree, reducing the minimum protection distance to 30-40m.
In August 2004, PAN Latin America (RAPAL) accused the Costa Rican government of legalising the fumigation of humans, and appealed to the Costa Rican President, Supreme Court, and Parliament for an immediate stop to all aerial application around houses and water sources. They demand an extension of the no-spray distance to 500m and medical care and compensation from Standard Fruit for those suffering health or environmental damage. PAN also calls for proper implementation of international fair trade practices to reassure banana consumers that fruit is not produced under conditions which harm the health of workers or exposed communities or damages the environment. (SW)
Protestas por fumigaciones aéreas en zona bananera and Costa Rica legaliza fumigación de seres humanos, Enlace, RAPAL, Chile, 2004, 66:4-9.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 67, March 2005, page 11]