ICI: poisoning for profit (Green Left). PFAS chemical chlorfluazuron.

Wednesday, July 2, 1997

SYDNEY — In an all-too-rare finding of blame, the giant chemical company ICI is facing a pay-out of hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation to graziers and meat processors. ICI distributed the insecticide Helix, which was used on cotton crops of northern NSW and southern Queensland. Cotton waste fed to cattle during the 1990s drought led to their contamination.

Helix, or CFZ (chlorfluazuron), was voluntarily banned from use in the cotton industry in 1995.

On June 24, Justice Wilcox of the Federal Court found that ICI had failed in its duty of care to inform people of the insecticide in the cotton fodder. In 1994, 60,000 tonnes of meat was recalled and more than 4700 cattle were put into quarantine.

Around 2500 processors and producers were affected, with losses ranging from $20,000 to $26 million. Some claimants have died and others gone broke over the two years it took to sue ICI.

The court found that ICI had demonstrated “wilful blindness” in failing to carry out appropriate research on the fodder or appropriate field research into Helix.

Justice Wilcox stated, “A contributing factor to the failures was that, in its haste for profits, the private organisation cut research corners and inexcusably suppressed information that might have alerted the dozing public watchdog”.

Wilcox failed to mention government cutbacks and privatisation of quarantine and food inspection services.

Similar legal actions are under way against other pesticide companies over the use of the pesticide Endosulphan on lucerne, vegetables and cereals.