22 Nov 2017

Hawaii group battles Swiss company over pesticide use

3:58 pm on 22 November 2017

An advocacy group in Hawaii says it will appeal a court decision not to order an environmental review of a Swiss agribusiness company's use of pesticide.

Vegetables being sprayed with herbicide in a garden (file photo)

Photo: 123RF

Syngenta operates on leased public land, but many locals are concerned about the company's use of restricted chemicals on genetically modified crops.

They said the chemicals are having a detrimental impact on the environment and on the island of Kauai.

The president of the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Gary Hooser, said there was anecdotal evidence the pesticide is harmful.

He said the lack of adequate oversight and indiscriminate application of restricted use pesticides was not okay.

Earlier, a judge ruled in favour of the company and State Board of Land and Natural Resources.

But Mr Hooser wanted a comprehensive environmental review enforceable by law.

"The judge said they're not doing anything new, they are only doing what they have been doing and therefore they shouldn't have to do this environmental review.

"We argued that the law says if there are cumulative long term impacts, or if the action is happening in a very sensitive area then that should be the overriding concern, but the judge did not agree with us on that. So we are appealing."

Gary Hooser from the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action said a number of other multinational agrocompanies have also set up business on the island to test the resilience of GM seeds to chemicals.