Swiss vote to become first European nation to ban synthetic pesticides By Reuters
By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland could become the first European country to ban artificial pesticides in a June 13 referendum which backers of the initiative hope will trigger similar prohibitions elsewhere. Globally, only Bhutan has a complete ban on synthetic pesticides, according to supporters aiming to outlaw the use of products made by agro-chemical giants such as Switzerland's Syngenta and Germany's Bayer (DE:BAYGN) and BASF. Supporters of the ban say the artificial products cause serious health problems and reduce biodiversity. Manufacturers say their pesticides are rigorously tested and regulated, can be used safely...
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