"Afro-Brazilian communities fight a rain of pesticides & the company behind it", 24 April 2024

...The community of Linharinho lies in the municipality of Conceição da Barra, a part of Espírito Santo state known as Sapê do Norte. It is a quilombo, a traditional Brazilian community originally formed by runaway enslaved people...

According to reports from the community, global pulp and paper giant Suzano has in recent years been using aerial application of pesticides on its eucalyptus plantations that surround the community. Statements say there is no prior communication and that the safe distance limit...regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Normative Instruction 2/2008 is not being respected.

Community members tell Mongabay that the plane sometimes flies so close to their homes that the pesticides land on their bodies, in their gardens and their rivers. The situation is causing concern about the safety of consuming food they grow on their own land and the water they drink from natural sources because they could be contaminated...

Suzano’s response

In its response to Mongabay, Suzano informs that, since it began using aerial application in 2017, it “has consistently worked to implement the best processes possible, proactively informing communities of its activity and adhering strictly to applicable policies and standards.”

The company highlights that “a procedure for communicating the aerial application of pesticides to traditional communities has been developed”...

Suzano mentions that “all pesticide applications undergo prior inspection by specialized teams” and that it “rigorously selects, evaluates and monitors all service providers, especially those responsible for pesticide application, ensuring compliance with the Company’s supplier standards.”

Read Suzano’s full response to Mongabay here...