The lily grower himself stated that the products are safe because they have been tested and approved for the Dutch market by the Board for the Authorization of Plant Protection Products. Moreover, he would only use the field for lily cultivation once every ten years, for five to six months.
The court states that testing and approving the products does not mean that the pesticides are actually safe. For example, no testing has been done for possible long-term neurological consequences and possible developmental disorders in children.
Risk of damage to health
The court also points to reports from the Health Council and the RIVM, which show that there is a link between the use of pesticides and diseases that mainly affect the neurons in the human brain. This includes, for example, Parkinson’s disease. The same association was found in prenatal developmental disorders in children.
The court acknowledges that it is not yet known which products and in what quantities cause that connection, but seven of the products that the grower wanted to spray cause a real risk of serious neurological health damage. This is the conclusion of emeritus professor of toxicology Martin van den Berg.
The local residents, including 25 children, live close to the lily grower’s field. Due to the proximity of local residents and the large amount of pesticides that would be sprayed in five to six months, the judge finds the risk of health damage so great that it outweighs the commercial interests of the grower.
Similar case
A similar case occurred a year ago in Drenthe with a lily grower. Even then, the judge ruled that the farmer in question could no longer use the resources.
Tags: Ban pesticides lily growers Limburg real risk damage health
