Don Gordon: Pesticide update
I have some good news and bad news concerning pesticides. The good news is that the EPA has finally banned the use of carbofuran (also called Furadan) on all food crops including those that are imported.
This is a huge victory not only for protection of human health, but also for wildlife. This chemical has killed millions of birds including bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and migratory songbirds. The EPA estimated that if a flock of mallards were to feed on an alfalfa field treated with carbofuran, 92% of the birds would die.
In 2007, a Colorado farmer illegally used carbofuran and killed 2200 birds. The EPA has concluded that this chemical is a threat to human health through contaminated food, drinking water and occupational exposure. More information on the banning of this pesticide is available here.
Organic doesn’t always mean better or safer
This past week the Center for Public Integrity issued a report which suggested that “pyrethrins and pyrethroids were responsible for more than 26 percent of all major and moderate human incidents involving pesticides in the United States in 2007, up from just 15 percent in 1998 — a 67 percent increase.” Pyrethrins are naturally occurring compounds derived from the flowers of a type of chrysanthemum. Pyrethroids are the synthetic counterparts of pyrethrins. Both have been thought to be safer than either the synthetic organophosphates or chlorinated hydrocarbons.
The use of pyrethroids has increased significantly in the last few years and they are widely sold as bug repellants, anti-lice shampoos, garden pesticides, pet shampoos and carpet cleaners. According to the EPA at least 50 deaths can be attributed to this class of pesticides since 1992. As a result of this study released by the Center for Public Integrity the EPA announced it will initiate a broad study of these chemicals this year.
More bad news
The USDA will no longer keep track or publish annual reports of the amount of pesticides applied to U. S. farmland. Environmentalists are naturally unhappy about this decision because it will now be more difficult to track significant and ecosystem threats from these chemicals. Social justice groups also criticized this decision because it will now be more difficult to gather information to warn field workers concerning pesticide exposure.
Even the American Farm Bureau seems unhappy with the report. Its spokesperson told the Associated Press recently that without the reports “farmers will be subjected to conjecture and allegations about their use of chemicals and fertilizers.”
Apparently, the only groups happy with this decision are the chemical companies.
_________________
Don Gordon is professor emeritus of botany at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
This is a huge victory not only for protection of human health, but also for wildlife. This chemical has killed millions of birds including bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and migratory songbirds. The EPA estimated that if a flock of mallards were to feed on an alfalfa field treated with carbofuran, 92% of the birds would die.
In 2007, a Colorado farmer illegally used carbofuran and killed 2200 birds. The EPA has concluded that this chemical is a threat to human health through contaminated food, drinking water and occupational exposure. More information on the banning of this pesticide is available here.
Organic doesn’t always mean better or safer
This past week the Center for Public Integrity issued a report which suggested that “pyrethrins and pyrethroids were responsible for more than 26 percent of all major and moderate human incidents involving pesticides in the United States in 2007, up from just 15 percent in 1998 — a 67 percent increase.” Pyrethrins are naturally occurring compounds derived from the flowers of a type of chrysanthemum. Pyrethroids are the synthetic counterparts of pyrethrins. Both have been thought to be safer than either the synthetic organophosphates or chlorinated hydrocarbons.
The use of pyrethroids has increased significantly in the last few years and they are widely sold as bug repellants, anti-lice shampoos, garden pesticides, pet shampoos and carpet cleaners. According to the EPA at least 50 deaths can be attributed to this class of pesticides since 1992. As a result of this study released by the Center for Public Integrity the EPA announced it will initiate a broad study of these chemicals this year.
More bad news
The USDA will no longer keep track or publish annual reports of the amount of pesticides applied to U. S. farmland. Environmentalists are naturally unhappy about this decision because it will now be more difficult to track significant and ecosystem threats from these chemicals. Social justice groups also criticized this decision because it will now be more difficult to gather information to warn field workers concerning pesticide exposure.
Even the American Farm Bureau seems unhappy with the report. Its spokesperson told the Associated Press recently that without the reports “farmers will be subjected to conjecture and allegations about their use of chemicals and fertilizers.”
Apparently, the only groups happy with this decision are the chemical companies.
_________________
Don Gordon is professor emeritus of botany at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Labels: pesticides, USDA
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