Original source: Global Times

“Profit over people,” read the banner held by Greenpeace members at the Dajiaoting branch of Walmart in Beijing Thursday at 11 am, when the environmental protection organization gave the retail giant its Golden Scales Award for allegedly selling tainted produce.

“The scale has two trays. The lower one holds the dollar, while people’s health and the laws are in the higher one,” said Wang Weikang, chief director of the food and agriculture program of Greenpeace China. “Walmart ignores the health of the Chinese people and Chinese laws.”

According to the report issued by Greenpeace China on October 21, residue from highly toxic farm chemicals, including the pesticide carbofuran and the insecticide parathion, both banned by the Ministry of Agriculture, were found on fruits and vegetables sold by Walmart.

The Food Hygiene Law forbids the selling of any agricultural products that contain banned farm chemicals.

Greenpeace conducted their research in three Walmart supermarkets in Beijing and Qingdao in September. “The research is done in an independent third party lab and the result is solid, but we are not at liberty to reveal the name of the lab,” said Wang Xiaojun, the communications director of Greenpeace China.

A vice general manager surnamed Huang at the Dajiaoting Walmart, where carbofuran residue was detected on the mustard greens, refused to comment on the accusation.

“We strictly follow Chinese laws and standards, and have adopted a series of supervisory measures to ensure that our products reach or even surpass the highest national standards,” said Jiang Wei, a PR representative with Walmart China.