Aventis takes UK government to court on pesticide
Date: 10-Sep-01
Country: UK
In a test case that reflects industry concerns, Aventis CropScience has asked the High Court to review proposals by Britain's pesticides regulator to give an environmental group information about the pesticide, glufosinate ammonium, saying it was commercially sensitive.
The green group, Friends of the Earth, has said it wanted information on the environmental and health effects of the pesticide amid concerns that it may leach into water supplies if sprayed during the winter.
A spokesman for Aventis CropScience said the company was only concerned about stopping competitors obtaining the data.
"The reason why Aventis and the whole of the crop protection industry were very worried about this was because the information the Pesticides Safety Directorate was willing to give out was very commercially sensitive," he told Reuters.
"What we have asked is what information can the Pesticides Safety Directorate release to a third party and in what form would that take..It's not about the particular herbicide, nor is it about GM crops and it's not aimed at Friends of the Earth."
Green groups have criticised biotech companies for supporting Britain's efforts to grow genetically modified crops, saying grains spliced with foreign genes to help them resist drought or pests could change the face of the countryside.
Some groups have destroyed or damaged the crops, while public opinion has turned against GM foods amid fears of another crisis, such as mad cow disease.
Friends of the Earth said it wanted to make sure the pesticide was safe.
"People have a right to know if the pesticides being sprayed on GM crops are safe," Peter Roderick, the group's legal adviser, said in a statement.
