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with the pesticide. The risk not only extends to mixer/loaders and applicators, but field workers and bystanders as well. In addition, these poisonings occur under the most stringent protective conditions and during use when in accordance with label directions" This is a direct quote by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pesticides continue to be used on large coffee plantations and its residual effects are continuing to cause severe environmental damage.

These banned pesticides cause central nervous system diseases, cancer, liver disease and sterility.
The rivers and streams are contaminated with pesticide residue along with 54% of the coffee pulp which, is considered waste and dumped into the streams and rivers.
Habitat destruction due to deforestation to grow coffee is wreaking havoc on the song bird population, as well as the butterflies.
Soil degradation due to the lack of crop rotations and pesticide residue is creating a need for more fertilizers; which in turn leach into the ground water causing further environmental damage.

We must prohibit the sale of these chemicals to other countries, especially if we import foods from these regions. If the chemical is banned for use by our own E.P.A than we should not allow others to be exposed to it. It is not the wealthy plantation owners who apply these chemicals, it is the poorly paid laborer and his family who become sick and die.
We are also being exposed to these chemicals when we drink the coffee grown in those fields, and here is one more food for thought(so to speak); our own F.D.A. does not inspect our home grown food for banned or illegal pesticides!

When you by "free trade" coffee, that does not necessarily mean no pesticides were used; only that less pesticides are used and, hopefully not the banned ones.
The claim of "organic" coffee beans means that no pesticides or herbicides were used in the cultivation of this coffee. Hopefully we are getting what we pay for and we can trust that the claim "organic" is just that.

The multinational companies are in it for the money, we the people and the environment our paying the price.

Learn more about this author, Sandra Lynn.
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