Re: Residual effects of Roundup
- Subject: Re: Residual effects of Roundup
- From: D* G*
- Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2001 08:18:49 -0400
Re glyphosate. While it is true that it is one of the most heavily tested
chemicals in the history of ag chemicals and has been relatively benign on
most of the older tests - my understanding is that there are cracks
appearing in the literature. That having been said - I make no comment
about the relative safety about it at this time - do amuse yourself and
check out the concentration of glyphosate in your Roundup. You'll note that
it is a small percentage of the mix. Then ask yourself what else is in the
mix and you'll discover that the ubiquitous "fillers" occupy the majority
of the mix.
While the use and proportions are largely proprietary, most fillers
registered for use in ag chemicals have been shown to be dangerous to human
health (and I am told responsible for many of the problems associated with
Roundup). When California mandated their labelling/testing as well, the
numbers of them used dropped from several hundreds into the single or low
double digits. Other jurisdictions have not been as strict and the
spreaders/stickers/flow emulsifiers etc continue to be an important part of
the mix. You simply don't know what those are doing to your health and your
soil when you apply an unknown and untested component of a mix.
As to the hazardous nature of any chemical being determined by whoever
tells the story or does the research - I can only smile. It was ever thus.
My story is that there are more than enough research studies showing the
unexpected results of ag chemical use in our society - and the association
of chemicals in only parts per billion with a wide range of hormonal
effects. The nice thing about being white, male and over 25 is that the
testing was done on this group and showed that the effects of chemicals was
relatively low. Glyphosate and most of the other ag chemicals are not going
to harm me. (Unless you count the fact that a male born in 1975 or later
only has 75% of the viable sperm of a man born in 1925 and that the
remaining sperm are increasingly becoming mutated.)
However, the epidemiological evidence as shown by Doctors Colburn,
Dumanoski and Myers in their book "Our Stolen Future" (isbn 0452-27414-1)
makes it pretty clear that being female, pregnant, or a fetus is another
story all together for a much wider range of chemicals at a much lower
exposure rate. Their research/story is not a pretty one; yet it should be
read by all those who advocate the use of ag chemicals.
Should the health of my family be determined by somebody's desire for an
easy solution to a plant problem? I suspect the folks in Ohio where Scotts
stands accused by the Ohio EPA of polluting the river only 10 miles
upstream from the municipal water intake would have an answer to this
question. (To be accurate - Scotts is denying the charges) Regardless of
who created the problem, it exists and the river is polluted with a variety
of chemicals that are now within the human ecology of this area.
So - as a nurseryman or farmer or gardener - you may feel that there is a
responsible use of agricultural chemicals like Roundup and your personal
safety useage is above reproach. The manufacturing ecology though - taken
in the wider context of our entire society - shows that there is a history
of abuse and environmental degradation as a result of any and all
agricultural chemical production and use. Use and dependence on this kind
of product helps to create a hazard for somebody else - just ask the folks
in Ohio whether they accept their drinking water pollution so you can spray
your weeds. How do you feel when you spray your weeds knowing that you are
contributing to their health problems? Turn it around. Would you like them
to spray their weeds and pollute your drinking water?
We are our brother's keepers and we haven't been doing a very good job of it.
This is a story - regardless of who is doing the telling - that will not
disappear.
Doug
Doug Green
Gardening questions answered at http://www.gardeningonthe.net
Author of the award winning "Gardening Wisdom"
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