Search Results
Friday, June 30th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 30, 2017) Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), met privately with Dow Chemicalâs CEO several weeks before reversing EPAâs tentative decision to ban chlorpyrifos, according to records recently obtained by the Associated Press (AP). A copy of Mr. Pruittâs schedule reveals he met with Dow CEO, Andrew Liveris, on March 9 at a Houston hotel and âtwenty days later Pruitt announced his decision to deny a petition to ban Dowâs chlorpyrifos pesticide from being sprayed on food.â At a hearing this week, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) pressed Mr. Pruitt to name a peer-reviewed study that indicates that chlorpyrifos is safe. Mr. Pruitt answered by saying that âhe had relied on âinteragency dialogueâ with USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] before denying the petition to ban the chemical.â In a congressional hearing earlier this month regarding chlorpyrifosâ safety, Mr. Pruitt stated that his decision was founded on âmeaningful data and meaningful science.â However, AP followed up with EPA to provide details on this science, and Mr. Pruittâs office replied with quotes from trade groups and USDA, but failed to provide any scientific studies on the chemicalâs safety. In March 2017, in an about-face, EPAâs Administrator […]
Posted in Chlorpyrifos, Dow Chemical, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pesticide Regulation | No Comments »
Monday, June 12th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 12, 2017) Once again, there are reports that soybean and cotton fields are being damaged by off-site drift of the toxic herbicide dicamba. Last summer, farmers in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee reported widespread crop damage from dicamba drift, which led to reduced yields. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a criminal investigation at several Missouri locations into what they said was the illegal spraying of dicamba in October 2016. This year, reports of dicamba drift and damage are already being reported in Arkansas, and 25 formal complaints have already been filed, according to the state Plant Board. In summer 2016, illegal applications of dicamba damaged thousands of acres of soybeans, cotton, ornamental trees and fruits and vegetables. After numerous complaints, EPA launched a criminal investigation into the illegal spraying of dicamba, an investigation that is still ongoing. Many suspect that farmers who planted Roundup Ready 2 XtendÂŽ and XTENDFLEXÂŽ Cotton, the new dicamba-tolerant genetically engineered (GE) seeds in the region, when faced with a proliferation of pigweed, illegally sprayed dicamba across their fields leading to drift and off-site crop damage to other farmers. This year, although it is too early to say how many acres have been affected or what specific […]
Posted in Agriculture, Arkansas, BASF, Dicamba, Genetic Engineering, Monsanto, Pesticide Drift | No Comments »
Thursday, June 8th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 8, 2017) On Monday, numerous organizations filed an administrative appeal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), seeking to reverse Scott Pruittâs order to continue allowing the toxic organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos in agriculture, and revoke all tolerances (allowed food residues) of the chemical. On the same day, Attorneys General (AGs) from seven states announced legal objections to Scott Pruittâs order, also calling for a reversal of the decision and a revocation of all tolerances. Allowing the continued use of chlorpyrifos runs counter to findings of independent science and EPAâs own scientists, which establish unacceptable risks to humans and the environment. The administrative appeal, filed by Earthjustice on behalf of 12 environmental, labor, and civil rights organizations, resulted from the decision by EPA to allow the use of chlorpyrifos while it studies the safety of the chemical. The seven AGs, in their filing, are charging that EPA wrongfully approved the continued use of chlorpyrifos in agriculture without first gathering and assessing the full safety data, as required by the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Many environmental groups spoke out in favor of these filings. âThereâs a good reason this dangerous toxin has been banned from indoor use for more […]
Posted in Birth defects, Chlorpyrifos, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Learning Disabilities, Nervous System Effects, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
Friday, June 2nd, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, June 2, 2017) According to a new study, levels of triclosan spike in the bodies of children after they brush their teeth or wash their hands. Triclosan, a controversial antimicrobial, is frequently added to consumer care products. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of triclosan in hand soaps, but it is still allowed in toothpaste and numerous plastic and textile products regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many companies had previously decided, due to consumer pressure, to remove triclosan from hand soaps years ahead of the FDA decision. Researchers collected and tested the urine of 389 mothers and their children âthree times during pregnancy, and then took between 1-6 samples from children between the ages of 1 and 8 years old. The researchers found triclosan in over 70% of samples taken. In the group of 8 year olds, they report that levels were 66% higher in the children that used hand soap. For those that wash their hands over five times a day, the levels increase more than four times in comparison to children who wash their hands once or less per day. For toothpaste, researchers find that children who had […]
Posted in Antibacterial, Birth defects, Children/Schools, Endocrine Disruption, Triclosan | No Comments »
