Chemical giants allegedly concealed pesticide research Travailsuisse launches blacklist against wage discrimination

Before a pesticide is approved, the industry must be able to demonstrate that the pesticide in question is compatible with humans, animals and the environment. This is also the case with the pesticide abamectin. This is mainly used by farmers to control pests on fruit and vegetables. However, abamectin is not a harmless pesticide. There are strict rules for users and manufacturers to ensure that no one is harmed by the product.

And especially the latter did not happen, discovered SRF and an international research team. The pharmaceutical companies Bayer and Syngenta are said to have withheld DNT studies, which have shown a toxic effect in the body. DNT stands for specific studies performed on animals to determine whether a pesticide is harmful to fetuses or children.

Swedish chemist Axel Mie discovered something was wrong with the DNT studies. He compared pesticide registration dossiers in the US and Europe and found: A quarter of all DNT investigations have not been submitted in the EU – and therefore not in Switzerland. The studies were conducted in the early 2000s.

These unsubmitted studies conclude that certain pesticides (including abamectin) caused changes in locomotion and brain size in laboratory rats. Abamectin also delayed the development of the genitals.

However, Bayer and Syngenta are not the only chemical companies that have not submitted the studies. The Japanese company IKS and the Nissan Chemical Corporation have also been affected.

For other pesticides, therefore, the new authorization for the EU is currently being considered – for example glyphosate.

Syngenta denies

Syngenta said in a statement:

The DNT studies were prepared to comply with US law and were handed over “in response to later EU requirements”.

From a legal point of view, however, this argument is not permissible according to SRF. After all, any research that provides new insights must also be submitted after approval.

At SRF’s request, Bayer wrote, “We always submitted the necessary studies required by regulations at the time.” The DNT studies mentioned would not have changed the risk assessment either.

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