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UNISON has been campaigning for a ban on the pesticide lindane since 1995. Although now national UNISON policy, the action has been driven by the East Midlands region after local officers saw a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary. The programme investigated possible links between breast cancer clusters and use of lindane on sugar beet crops. Officers in the East Midlands were particularly concerned because the region includes Lincolnshire, a major beet-producing area.

The campaign has raised awareness of the issue though motions at the national women's and national UNISON conferences, and has made effective use of links with a range of other groups. Working with the Pesticides Trust, Women's Environmental Network, Green Network and Breast Cancer Coalition has made it easier for UNISON to widen the campaign from the UK to Europe.

Over 80 MPs signed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons in May 1998 which said, "That this House draws attention to the ever-growing campaign to ban lindane; acknowledges that lindane, an organochlorine pesticide, is still used in the United Kingdom despite being banned in many European and other countries because of its link with breast cancer; and calls upon the Government to investigate further the use of lindane with a view to banning it as soon as possible."

For further information contact Jill Day, Unison East Midlands, 15 Castle Gate, Nottingham NG1 6BY; tel 0115 956 7200, fax 0115 956 7222.

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