/PRNewswire/ -- Links to pesticide exposure are being found in a growing number of studies that evaluate the causes of preventable diseases -- including asthma, autism and learning disabilities, birth defects and reproductive dysfunction, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and several types of cancer. A new database, released today, tracks published epidemiologic and real world exposure studies. The studies challenge the effectiveness of risk-assessment-based regulation which is intended to manage adverse disease outcomes, but is criticized for allowing the uses of chemicals that can be replaced by green technologies and practices.
To capture the range of diseases linked to pesticides through epidemiologic studies, the national environmental and public health group Beyond Pesticides launched in the summer issue of its newsletter, Pesticides and You, the Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database to track the studies. "A read through the scientific literature on pesticides and major preventable diseases afflicting us in the 21st century suggests that one of the first responses called for is an all out effort to stop using toxic pesticides," said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. The database begins an ongoing effort by Beyond Pesticides to maintain this comprehensive database of the studies that the group says "supports an urgent need to shift to toxic-free practices and policies."
The group is calling for alternatives assessment in environmental rulemaking that creates a regulatory trigger to adopt alternatives and drive the market to go green. "Under risk assessment, we constantly play with 'mitigation measures' that the Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database tells us over and over is a failed human experiment," said Mr. Feldman.
The alternatives assessment approach differs most dramatically from risk assessment in rejecting uses and exposures deemed acceptable under risk assessment calculations, but unnecessary because of the availability of safer alternatives. For example, in agriculture, where the database shows clear links to pesticide use and multiple types of cancer, it would no longer be possible to use hazardous pesticides, as it is with risk assessment-based policy, when there are clearly effective organic systems with competitive yields that, in fact, outperform chemical-intensive agriculture in drought years. This same analysis can be applied to home and garden use of pesticides where households using pesticides suffer elevated rates of cancer.
Earlier this year Beyond Pesticides released its Organic Food: Eating with a Conscience guide that explains how foods grown with hazardous chemicals contaminate water and air, hurt biodiversity, harm farmworkers, and kill bees, birds, fish and other wildlife even though the finished commodities, often referred to as "clean," may have minimal or nondetectable residues. The guide can be found at www.eatingwithaconscience.org.
The Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database, which currently contains 383 entries of epidemiologic and laboratory exposure studies, will be continually updated to track the emerging findings and trends. To view the database, go to www.beyondpesticides.org/health.
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Showing posts with label pesticides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pesticides. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
New Report Reveals Dramatic Rise in Pesticide Use on Genetically Engineered (GE) Crops Due to the Spread of Resistant Weeds
/PRNewswire/ -- Genetically engineered (GE) corn, soybeans and cotton have increased use of weed-killing herbicides -- a type of pesticide -- by 383 million pounds in the U.S. from 1996 to 2008, according to a new Organic Center report titled "Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Thirteen Years" announced today by The Organic Center (TOC), the Union for Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Center for Food Safety (CFS). In addition, GE corn and cotton have reduced insecticide use by 64 million pounds, resulting in an overall increase of 318 million pounds of pesticides over the first 13 years of commercial use.
Based upon data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), report author Dr. Charles Benbrook presents compelling evidence linking the increase in pesticide use on GE, "herbicide-tolerant" (HT) crops to the emergence and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds. This report comes at a time when farmers are increasingly critical of GE crops because of drastically rising biotech seed prices and increasingly resistant weeds.
The agricultural biotechnology industry claims that the much higher costs of GE seeds are justified by multiple benefits to farmers, including decreased spending on pesticides. The price of GE seeds has risen precipitously in recent years, and the need to make additional herbicide applications in an effort to keep up with resistant weeds is also increasing cash production costs. As an example, corn farmers planting "SmartStax" hybrids in 2010 will spend around $124 per acre for seed, almost three times the cost of conventional corn seed. In addition, new-generation "Roundup Ready" (RR) 2 soybean seed, to be introduced on a widespread basis next year, will cost 42 percent more than the original RR seeds they are displacing.
"The drastic increase in pesticide use with genetically engineered crops is due primarily to the rapid emergence of weeds resistant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide," said Dr. Charles Benbrook, report author and chief scientist of The Organic Center. "With glyphosate-resistant weeds now infesting millions of acres, farmers face rising costs coupled with sometimes major yield losses, and the environmental impact of weed management systems will surely rise."
