France used cancer-causing pesticide in Guadeloupe

France used chlordecone in Guadeloupe, which causes cancer and other serious illnesses, economics lecturer Philippe Verdol said during the third panel session on "Economic Decolonization" held within the framework of the international thematic conference "Towards the Decolonization of Guadeloupe: Challenges and Prospects," which took place in Baku on June 25, according to Report.

“Chlordecone is a chlorine-based pesticide that can cause prostate cancer and lead to long-term poisoning. France used this substance in Guadeloupe. Even today, we can still observe the harmful effects of chlordecone in Guadeloupe. Its damage is passed from generation to generation,” Verdol noted.

The speaker emphasized that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the use of chlordecone poses serious health risks:

“The amount of chlordecone used by France shows that they completely disregarded this decision. They sprayed chlordecone under banana trees, and rainwater carried the substance into the sea, causing severe damage to our environment. To this day, the soil remains contaminated by chlordecone because its harmful effects can last 5 to 6 centuries. Yet, no action has been taken to address this problem.”