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, May 11, 2017) On Monday, a federal judge in California ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when it issued 59 neonicotinoid insecticide registrations between 2007 and 2012 for pesticide products containing clothianidin and thiamethoxam. The original lawsuit against EPA, Ellis v. Housenger, was filed in March 2013, by beekeeper Steve Ellis and a coalition of other beekeepers and environmental groups, including Beyond Pesticides. The 2013 lawsuit focused on the EPAâs failure to protect pollinators from dangerous pesticides and challenged EPAâs oversight of the bee-killing pesticides, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, as well as the agencyâs practice of âconditional registrationâ and labeling deficiencies. According to George Kimbrell, Center for Food Safetyâs legal director and the lead plaintiffsâ counsel, âThis is a vital victory. Science shows these toxic pesticides harm bees, endangered species and the broader environment. More than fifty years ago, Rachel Carson warned us to avoid such toxic chemicals, and the courtâs ruling may bring us one step closer to preventing another Silent Spring.â The judge presiding over the case rejected claims by pesticide producers and their supporters that the plaintiffs failed to establish a causal link between the pesticides and the […]
Posted in Bayer, Clothianidin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Litigation, neonicotinoids, Pesticide Regulation, Thiamethoxam, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 24th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 24, 2017) After contributing $1 million to Donald Trumpâs presidential festivities, pesticide maker Dow Chemical Co. is asking the Administration to set aside previous findings of federal scientists across multiple agencies that confirm the risks that organophosphate pesticides pose to about 1,800 critically threatened or endangered species. This comes after the Administration abandoned plans to restrict the brain-damaging pesticide chlorpyrifos, also an organophosphate pesticide created by Dow, despite mountains of evidence that show the chemicalâs neurotoxic impacts on childrenâs brains. In letters sent to government officials, lawyers for Dow urge Administration officials and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set aside âbiological evaluationsâ that detail how three highly toxic organophosphate insecticides âchlorpyrifos, malathion and diazinonâ harm nearly all 1,800 threatened and endangered animals and plants, claiming the process to be âfundamentally flawed.â Federal agencies tasked with protecting endangered species âEPA, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Agricultureâ have worked for years to identify the risks posed by pesticides to threatened and endangered species under to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under Section 7 of ESA, states that any agency action must find that it âis not likely to jeopardize […]
Posted in Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Dow Chemical, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Malathion, Pesticide Regulation, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 19, 2017) Local activists in Illinois were handed a victory on Monday when a judge granted a temporary restraining order to shut down a construction project due to the presence of the rusty patch bumblebee, a recently listed endangered species. The group Stop Longmeadow, in reference to the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor project, filed the lawsuit, Case: 1:16-cv-05435, based on the fact that the rusty patch bumblebee has been found in the Brunner Forest Preserve, which borders 5.6 miles of the corridor project. Defendants, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, argue that the scheduled construction will not affect bumblebee habitat. The court rejected their position, however, siding in the plaintiffs by finding âthe balance of harms weighs in favor of the plaintiffs and against the public’s interest in reduced traffic congestions.â The restraining order was issued by Judge Sharon Coleman in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. Based on the evidence presented by the plaintiffâs motion, Judge Coleman reasoned that âa brief stay to the project is warranted.â She went on to point out that, contrary to […]
Posted in Habitat Protection, Illinois, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Sunday, April 16th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, April 19, 2017) Local activists in Illinois were handed an exciting victory on Monday when a judge granted a temporary restraining order to shut down a construction project due to the presence of the rusty patch bumblebee, a recently listed endangered species. The group Stop Longmeadow, in reference to the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge Corridor project, filed the lawsuit, Case: 1:16-cv-05435, based on the fact that the rusty patch bumblebee has been found in the Brunner Forest Preserve, which borders 5.6 miles of the corridor project. The defendants, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, argue that the scheduled construction will not affect bumblebee habitat. The court rejected their position, however, siding in the plaintiffs by finding âthe balance of harms weighs in favor of the plaintiffs and against the public’s interest in reduced traffic congestions.â The restraining order was issued by Judge Sharon Coleman in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. Based on the evidence presented by the plaintiffâs motion, Judge Coleman reasoned that âa brief stay to the project is warranted.â She went on to point out that, […]
