Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 18 hours ago
Highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) banned in Europe and Switzerland continue to be exported to the Global South, often with fatal consequences. A recent investigation by Public Eye and Unearthed reveal a sharp rise in exports of banned pesticides over the past six years. In 2017, 23 people in Yavatmal, India, died and hundreds were hospitalized with acute poisoning after spraying pesticides. Evidence indicates that at least some of the poisonings were linked to the insecticide Polo, produced by Syngenta, a global agrochemical giant with headquarters in Switzerland.
In 2021, family members of two victims and one survivorfiled a lawsuitin Switzerland against Syngenta, seeking justice and compensation. They have been supported in their efforts by the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India, Public Eye, and ECCHR. This landmark case is the first in Europe brought by plaintiffs from the Global South against an agrochemical company for pesticide poisonings, highlighting international concerns over corporate accountability and the double standards in the pesticide trade.
Learn about the case, its legal implications, and ongoing efforts for an EU export ban on HHPs.
Speakers:
- Laurent Gaberell, Food and Agriculture Expert, Public Eye
- Dileep Kumar, CEO, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India
- Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Chief Adviser, Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons (MAPPP)
- Theresa Mockel, Legal Advisor, Business and Human Rights, ECCHR
Moderation:
- Clara Gonzales, Co-Director, Business and Human Rights, ECCHR
Highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) banned in Europe and Switzerland continue to be exported to the Global South, often with fatal consequences. A recent investigation by Public Eye and Unearthed reveal a sharp rise in exports of banned pesticides over the past six years. In 2017, 23 people in Yavatmal, India, died and hundreds were hospitalized with acute poisoning after spraying pesticides. Evidence indicates that at least some of the poisonings were linked to the insecticide Polo, produced by Syngenta, a global agrochemical giant with headquarters in Switzerland.
In 2021, family members of two victims and one survivorfiled a lawsuitin Switzerland against Syngenta, seeking justice and compensation. They have been supported in their efforts by the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India, Public Eye, and ECCHR. This landmark case is the first in Europe brought by plaintiffs from the Global South against an agrochemical company for pesticide poisonings, highlighting international concerns over corporate accountability and the double standards in the pesticide trade.
Learn about the case, its legal implications, and ongoing efforts for an EU export ban on HHPs.
Speakers:
- Laurent Gaberell, Food and Agriculture Expert, Public Eye
- Dileep Kumar, CEO, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India
- Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Chief Adviser, Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons (MAPPP)
- Theresa Mockel, Legal Advisor, Business and Human Rights, ECCHR
Moderation:
- Clara Gonzales, Co-Director, Business and Human Rights, ECCHR
