A Regime of Impunity
Contrary to common expectation, many benzene poisoning cases are not from small scale, unregulated workshops. Cases documented here included those from renowned listed companies, or manufacturers for big brand names such as Disney. These transnational brands and companies know well about the hazards posed by benzene, have the resources and know-how to avoid the hazard, but still carry on using this hazardous substance deliberately. Such deliberate choice is often a result of cynical, cold-blooded cost-analysis. Occupational poisoning are hard to prove, and most of the times the workers do not even have the awareness that their sickness might be occupationally caused. While the cost of benzene on human lives is devastating, the cost on the companies is often minimal. Thus it is no wonder that companies do not consider alternatives to benzene even when they have a long history of benzene poisoning.
Such practice of blatantly disregarding workers lives, perpetrated by some of the biggest players in the industries, must be stopped.
