A coalition of 25 health, farming, trade, human rights and environmental organisations from around the world, including Parkinson’s UK, The Wildlife Trust, the Central American Institute of Research on Toxic Substances (IRET), Trade Justice Movement and the Landworkers’ Alliance have signed an open letter calling on Sainsbury’s to ban paraquat.
The letter, sent to Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts today, will also be handed out to shareholders at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) later this morning. It reflects growing concern that, despite being banned in over 70 countries around the world, including in the UK and Europe, paraquat is still used in Sainsbury’s global supply chains. This toxic herbicide is responsible for poisoning thousands of farmworkers around the world and long-term exposure has been linked to chronic health conditions, including Parkinson’s.
Caroline Rassell, Chief Executive Officer of Parkinson’s UK, said: “Paraquat has long been banned for use in the UK and we support the call to ban it from UK supermarkets supply chains. Whilst we don’t know the exact causes of Parkinson’s, we do know that environmental factors including exposure to high levels of pesticides could play a role. Anything we can do to reduce risk and potentially slow the rise of the condition, can only be a positive step.”
In addition to the letter, thousands of supporters have taken action online with many posting comments on social media channels, catching the attention of the Grocer, a magazine dedicated to the food industry.
As one of the UK’s largest supermarkets, Sainsbury’s has significant influence over how food is produced and its policies can drive change both nationally and overseas.
Dr Keith Tyrell, Head of Global Strategy at the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention, said: “Paraquat is a highly toxic chemical responsible for poisoning farmworkers, local communities and the environment. It poisons thousands each year, with around 70% of acute exposures resulting in death. Repeated low-level exposure can lead to serious health problems such as Parkinson’s disease, kidney and liver damage.
“Experience from countries that have banned this chemical shows it can be removed without reducing agricultural productivity. UK supermarkets need to take responsibility for the impacts of their supply chains and support farmers to switch away from this deadly chemical. In doing so, they will be making a real difference in saving lives and protecting people’s health worldwide.”
If you would like to help us put pressure on Sainsbury’s to take action you can:
- Share this post on social media, tag @Sainsburys and use the hashtag #SainsburysBanParaquat
- Find us on social media @pesticideactionnetworkuk, share our posts, comment and tag @Sainsburys
- Or print out our poster, take a photo of yourself and share to social media, tagging @Sainsburys and using the hashtag #SainsburysBanParaquat.
