Greenpeace says it has exposed three major supermarket chains in Guangzhou that are selling produce with illegal pesticides or pesticide residue exceeding legal standards. The three stores are Vanguard, ParknShop and Carrefour.
Between November 2005 and April 2006, Greenpeace found 25% of the vegetable and fruit produce collected from the three supermarket stores were contaminated with banned pesticides.
Over 70% of tomatoes that tested were found to have the banned pesticide Lindane, and almost 40% of the samples had a mix of three or more types of pesticides.
Greenpeace says the test results reflect that illegal pesticide is still widely used in agriculture throughout the region, causing serious environmental problems.
Fruits were also tested in this investigation. Tangerines, strawberries and Kyofung grapes samples were found contaminated by banned pesticides, including the highly toxic Methamidophos. These fruits can also be found in Hong Kong market.
Fruits imported from the Mainland, unlike vegetable produce, do not have to pass through the Man Kam To Food Safety Office across the border. Greenpeace says there exists no comprehensive monitoring on fruit produce in the Hong Kong.