Today's report refutes industry's assertions that its crops have reduced pesticide use. Last April, UCS released a report that found engineered crops have largely failed to increase crop yields, despite the industry's consistent claims to the contrary. "Dr. Benbrook's work shows that the overall chemical footprint of today's engineered crops is massive and growing," said Dr. Margaret Mellon, food and environment program director for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "That growth in pesticide use has important implications for farmers' bottom lines, public health and the health of the environment."
"This report confirms what we've been saying for years," said Bill Freese, science policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety. "The most common type of genetically engineered crops promotes increased use of pesticides, an epidemic of resistant weeds, and more chemical residues in our foods. This may be profitable for the biotech/pesticide companies, but it's bad news for farmers, human health and the environment."
Industry claims that GE crops are benefitting the environment ignore the impacts of the 300+ million additional pounds of pesticides required over the period covered by this study, as well as growing reliance by farmers on high-risk herbicides including 2,4-D and paraquat. In addition to the environmental harm, a report released earlier this year by TOC demonstrated that exposure to pesticides is linked to increased risk of reproductive abnormalities, birth defects and neurological problems.
The analytical work required to complete this report was funded by a coalition of non-governmental organizations including the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Center for Food Safety, the Cornerstone Campaign, Californians for GE-Free Agriculture, Greenpeace International and Rural Advancement Fund International USA.
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Based upon data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), report author Dr. Charles Benbrook presents compelling evidence linking the increase in pesticide use on GE, "herbicide-tolerant" (HT) crops to the emergence and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds. This report comes at a time when farmers are increasingly critical of GE crops because of drastically rising biotech seed prices and increasingly resistant weeds.
The agricultural biotechnology industry claims that the much higher costs of GE seeds are justified by multiple benefits to farmers, including decreased spending on pesticides. The price of GE seeds has risen precipitously in recent years, and the need to make additional herbicide applications in an effort to keep up with resistant weeds is also increasing cash production costs. As an example, corn farmers planting "SmartStax" hybrids in 2010 will spend around $124 per acre for seed, almost three times the cost of conventional corn seed. In addition, new-generation "Roundup Ready" (RR) 2 soybean seed, to be introduced on a widespread basis next year, will cost 42 percent more than the original RR seeds they are displacing.
"The drastic increase in pesticide use with genetically engineered crops is due primarily to the rapid emergence of weeds resistant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide," said Dr. Charles Benbrook, report author and chief scientist of The Organic Center. "With glyphosate-resistant weeds now infesting millions of acres, farmers face rising costs coupled with sometimes major yield losses, and the environmental impact of weed management systems will surely rise."
Today's report refutes industry's assertions that its crops have reduced pesticide use. Last April, UCS released a report that found engineered crops have largely failed to increase crop yields, despite the industry's consistent claims to the contrary. "Dr. Benbrook's work shows that the overall chemical footprint of today's engineered crops is massive and growing," said Dr. Margaret Mellon, food and environment program director for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "That growth in pesticide use has important implications for farmers' bottom lines, public health and the health of the environment."
"This report confirms what we've been saying for years," said Bill Freese, science policy analyst for the Center for Food Safety. "The most common type of genetically engineered crops promotes increased use of pesticides, an epidemic of resistant weeds, and more chemical residues in our foods. This may be profitable for the biotech/pesticide companies, but it's bad news for farmers, human health and the environment."
Industry claims that GE crops are benefitting the environment ignore the impacts of the 300+ million additional pounds of pesticides required over the period covered by this study, as well as growing reliance by farmers on high-risk herbicides including 2,4-D and paraquat. In addition to the environmental harm, a report released earlier this year by TOC demonstrated that exposure to pesticides is linked to increased risk of reproductive abnormalities, birth defects and neurological problems.
The analytical work required to complete this report was funded by a coalition of non-governmental organizations including the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Center for Food Safety, the Cornerstone Campaign, Californians for GE-Free Agriculture, Greenpeace International and Rural Advancement Fund International USA.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Nestlé Withdraws Nestlé Farinha Lactea Cereal in the United States
Nestlé is withdrawing Nestlé Farinha Lactea cereal in the United States. Nestlé is taking this action as we have learned that the product may contain residual traces of a pesticide not currently approved for use on wheat in the U.S. While the pesticide is approved for use in Brazil and the noted levels are well below Brazilian standards, it is not used on wheat products in the United States and therefore there is no set standard for its presence in cereal. The pesticide is permitted in the United States on grain crops other than wheat.
