Guadeloupe and Martinique have some of the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world, and chlordecone has been widely used on plantations for more than 20 years.
Tiburts Cleon began working as a teenager on Guadeloupe’s vast banana plantations. For five decades, he toiled in the fields, spending long hours in the Caribbean sun. Then, a few months after retiring in 2021, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a disease that affected many of his colleagues.
Kleon’s treatment and surgery were very successful, and he considers himself lucky to have recovered. However, the lifelong consequences of a prostatectomy, such as urinary incontinence, infertility and erectile dysfunction, can be life-changing. As a result, many of Kleon’s colleagues feel ashamed and reluctant to speak publicly about their difficulties. “Life changed when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” he said. “Some people lose the will to live.”
Emotions among workers were high. Whenever the subject of chlordecone comes up, there is a lot of anger directed at those in power – the government, the pesticide manufacturers and the banana industry.
Jean-Marie Nomertain worked on Guadeloupe’s banana plantations until 2001. Today, he is secretary general of the island’s General Confederation of Labour, which represents plantation workers. He blames the crisis on the French government and banana producers. “It was a deliberate poisoning by the state, and they were fully aware of the consequences,” he said.
Records show that as early as 1968, an application for permission to use Chlordecone was denied because studies showed it was toxic to animals and a risk of environmental contamination. After much administrative discussion and several other inquiries, the department finally reversed its decision and approved the use of Chlordecone in 1972. Chlordecone was then used for twenty years.
In 2021, the French government added prostate cancer to the list of occupational diseases linked to pesticide exposure, a small victory for workers. The government set up a fund to compensate victims, and by the end of last year, 168 claims had been approved.
For some, it is too little, too late. Yvon Serenus, president of the Martinique Union of Agricultural Workers Poisoned by Pesticides, travels through Martinique specifically to visit sick plantation workers. An hour’s drive from the capital Fort-de-France to Sainte-Marie, endless banana plantations stretch to the horizon—a stark reminder that the banana industry still affects the land and its people.
The worker Silen encountered this time was a recent retiree. He was only 65 years old and breathing with the help of a ventilator. As they began to converse in Creole and fill out forms, he quickly decided it was too much effort. He pointed to a handwritten note on the table. It listed at least 10 ailments, including a “prostate problem” he had been diagnosed with.
Many of the workers he met suffered from a variety of illnesses, not just prostate cancer. While there is research on other effects of chlordecone, such as hormonal and heart problems, it is still too limited to warrant expanded compensation. It is another sore point for workers, especially women, who are left with nothing.
The impact of chlordecone extends far beyond plantation workers. The chemical also contaminates local residents through food. In 2014, it was estimated that 90% of residents had chlordecone in their blood.
To reduce exposure, people should avoid eating contaminated food grown or caught in contaminated areas. This problem will require long-term lifestyle changes, and there is no end in sight, as chlordecone can contaminate soil for up to 600 years.
In Guadeloupe and Martinique, living off the land is not just a habit, but one with deep historical roots. Creole gardens have a long history on the islands, providing many families with food and medicinal plants. They are a testament to the self-sufficiency that began with the island’s indigenous people and was shaped by generations of slaves.
Post time: Apr-01-2025