Argentina researcher reports pesticide exposure as Uruguay port conflict nears resolution

In Argentina, researcher Virginia Aparicio, an agronomist with INTA and Conicet, has reported finding pesticides in the blood of residents in the southeastern Buenos Aires province. The findings emerged from the SPRINT project, an EU-approved study that measured over 200 pesticides across eleven countries. Aparicio noted that Argentina uses five times more chemicals per hectare than Europe and stated that the presence of these substances in residents—including rural producers, town inhabitants, and professionals in cities like Mar del Plata and Tandil—constitutes a public health issue. She also alleged that she was removed from her state position following the disclosure of these findings.

In Uruguay, Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP) and the local union have reached a preliminary agreement to end a port conflict that lasted over four months. The proposal, facilitated by government mediation involving Katoen Natie in Belgium, addresses disputes regarding guaranteed monthly workdays for 197 employees. The new collective bargaining agreement will have a five-year duration and includes a peace clause. The agreement also establishes extraordinary payments for workers and specific funds for maintenance and crane operators.