Research by Public Eye reveals that the most dangerous pesticides, known as “highly hazardous”, are used heavily in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite being – for the most part – banned in Switzerland and the EU.

Public Eye’s in-depth probe into the opaque world of highly hazardous pesticides also reveals that the Swiss agrochemical giant, Syngenta, is one of the main responsible for the flood of such products into LMICs. This conclusion is based on our analysis of exclusive industry data, which lifts the lid on a ticking time bomb that dramatically endangers human health and the environment.

Our investigation in Brazil, the world’s largest user of pesticides, shows that millions of people are exposed to pesticides that present significant hazards to human health – including through exposure to drinking water. Scientists fear this could trigger an epidemic of chronic diseases. The time has come to put an end to this dirty business...