The French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe suffer the effects of a toxic chemical. Ninety-five (95%) of the population of Guadalupe and ninety-two (92%) of the people in Martinique are contaminated with the insecticide Chlordecone (called Kepone). Local adult residents have traces of the chemical in their blood.
Chlordecone is a chlorinated chemical similar to DDT and an endocrine disruptor. It can interfere with hormones and cause disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes it as “potentially carcinogenic.”
The pesticide is known to cause cancer. Large tracts of soil are infected, as are rivers and coastal waters.
The US banned Kepone in 1975 after several hundred workers suffered illness after contamination at a factory in Hopewell, Virginia. These French Islands continued using Kepone until a ban in1993.
French lawmakers designated the state as the main culprit. French President Emmanuel Macron recently called it an “environmental scandal” and said the state “must take responsibility.”
Tourists view these islands as idyllic sun, sea, and sand destinations. However, few visitors are aware of the chronic pollution problem.