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Citizens' action kicks out pesticide factory in Mexico
Following an intensive media campaign and community protests, the municipal authorities of Juchitepec de Mariano Rivapalacio in Mexico State agreed in January 2005 to the closure of the Artivi pesticide formulation plant. The factory formulates products for major multinational pesticide companies including Syngenta and Bayer. Active ingredients formulated there include lindane, pentachloronitrobenzene, carbofuran and chlorothalonil. The Artivi plant was originally set up in 1994 in the small town of Juchitepec as a food processing factory and later converted to pesticide formulation operations, without any form of governmental permit. The local population, mainly farmers, initially welcomed Artivi as a source of jobs until negative impacts on their health started to become apparent. Toxic materials discharged by the factory were associated with symptoms including burning sensation in eyes, throat and skin, headaches and dizziness. On certain occasions when factory production output increased, neighbouring residents suffered nausea, vomiting, anxiety attacks, trembling and general ill health.
Local residents requested to know which products were being formulated but this information was denied to them both by Artivi and the authorities. They then asked Greenpeace and the Mexican Pesticide Action Network for help, who contacted a medical researcher from the National Autonomous University. This collaboration resulted in a community mobilization and education project on (a) studying acute and chronic effects which could result from exposure to the pesticides produced at the plant, (b) training a small group of residents as community activists, and (c) gaining access to relevant data from the factory and at district and federal levels. The health study generated widely varying data but concluded there was an increase in cancer incidence since the arrival of the factory, and also congenital malformations, as well as acute poisonings. Examination of official documents highlighted alarming contradictions and irregularities between different public agencies and unconditional support for the factory, leading to suspicion of corrupt practices. The factory operated for more than eight years without any formal registration and discharged waste into the municipal drainage network, waste dump and clandestinely burnt hazardous waste. Public awareness-raising culminated in a mass petition and press conferences at national and international level and gave the Juchitepec residents the confidence to demand the closure of the factory. In January 2005 the municipal authorities, Artivi and civil society representatives signed an agreement for a total closure of pesticide formulation operations, to be implemented within six months. While operations have been cut back, by August 2005 the factory had yet to close entirely and the population continues to press for full implementation of the agreement. The Juchitepec case illustrates the effectiveness of informing and mobilising citizens in defence of a living environment free from toxic hazards. PAN Latin America website news, Mexico; Citizen action succeeds in agreement for closure of pesticide formulation plant, 01-08-05 (in Spanish) |
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