{"id":2861,"date":"2017-12-15T04:15:31","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T03:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danwatch.dk\/they-live-and-die-by-bananas-2\/"},"modified":"2024-07-23T12:01:27","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T12:01:27","slug":"they-live-and-die-by-bananas-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danwatch.dk\/en\/they-live-and-die-by-bananas-2\/","title":{"rendered":"They live and die by bananas"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

A Danwatch investigation<\/h6>\n

 <\/p>\n

They live and die by bananas<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A Danwatch investigation<\/h6>\n

 <\/p>\n

They live and die by bananas<\/h1>\n

The village of San Pedro de la \u201cY\u201d is surrounded by banana plantations. Most of its residents work in the banana industry. The bananas are both their livelihood and their curse, because everyone that makes their living on the plantations risks becoming ill as a result. Some even die.
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\n15. december 2017 <\/a>
\n\"\"
\nRebeca Calabria<\/p>\n

Journalist<\/p>\n

Editing: Amalie Linde \/ Photo: Esteban Barrera (Danwatch) & Jesper Nymark (Danwatch)<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nRebeca Calabria<\/p>\n

Journalist<\/p>\n

Editing: Amalie Linde \/ Photo: Esteban Barrera (Danwatch) & Jesper Nymark (Danwatch)<\/p>\n

In cooperation with Dagbladet (Norway)
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\n
\n15. december 2017 <\/a>
\nThe village of San Pedro de la \u201cY\u201d is surrounded by banana plantations. Most of its residents work in the banana industry. The bananas are both their livelihood and their curse, because everyone that makes their living on the plantations risks becoming ill as a result. Some even die.<\/p>\n

San Pedro de la \u201cY\u201d, like any other typical Ecuadorian village along the coast, is surrounded by banana plantations. The sound of the crop dusters spraying the fields with pesticides is routine here.<\/p>\n

So are serious illnesses. San Pedro de la \u201cY\u201d is in one of Ecuador\u2019s three banana-growing provinces, Los Rios, where most of the country\u2019s bananas come from. \u00a0There is a markedly higher share of cancers and mortality among pilots here, and more infants born with birth defects than in any other province.<\/p>\n

Experts agree that there is a connection between these serious conditions and the planes that spray toxic pesticides over the banana fields.<\/p>\n

Toxic pesticides<\/h2>\n

Several studies document a health risk by living close to and working with pesticides in Ecuador’s banana production<\/p>\n

Increased risk of cancer<\/h2>\n

%<\/p>\n

So big is the cancer risk in the banana producing provinces against a 2.4 percent risk in general in Ecuador.<\/p>\n

Source:\u00a0Defensor\u00eda del Pueblo, 2007<\/a>\u00a0and environmental organization\u00a0Acci\u00f3n Ecol\u00f3gica, 2007<\/a><\/h5>\n

Children born with defects<\/h2>\n

%<\/p>\n

of children born in the banana-producing provinces are born with malformations. At a national level the figure is 0.22%<\/p>\n

Children born with mental handicaps<\/h2>\n

%<\/p>\n

of the children in the El Oro province are born with a mental disability due to genetic damage. The national level is 0.19%.<\/p>\n

It is very difficult to be 100% certain that a specific illness or injury can be blamed on pesticides, but these types of genetic problems are typical consequences of these chemicals. And the significantly higher rates of illness are very striking in these regions.<\/p>\n