France's parliament has unanimously passed a bill acknowledging the state's responsibility for the widespread chlordecone contamination in Guadeloupe and Martinique. The toxic pesticide, used on banana plantations from 1972 to 1993 to combat weevils, was banned in mainland France in 1990 but its use continued in the Caribbean islands for an additional three years. This prolonged use has led to over 90 percent of adults in these regions being contaminated, with probable links to prostate cancer and other harmful effects on the nervous and hormonal systems. The new law aims to decontaminate affected land and water, compensate victims, prioritize scientific research, and support affected fishermen and farmers, although some lawmakers believe further action is needed for full reparations and recognition of residents' anxieties.