New platform for pesticide victims: "A way to pool everyone’s efforts"underlines Corinne Lepage

“This platform [d’action collective des riverains victimes de pesticides] is a way of pooling everyone’s efforts, of having a lot of complaints”estimates lawyer Corinne Lepage, on France Bleu Berry Tuesday, May 21. The former Minister of the Environment launched collective action for local residents who live next to fields treated with phytosanitary products.

“In what we call the field of environmental health, there is a lot to do. We do not have in France the same system of group action that exists in the United States, so this platform is a means of pool everyone’s efforts, to have a lot of complaints, which makes everyone feel less ‘targeted’, if I may say so, on the outside, because we must realize that many of those who have joining the platform are people who are a little afraid to come forward as victims”explains Corinne Lepage.

A website is dedicated to collective action. A “minimum of 100 people” must participate for a petition to be formally filed in court. 10% of the plaintiffs gathered first, then more. Last week there was “around twenty” of complainants registered on the platform. Today, “the number has increased considerably since then, almost double.” Proof for Corinne Lepage that “the problem is indisputable.”

Today, rules already exist: it is prohibited in France to spray within five or ten meters of houses, but “it’s very weak”, believes Corinne Lepage.