28 October 2025 – A new poll by YouGov indicates that 88% of Danes agree or strongly agree that Denmark should prohibit production and export of chemicals which are banned for domestic use.
Denmark's government has criticised the practice in the EU of exporting banned chemicals as “indefensible” but, unlike France and Belgium, has not yet passed a law to ban such exports.
Support for action is particularly strong among Danes who support Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s Socialdemokraterne party. 93% back a ban, and only 7% are opposed.
The poll was commissioned by Ekō, a member of a coalition of human rights, development and environmental NGOs campaigning to stop Europe’s toxic exports.
The European Union exported nearly 122,000 tonnes of banned pesticides in 2024, up 50% compared to the 81,000 tonnes notified in 2018, an investigation by Public Eye and Unearthed has revealed. The bulk of shipments were destined for low- and middle-income countries.
Denmark is the EU’s 8th biggest exporter of banned pesticides, according to government export notification files. These included dimethoate, thiram and thiamethoxam, among others, which were exported to countries including Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Ukraine.
Ekō senior campaign manager, Eoin Dubsky said:
“Danish people overwhelmingly support government action to stop companies manufacturing or exporting chemicals that are banned at home because of their toxicity. Prime Minister Frederiksen’s supporters demand nothing less. While it still holds the presidency of the Council, Denmark must ensure this scandalous double-standard is finally tackled, and demand that the European Commission move forward with a legislative proposal for an EU ban.
Waiting for EU-wide legislation is taking far too long. Denmark should pass a national ban in the meantime, upholding human rights and the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. High-income countries have been shipping their hazardous chemicals, pesticides and e-waste to low- and middle-income countries for decades, poisoning people and nature in the process. It's not only Europe, but the EU certainly hasn't been ‘leading by example’, as the European Commission committed in 2020 to do!”
EDITOR’S NOTES
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