Nestlé Farinha Lactea cereal is manufactured in Brazil by Nestlé Brazil and sold primarily in Portuguese language communities in the United States. The withdrawal applies to all sizes, varieties and production codes of the product. No other Nestlé products are affected.
Nestlé USA is assisting with the withdrawal of this product from the U.S. market to ensure the continued quality and safety of Nestlé products. Nestlé has not received any illness reports or consumer complaints.
Consumers who have purchased Nestlé Farinha Lactea cereal should not consume the product, and should return it to the store where they purchased it for a full refund.
We encourage consumers with questions about the withdrawal to contact Nestlé Consumer Services at (800) 628-7679.
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Nestlé Farinha Lactea cereal is manufactured in Brazil by Nestlé Brazil and sold primarily in Portuguese language communities in the United States. The withdrawal applies to all sizes, varieties and production codes of the product. No other Nestlé products are affected.
Nestlé USA is assisting with the withdrawal of this product from the U.S. market to ensure the continued quality and safety of Nestlé products. Nestlé has not received any illness reports or consumer complaints.
Consumers who have purchased Nestlé Farinha Lactea cereal should not consume the product, and should return it to the store where they purchased it for a full refund.
We encourage consumers with questions about the withdrawal to contact Nestlé Consumer Services at (800) 628-7679.
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Monday, January 07, 2008
Vaccinations and Autism
I almost hesitate to mention the topic. There are some passionate beliefs on both sides of the issue of vaccinations. The number of children suffering from Autism is growing and many have believed that a component in vaccines contributed to or caused the problem.
The study below seems to refute the belief that vaccinations might cause Autism.
So, if it's not vaccinations, what is it? Why are the numbers increasing? Diet? Toxins in our foods? Pesticides? Hormones in foods?
For a while I was using a product that, among other things, purported to somewhat counteract the affects of vaccines. It was supposed to neutralize the metals we take into our system. I tried it for about a year and didn't see any health benefits. It was expensive so I stopped taking it. However, I had a good friend who's daughter was Autistic. She gave her daughter the same product and noticed a striking improvement. Her therapists, who had not been told about the inclusion of the product into her diet, independently reported a marked difference in her abilities.
I saw the little girl a few times before she took the product. She was removed, it was impossible to understand what she was saying and touch was out of the question. About 6 months later I saw her. I noted a huge difference. Her speech was clear enough I didn't have any trouble understanding what she was saying. She responded to the people around her. I won't bore you with all of the little differences I noted, but overall it was remarkable.
Her mom had done quite a bit of research and was fairly well convinced that vaccines had been the trigger.
I don't know. I suppose I'll be spending a little time wandering around the Internet again doing some reading!
Here's the article. Let me know what you think about vaccines.
California autism cases continue to grow
LOS ANGELES - Autism cases in California continued to climb even after a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder was removed from routine childhood shots, a new study found.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_he_me/autism_cases
The study below seems to refute the belief that vaccinations might cause Autism.
So, if it's not vaccinations, what is it? Why are the numbers increasing? Diet? Toxins in our foods? Pesticides? Hormones in foods?
For a while I was using a product that, among other things, purported to somewhat counteract the affects of vaccines. It was supposed to neutralize the metals we take into our system. I tried it for about a year and didn't see any health benefits. It was expensive so I stopped taking it. However, I had a good friend who's daughter was Autistic. She gave her daughter the same product and noticed a striking improvement. Her therapists, who had not been told about the inclusion of the product into her diet, independently reported a marked difference in her abilities.
I saw the little girl a few times before she took the product. She was removed, it was impossible to understand what she was saying and touch was out of the question. About 6 months later I saw her. I noted a huge difference. Her speech was clear enough I didn't have any trouble understanding what she was saying. She responded to the people around her. I won't bore you with all of the little differences I noted, but overall it was remarkable.
Her mom had done quite a bit of research and was fairly well convinced that vaccines had been the trigger.
I don't know. I suppose I'll be spending a little time wandering around the Internet again doing some reading!
Here's the article. Let me know what you think about vaccines.
California autism cases continue to grow
LOS ANGELES - Autism cases in California continued to climb even after a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder was removed from routine childhood shots, a new study found.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_he_me/autism_cases
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