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Poisoned

The Peruvian government and Bayer, a multinational pesticide manufacturer, have been held responsible by the citizen's tribunal for the 1999 pesticide poisoning deaths of 24 schoolchildren in Tauccamarca. The children died after drinking a milk substitute contaminated with methyl parathion (sold by Bayer). Two schoolchildren, by mistake, took a bag of government-supplied milk substitute mixed with the pesticide to be served in school. The result was tragic. The tribunal blamed Bayer for failing to implement basic safety precautions to prevent misuse of methyl parathion. The government also failed to enforce laws on packaging and labelling and limit the sale and use of such toxic pesticides. Adequate medical attention was not provided to the affected children.

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