MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian House passes bill to speed up use of controversial agrochemicals

Environmentalists have dubbed the new bill “The Poison Package”.

Brazil's Lower House passed a bill late Wednesday whereby requirements for the certification of chemicals used in agriculture would be eased. The measure was supported by the agribusiness sector and criticized by environmentalists.

As per the new bill, certificates currently issued by the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) and the Ministry of the Environment would be eliminated.

According to the project's rapporteur, Deputy Luiz Nishimori (PL-PR), the approval of any new active ingredient in pesticides takes three to eight years. The new norm will bring on “greater productivity, affordable food and, above all, will offer more food security for our country”, Nishimori said. The bill was endorsed by 301 votes while 150 lawmakers stood against it.

The new rule would authorize the temporary use of products with low or “tolerable” risk of causing cancer, which are currently banned by Anvisa.

The Brazilian Association of Soybean Producers and other entities linked to agribusiness highlighted that PL 299/2002 will contribute to “modernizing” a sector with an increasing weight in the country's exports.

On the other hand, the environmental NGO Greenpeace claimed the initiative jeopardized “the health of the Brazilian people.” Greenpeace's Marina Lacorte said the passing of the bill was scandalous and spoke of ”more poison from the House of Deputies straight to your table.

PL 299/2002 was put up for voting in a rush at the request of House Speaker Arthur Lira of the Progressive Party (PP, right) and Congressman Ricardo Barros (PP) brokered the support the project needed.

The Brazilian government has authorized some 1,500 pesticides since 2019 and is now promoting a project that will allow “substances that cause cancer, genetic mutations and all kinds of health damage to be introduced into food,” said opposition Deputy Alessandro Molon, of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB).

The bill now goes up to the Senate, which is expected to pass it without changing an iota of its current wording, according to Brazilian Parliamentarian specialists.

Environmentalists have dubbed the new bill “The Poison Package”.