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In the worst moment of Coronavirus Pandemic in Brazil, the Ruralist Bench in the National Congress takes the opportunity to approve the PL 6299/02.

Known as Poison’s Bill, the purpose is to loosen the approval of new pesticides, change the rating criteria, ban the term “pesticide” and find gaps to liberate products that are now prohibited by legislation.

Proposed by the parliamentary front formed by agribusiness entrepreneurs, the Bill directly impacts the lives of the population, but has been built unilaterally, without any dialogue with the society. The main arguments in favor of the Bill have already been hit by many specialists. Anvisa, Human Rights Comission, Abrasco, Fiocruz and many others Brazilians entities have already positioned themselves against the project’s approval.

What does Bill 6299/02 have to do with Fashion?

Brazil is the biggest buyer of pesticides in the world. Cotton is the fourth largest culture consuming pesticides, being responsible for around 10% of the total amount of pesticides used in the country. One of the most used pesticide is glifosato, that can cause many health problems such as spontaneous abortion and cancer. Brazil is also the number one BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) producer and all the certificated “sustainable cotton” comes from monocultures snagged by pesticides, grown in rotation with soybeans. 

Brazil is also a big exporter of soluble cellulose, viscose’s raw material. Cotton and eucalyptus cultures use from 7 to 10 of the main used pesticides in the country, respectively. Among them, there's Acephate, in fourth position, with high carcinogenic potential, and Imidacloprid, in the seventh position, considered one of the most dangerous for bees, important pollinators, generating great concern from an economic, social and environmental point of view.

But pesticides do not impact only local communities. The cumulative exposure to pesticides must be considered due to some compounds may remain present in organisms, in water and in soil for many years.

Alert for Fashion! What can happen if the Poison’s Bill is approved:

1. Misguide the consumer: when removing the danger signs from the packaging, changing the name of the products for “phytotherapic products” instead of “pesticides”, it shows the intention of present pesticides as beneficial products, and non-toxic.
2. Real risk to workers’ health: in 2018, a study conducted with women exposed to glifosato in Uruçui, a city in the northeast of Brazil, a soybean, corn and cotton area production, estimated that one out of four pregnant women in town had spontaneous abortion and that 83% of women had their breast milk contaminated.
3. Threats to Brazilian cotton exportation: EU and USA are moving to reduce pesticides usage, some of the prohibited in those countries are best sellers in Brazil.
   In the short term, the change might affect the exportation business of Brazilian commodities, as outlined by University of São Paulo (USP) researcher, Larissa Bombardi, during the Debate Cycle on Pesticides, at the São Paulo Legislative Assembly, in May 5, 2020, the approval of the Bill 62992/02 is a “shoot oneself in the foot” business strategy.

Supported by irrefutable sources and data, we position ourselves against the Bill 6299/02 and in favor of a Poison-Free Fashion. We are designers, entrepreneurs, teachers, activists, scientists, creators, researchers, sewers, consumers, journalists, communicators, stylists, etc. We are people in favor of Science and Technology as tools to promote life on Earth. 

Petitions demonstrate the concern of society and are used to pressure Congressmen to vote against the approval of the Bill. The organizers of this petition will deliver the signatures formally to the Environmental Parliamentary Front. Please sign and share it and join us in the fight of many organizations and citizens against the Poison’s Bill.

For references and more infomations, please access the links below

• report FASHION THREADS: Systemic Perspectives for Circularity (EN);
• dossier Impactos dos Agrotóxicos na Saúde(PT);
• publication Geografia do Uso de Agrotóxicos no Brasil e Conexões com a União Européia (PT);
• report Bancada Ruralista retoma PL do Veneno(PT);
• report Um Aborto a Cada 4 Grávidas (PT); interview Glifosato: um provável carcinógeno aprovado no Brasil (PT).

Articulated by: Modefica, Fashion Revolution, Rio Ethical Fashion

Organizations that support the Petition

• Regenerate Fashion
• Voice176
• Design Ativista
• Mídia Ninja
• Brasil Eco Fashion Week
• Marcha das Margaridas
• Banco de Tecido
• Flavia Aranha
• CNTRV CUT
• Textile Exchange
• Think Blue
• Puxadinho
• Comas
• ReRoupa
• Cooperativa Justa Trama
• Georgia Halal
• Joaquina Brasil
• Jorge Feitosa

Name of the parlamentarians to be pressed:

• Arthur Lira (PP/AL), líder na Câmara e membro da FPA; (dep.arthurlira@camara.leg.br);
• Deputado Federal Sérgio Souza, presidente da Frente Parlamentar Agropecuária (FPA) (eleito em 3/02/2021); (dep.sergiosouza@camara.leg.br);
• 280 membros da FPA;
• Ministra da Agricultura Tereza Cristina (mais de mil agrotóxicos aprovados na gestão - recorde); (agenda.gm@agricultura.gov.br); 
• Dep. Luiz Nishimori (PR-PR) (favorável) - (dep.luiznishimori@camara.leg.br); 
• Luis Carlos Heinze (PP-RS): (sen.luiscarlosheinze@senado.leg.br);
• Alceu Moreira (MDB-RS): (dep.alceumoreira@camara.leg.br);
• Celso Maldaner (MDB-SC): (dep.celsomaldaner@camara.leg.br); 
• Zé Silva (SD-MG): (dep.zesilva@camara.leg.br);