8 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"A toxic herbicide, 2,4-D, is a World War II-era weed killer ingredient that is one of the oldest pesticides still legally on the market: it's one of the top three pesticides sold nationwide and the
most common pesticide-based weed control product in the home & garden market.
Products containing it include Aqua-Kleen, Plantgard, Lawn-Keep and Planotox.

It is a known neurotoxin, is toxic to the eye, thyroid, kidney, adrenals, and ovaries/testes
according to the EPA and is linked to cancer and other diseases, and was an ingredient in Agent Orange.

It's considered safe by the USDA, an agency that biotechnology companies are
aggressively pushing for approval of new genetically engineered crops, and which
Dow AgroSciences is pushing to deregulate its genetically engineered crops that are resistant
to 2,4-D.

NRDC filed a lawsuit today against the EPA for failing to respond to a 2008 petition to ban 2,4-D. NRDC explains more about its use:

Forty-six million pounds of 2,4-D are still used every year in the United States alone, applied, often via weed-and-feed products, to areas such as front lawns, playgrounds, and golf courses. Agricultural uses of 2,4-D include application to pasture land, timber, wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, rice, oats, and sugar cane.

NRDC has more:

The pesticide has been detected in drinking water and as a contaminant in surface water and groundwater.
The pesticide also lingers in soil for over a month after it is applied to lawns, meaning 2,4-D can easily finds its way into homes tracked in by shoes and pet paws.
2,4-D is classified by EPA as a hazardous air pollutant and by the State of California as a toxic air contaminant.

2,4-D can be absorbed through the skin, making anyone who applies it or is in contact with lawns or surface water near application at risk of exposure.

As a result, young children who crawl on carpets or play on the floor are most vulnerable to indoor exposure by hand-to-mouth ingestion, skin absorption, and inhalation of dust...

Toxic 2,4-D is expected to be used in even greater quantities as weeds have become increasingly resistant to Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup.

If Dow Agrosciences’ genetically modified 2,4-D-resistant corn and soybean crops gain USDA approval, use of 2,4-D could increase by 50-fold or more."

http://www.treehugge...d-products.html

Contact the epa and tell them that is unacceptable.
http://www.epa.gov/e...me/comments.htm

[jasserEnv]

Numerous other jurisdictions including many in Canada and Europe have banned the herbicide because of its toxicity. It is just absurd that this stuff continues to be sold given how dangerous it really is. The last thing we need is more GMO products with resistance to specific weed killers so that farmers are using more of the herbicides. Both the GMO crops and the chemicals they are built to withstand are products that much of the educated public doesn't want.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

More info-
"Hundreds of citizens, (even including NYC chefs in their white chef hats) joined Occupy the Food System groups, ie Food Democracy Now, gathered outside the Federal Courts in Manhattan on  January 31st, to support organic family farmers in their landmark lawsuit against Big Agribusiness giant Monsanto.
(Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association v. Monsanto)
Oral arguments were heard that day concerning the lawsuit by 83 plaintiffs representing over 300,000 organic farmers, organic seed growers, and organic seed businesses.
Not only does this lawsuit debate the issue of Monsanto potentially ruining the organic farmers’ pure seeds and crops with the introduction of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) seeds anywhere near the organic farms, but additionally any nearby
GM fields can withstand Monsanto’s Roundup herbicides, thus possibly further contaminating the organic farms nearby if
Roundup is used."
http://www.nationofc...059467#comments

Related topic here-
http://www.altenergy...__fromsearch__1

[mariaandrea]

These are lawsuits we need to follow closely. The outcome will tell us just how deeply corporate interests are rooted in our government and judicial system. We know it's deep, but it's important to know just how deep. If these fail, I'm seriously concerned about our future, despite the green movement. If it becomes apparent that all of the real power lies in the hands of agribusiness and large corporations we're going to need a major shift in how we fight back. I don't know what that is yet, but it's something to think about.

[jasserEnv]

Until then, it is important to just keep asking for the local, organic produce at your food store. I can't iterate how important it is to speak with our wallets on these issues. I noticed that local grocers are starting to bring in sustainably harvested seafood as well as the organics that have also been growing. Ask the same questions when at the farmer's market. If we spend the money in the right places and ask the questions, there is always someone in business who is willing to do what it takes to take our money. That is one way to instill change from the bottom up.

[dconklin]

It is amazing how many dangerous toxins there are that the world uses.  Many people know they are toxic but are not usually informed as to how bad they really are.  I think if they know of the problems, the public should be made better aware of this too.  I would not have known about this if you didn't share it with us.  Thank you for sharing!

Makes me glad that in the summer I grow some of my own vegetables, I know what I put on my plants and lawn.  Tho this doesn't really help with some of the agricultural goods you mentioned.

[artistry]

With friends like these, who needs enemies. You read these things and you wonder who is minding the store. There are enough detrimentrary things going on, without the creation of more. Could saner minds prevail and not implerment things which only make life worse. Just a real sad situation for the masses. Certainly we need to cry out, or the band will just play on, not even noticing that the music is horrible.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

artistry, on 07 March 2012 - 11:34 AM, said:

or the band will just play on, not even noticing that the music is horrible.

Good metaphor.

[hunysukle]

I can't believe how toxic this planet is getting. You can't even purchase apples or grapes at the grocery store without worrying about the pesticides on them. Every kind of food product these days has chemicals, preservatives and other artificial crap in it that is slowly killing us. I can't wait for the day when I don't have to rely on the grocery store anymore, but rather my garden and fruit trees.