France ordered to pay compensation

France has been ordered to pay compensation to a former agricultural worker who developed prostate cancer linked to exposure to the pesticide chlordécone, which was used in banana plantations in Guadeloupe. The administrative court of Guadeloupe ruled on October 27 that the French government must pay 28,500 euros to the worker as part of the judgment.

Worker’s illness linked to pesticide exposure

The court acknowledged a direct link between the man's prostate cancer diagnosis and his prolonged exposure to chlordécone. He worked in the agricultural sector from 1955 to 1992, including in banana plantations in Petit-Bourg between 1973 and 1992. His cancer was diagnosed in 2010 and officially recognized as an occupational disease in 2023.

Court finds two faults by the State

The court identified two faults on the part of the French government: authorizing the sale of a product containing chlordécone in 1972 when its toxicity and environmental persistence were already known, and delaying efforts to detect the pesticide in the environment and protect the population. The first traces of chlordécone were found in the waters and sediments of the Grand Carbet estuary in 1993, but the most contaminated drinking water sources were not closed until December 2000.

Compensation awarded for suffering and daily life

The former worker had initially claimed nearly 1.12 million euros for the consequences of his illness. The court awarded him 28,500 euros, with 17,000 euros allocated to the impact on his daily life and 10,000 euros for his physical and mental suffering. In addition, the French government will pay 1,500 euros for court costs.