British celebrities and Bollywood stars are ditching their worst pair of pants to demand a ban on a harmful pesticide in cotton production.They are calling for a ban on the use of the harmful pesticide endosulfan, used in underwear production.
It can cause cancer, birth defects, respiratory problems and sterility among cotton farmers and their families.
Pants To Poverty, a Fairtrade underwear company, says toxic cotton pants containing traces of the chemical are being sold on the UK high street.
Just one pair of non-organic cotton pants can use 10ml of the chemical - enough to kill a person if directly exposed.
Ben Ramsden, founder of Pants To Poverty said: "Using pants as our metaphor, this campaign explains both the good and the bad about the cotton industry and points towards a brighter future."
Laboratory tests on 1,000 pairs of pants from UK shops showed one in 50 tested positive for the dangerous pesticide.
It has been banned in 62 countries due to its high toxicity, but its use is still permitted in India and other developing nations.
Dr Mohan Kumar, the campaign's doctor, told Sky News Online that British shoppers are unwittingly adding to a huge environmental problem.
He said: "The proof against endosulfan is comprehensive. With this new research, we can finally prove that replacing it not only dramatically improves people's health, but also enables farmers to earn more money and support their communities.
"The Indian government must stop producing and exporting this dangerous pesticide. It can still make a profit, but this time also for our people and our environment."
credited to news.sky.com
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