Carbendazim fungicide ban dropped: Why system bent to the agrochemical lobby?
This is nothing short of a cruel joke being played with the health of 1.4 billion Indians and the future of unborn children—and it is
This is nothing short of a cruel joke being played with the health of 1.4 billion Indians and the future of unborn children—and it is happening with the approval of Indian law. A chemical that 29 developed nations have declared a threat to human health after rigorous scientific evaluation and subsequently banned continues to be sold openly across Indian markets. That chemical is carbendazim. Read Full Story Its hazardous nature is acknowledged even in official government documents. Yet when the profits of agrochemical companies are at stake, the entire regulatory system appears to bend under pressure. The story dates back to the 1960s, when laboratories of the American chemical giant DuPont developed a breakthrough fungicide. Around 1973–74, carbendazim entered the commercial market and was hailed as an effective solution for protecting crops against fungal diseases. Carbendazim is a systemic fungicide, meaning that once sprayed on a plant, it is absorbed throughout its tissues. It works by preventing fungal cell division, effectively stopping the spread of fungal infections in crops. BANNED ACROSS THE DEVELOPED WORLD However, as scientific scrutiny increased, concerns over its safety also grew. During the 1980s and 1990s, European environmental organizations accused companies such as DuPont of suppressing toxicology data highlighting the chemical's health risks. Independent researchers concluded that once carbendazim enters the human body through food, it can cause long-term health damage. As a result, all 27 European Union member states, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia imposed strict restrictions or bans on its agricultural use.
In August 2022, Brazil—one of the world's largest agricultural producers—also chose to prioritize public health by imposing a complete ban on carbendazim. France has gone a step further, announcing that from January 2026 it will prohibit imports of food products containing even trace residues of carbendazim. India, however, tells a different story. The fungicide remains legal, widely available and continues to be sprayed on crops across the country. Most farmers remain unaware of the potential health risks associated with its use. DOCUMENTED HEALTH RISKS Health and environmental regulators around the world have repeatedly raised concerns about carbendazim. According to Australia's Department of Health, carbendazim induces oxidative stress in the human body, damaging liver cells and increasing creatinine levels, which can impair kidney function. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified carbendazim as a potential human carcinogen. Consequently, its use on food crops has been prohibited in the United States. Scientific studies have also found that carbendazim can severely damage male sperm. Under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), it is classified as a Category 1B mutagen and is considered teratogenic, meaning it can interfere with fetal development during pregnancy and cause congenital birth defects. BANNED FOR FOOD, ALLOWED FOR GRASS SPRAY Perhaps the most striking contradiction comes from the United States. While carbendazim is completely banned on food crops—including fruits, vegetables and grains—the law still permits its extremely limited use for certain non-food applications. It may still be used on golf course turf, selected ornamental plants and for wood preservation.
The BriefWire