A/HRC/34/48 packaged so that it was mistaken for powdered milk. Other cases include the deaths of 23 children in India in 2013 after consuming a meal contaminated with the highly hazardous pesticide monocrotophos; the poisoning of 39 preschool children in China in 2014 from consumption of food containing residues of the pesticide TETs; and the deaths of 11 children in Bangladesh in 2015 after eating fruits laced with pesticides.10 11. Unfortunately, there are no reliable, global statistics on the number of people who suffer from pesticide exposure. Recently, the non-profit organization Pesticide Action Network estimated that the number of people affected annually by short- and long-term pesticide exposure ranged between 1 million and 41 million. 11 12. Of grave concern are the impacts of chronic exposure to hazardous pesticides. Pesticide exposure has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, hormone disruption, developmental disorders and sterility. They can also cause numerous neurological health effects such as memory loss, loss of coordination, reduced visual ability and reduced motor skills. Other possible effects include asthma, allergies and hypersensitivity. These symptoms are often very subtle and may not be recognized by the medical community as a clinical effect caused by pesticides.12 Furthermore, chronic effects of pesticides may not manifest for months or years after exposure, presenting a significant challenge for accountability and access to an effective remedy, including preventive interventions. 13. Despite grave human health risks having been well established for numerous pesticides, they remain in use. Even where pesticides have been banned or restricted, the risk of contamination can persist for many decades and they may continue to accumulate in food sources. In many cases, possible health impacts have not been extensively studied before pesticides are placed on the market. This is particularly true for “inactive” ingredients that are added to enhance the effectiveness of the pesticide’s active ingredient and that may not be tested and are seldom disclosed on product labels. 13 Moreover, the combination effects of exposure to multiple pesticides in food, water, soil and air have not been adequately studied.14 14. Certain groups are at substantially higher risk of pesticide exposure, as detailed below. Farmers and agricultural workers 15. Agricultural workers are routinely exposed to toxic pesticides via spray, drift or direct contact with treated crops or soil, from accidental spills or inadequate personal protective equipment. Even when following recommended safety precautions, those applying pesticides are subject to higher exposure levels. Families of agricultural workers are also vulnerable, as workers bring home pesticide residues on their skin, clothing and shoes. 10 11 12 13 14 Pesticide Action Network, response to the questionnaire on pesticides and the right to food, pp. 3-4. The questionnaire and the responses are available from www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Environment/ ToxicWastes/Pages/Pesticidesrighttofood.aspx. Pesticide Action Network, Communities in Peril: Global Report on Health Impacts of Pesticide Use in Agriculture (2010). Köhler, “Wildlife ecotoxicology of pesticides”; Eyhorn, Reducing Pesticide Use. See http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Effects+of+Pesticides+on+Human+Health. Eyhorn, Reducing Pesticide Use, p. 4. 5