A pesticide called chlordécone was used extensively on banana plantations in Guadeloupe and Martinique between 1972 and 1993 to control a small beetle. This chemical belongs to a group known as organochlorines, which are notorious for their stability and resistance to breaking down in the environment. Studies have shown that chlordécone can remain in volcanic soils for up to six centuries. Today, more than 90% of the adult population in these regions have detectable traces of this endocrine disruptor in their blood. Research has linked chlordécone to an increased risk of prostate cancer and negative effects on fertility and development. Despite a legal ruling in June 2026 that cleared the state of liability, a law has been passed recognizing the government's responsibility and allocating 130 million euros for the Chlordécone Strategy until 2030. However, only 186 individuals have been compensated so far. The pesticide was banned in the United States in 1976 and in mainland France in 1990, but it continued to be used in the Antilles until 1993. Scientists estimate that it could take decades, or even up to six centuries, for chlordécone to fully disappear from the environment. The contamination has spread beyond the soil, reaching rivers, fish, and crustaceans, and ultimately affecting the food chain and human health. The issue is compounded by the fact that warnings about the dangers of chlordécone were issued much earlier than the spraying stopped. As early as 1975, a study by INRA, a French agricultural research organization, found extremely high levels of contamination in local wildlife, particularly in birds and black rats. These findings should have prompted an immediate ban, but it took nearly two decades before the spraying was finally halted. The pollution has affected nearly a fifth of the agricultural land in Guadeloupe and two fifths in Martinique. Some areas where bananas were once grown have shown extremely high levels of chlordécone, with concentrations as high as 36 milligrams per kilogram of dry soil in Guadeloupe. The financial response to the crisis has been criticized as inadequate. The 130 million euros allocated for the Chlordécone Strategy until 2030 includes 40% for research on the chemical's health and environmental effects. However, the amount appears small when considering the long-term impact of the contamination. Only a dozen individuals have been officially recognized as victims by the Paris court of administrative appeal, due to a lack of clear evidence linking their health issues to chlordécone exposure. Twenty years after the first complaints were filed, only 186 people have been compensated. This situation highlights the challenge of addressing a pollution problem that will persist for generations, far beyond the lifetimes of those currently living in the region. Chlordécone is not just a relic of the past; it remains embedded in the soil, water, and blood of the Antillean people, raising questions about whether future efforts will be sufficient to address the scale of this enduring environmental and health crisis.