sust-mar: Correction on risks of using Vision

From: "Don Black" <dblack@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: <sust-mar@chebucto.ca>
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 07:03:11 -0300
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/lists/sust-mar; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


Tip: Your message to SUST-MAR must be html-free.  So, BEFORE you hit SEND, please go to your "Format" pull-down menu and select "Plain text."  Thanks!
____________________________________________________________________________
Dear Friends

I would like to correct a mistaken impression that might have been created
by my previous note.

When I said: "It is absurd to speak of the "safety" of spreading chemicals
in the environment when we have literally no idea what new compounds they
may form with other chemicals they encounter, nor of the damage those new
compounds may cause", I was thinking in the broadest sense.

In fact, scientists do know something about some specific compounds of
glyphosate (the known active ingredient in Vision).

"The problem with glyphosate...is that it combines readily with nitrites,
found in normal human saliva, to form an N-nitroso compound called
N-nitrosoglyphosate. Although that particular compound has not been tested
as a cancer-causing agent, over 75% of all other N-nitroso compounds so
tested have been shown to cause cancer by way of tumour formation." (Dr.
Ruth Shearer, consultant in genetic toxicology, quoted in the Chronicle
Herald, 4 Aug 84).

And in its latest review of the scientific literature on glyphosate (1995),
Health Canada notes that "Some concern has been expressed over the
possibility that glyphosate could react with nitrite in the diet to form
N-nitrosophosphonomethyl glycine (NPMG), a putative carcinogen."

So the federal government, through its labelling process, is applying the
precautionary principle. It would be contrary to federal law to spray Vision
on people (or waterways), because the intent of the labelling process is to
absolutely minimize contact between the chemicals and humans, animals or
fish.

How could such contact happen? What I saw in 1984 was field workers being
unconcerned with personal contact or spillage of Roundup (Vision at a lower
concentration), and people being sprayed, as if to demonstrate the
government assertion of the time that the product was "safe".

I saw provincial regulations so written that helicoptors were permitted to
continue spraying for up to half an hour after wind speeds were known to
exceed maximum allowable levels, which in turn allowed drift of the
chemicals on neighbouring lands, the workers, and the observer group, which
included DNR employees.

I saw totally inadequate signage to warn people that the spray had taken
place, or that the chemical would remain active for up to two weeks on
berries the community was accustomed to picking in the clearcut.

I saw inadequate buffer areas around streams that were increased through
public pressure, then violated by the drift, and no account taken of the
machine tracks and erosion that would allow the active chemical, well-bonded
to clay soils, to be carried downstream into neighbouring properties, wells
and waterways in any heavy rainfall for weeks following the spraying.

In other words, following the Monsanto marketing strategy of falsely
claiming the "safety" of these chemicals, our government of-the-day was
directly increasing the risk to the health of humans and other forms of
life. Again, the trust necessary for responsible government evaporates when
government promotes an industry agenda over sound precautionary public
health policy.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my first note on this. Anne Rogal points
out that Stora now much more than just a "Swedish" corporation. Its head
office is in Helsinki, Finland, its international office in London, U.K.
with head office functions in Stockholm, Sweden.

More to come. Cheers.

Don Black
Bluedoor.chebucto.net











____________________________________________________________________________
Did a friend forward this to you?  Join sust-mar yourself!
Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects