In 2003, the EU banned a weedkiller called atrazine after it was proven to have toxic effects on human and animal health. Yet 15 years later, people in Europe can still buy it on eBay.

An investigation by Greenpeace showed that eBay has been allowing its sellers to market illegal and dangerous pesticides. These include atrazine and “Miraculous Insecticide Chalk”, a Chinese-manufactured household pest killer that poses a serious safety threat to children.

It’s crucial we make sure eBay stops acting as a marketplace for these dangerous chemicals. And not only for the sake of our health. By enabling the sale of products like atrazine, eBay is making a tidy profit off of undermining EU laws. That sets a dangerous precedent for other Silicon Valley giants.

Tell eBay it needs a zero-tolerance policy on illegal and dangerous pesticides!

eBay -- which pockets 10 percent of third-party sales -- claims it’s cracking down on unauthorized products. Yet Greenpeace found that listings for “Miraculous Insecticide Chalk” and other banned pesticides popped back up just days after their supposed removal.

Maybe what eBay needs is a stronger incentive. In February, Amazon was forced to pay over $1 million in settlements over the illegal sale of pesticides. Now, the insecticide chalk is “currently unavailable”. Amazon has a whole host of other problems, but allowing the sale of killer chemicals is no longer one of them. It’s about time eBay followed suit.

Enacting a zero-tolerance policy on pesticide sales won’t make a dent in the $42 billion company’s bottom line, but it will protect us from atrazine’s hormone-altering properties and keep children from being accidentally poisoned. And it will send the message that eBay can’t get away with disrespecting European laws.

We can get eBay to change its ways, but we have to act now. The company is already in damage control mode, trying to convince media outlets it can’t do a thing against those pesky pesticide sellers. We know better -- and we’ve got to spread the word so eBay is finally forced to act.

Help us stand up to eBay: Demand that the company take stronger action against illegal pesticide sales.

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