California Court Dismisses Banana Plantation Lawsuit

A California Superior Court has reportedly dismissed a lawsuit filed by nearly
3,000 Philippine banana plantation workers who claimed that exposure
to the pesticide 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) more than 30 years
ago caused physical and mental injury including sterility, testicular atrophy,
miscarriages, and cancer. Macasa v. Dole Food Co., No. BC467134 (Cal Super.
Ct., decided August 8, 2012). More details about the litigation appear in
Issue 405 of this Update. According to a company spokesperson, the claims
were fraudulent and should not have been brought because no reliable
scientific evidence links DBCP agricultural exposures to the injuries alleged.
The company reported that an identical lawsuit filed 13 years ago in the
Philippines was also dismissed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has
apparently prohibited the pesticide’s use in the United States, classifying it as
a probable human carcinogen. See Ventura County Star, August 9, 2012.