Posted in Biodiversity, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Agencies, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Habitat Protection, Illinois, Litigation, Pollinators, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, March 31st, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, March 31, 2017) On Wednesday, Scott Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rejected the conclusions of EPA scientists, and independent scientific literature, and reversed a tentative decision from 2015 to revoke food residue tolerances of chlorpyrifos due to the chemicalâs neurotoxic impacts. This would have effectively banned chlorpyrifos from agriculture. This decision stemmed from a petition and lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)  ten years ago, calling for EPA to revoke all chlorpyrifos tolerances and cancel all registrations. A Federal Appeals court mandated that EPA take final action by March 31, 2017. Mr. Pruittâs decision leaves the door open for continued neurotoxic dangers for humans, especially children, who have been shown to be especially vulnerable to chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos is part of the organophosphate (OPs) class of pesticides, which were used in World War II as nerve agents. As potent neurotoxicants, organophosphates are extremely harmful to the nervous system, given that they are cholinesterase inhibitors and bind irreversibly to the active site of an enzyme essential for normal nerve impulse transmission. The scientific evidence of neurotoxic dangers associated with chlorpyrifos exposure is extensive and consistent. Epidemiological data also […]
Posted in Agriculture, Birth defects, Chlorpyrifos, Developmental Disorders, Dow Chemical, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Learning Disabilities, Litigation, Nervous System Effects, Pesticide Regulation, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
Friday, March 24th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, March 24, 2017) On March 21, the rusty patched bumblebeeâs path to protection cleared political hurdles this week. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on March 21 officially listed the rusty patched bumblebee under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), after months of turmoil due to the Trump Administrationâs temporary freeze on federal regulations adopted at the end of the Obama Administration. This listing stands as a landmark decision, marking the rusty patched bumblebee the first bumblebee species, and first bee overall in the continental U.S., to officially be declared endangered by FWS. In October 2016, FWS listed seven species of bees as endangered in Hawaii. The initial decision to list the rusty patched bumblebee as an endangered species came at the very end of President Obamaâs term, on January 11, to take effect in February. FWS said in its news release, “Causes of the decline in rusty patched bumble bee populations are believed to be loss of habitat; disease and parasites; use of pesticides that directly or indirectly kill the bees; climate change, which can affect the availability of the flowers they depend on; and extremely small population size. Most likely, a combination of these factors has caused the decline in rusty patched […]
Posted in Agriculture, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Federal Agencies, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Habitat Protection, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, neonicotinoids, Pollinators | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, March 22, 2017) Today, a coalition of farmers and environmental and public health organizations filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approving agrochemical giant Dow Chemicalâs toxic pesticide combo, Enlist Duo, among the newer more highly toxic pesticide mixtures used in genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-tolerant crops. Comprised of glyphosate and 2,4-D (50% of the mixture in the warfare defoliant Agent Orange), Enlist Duo is typically marketed alongside commercial crops like corn, cotton and soybeans that are engineered to withstand pesticide exposure, leading to problems of resistance and driving the evolution of super weeds. This is the third lawsuit challenging EPA approval of Enlist Duo by petitioners, which include Beyond Pesticides, National Family Farm Coalition, Family Farm Defenders, Pesticide Action Network North America, Center for Food Safety, and Center for Biological Diversity, represented jointly by legal counsel from Earthjustice and Center for Food Safety. The lawsuit charges that approval of Enlist Duo âwill lead to sharply increased spraying of toxic pesticides, harming farmers, neighboring crops, and wildlife.â Specifically farmersâ health and financial positions stand to be heavily impacted by the approval of Enlist Duo, as increased use will result in increased pesticide drift, an alarming concern especially […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Agriculture, Cancer, Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Pesticide Drift, Resistance, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Monday, March 13th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, March 13, 2017) Nearly 1 in 4 species of native bee is imperiled and at increasing risk of extinction. This, according to a new report from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), released earlier this month. The report is the first comprehensive review of the more than 4,000 native bee species in North America and Hawaii, and finds that more than half the species assessed are declining. With native bee decline increasing, advocates say it is imperative that action be taken to reduce toxic pesticide use and restore native habitats lost to chemical-intensive agriculture, urbanization, and climate change. The new analysis, Pollinators in Peril: A systematic status review of North American and Hawaiian native bees, reveals that more than 700 species are in trouble from a range of serious threats, including severe habitat loss and escalating  pesticide use. Key findings include: (1) among native bee species with sufficient data to assess (1,437), more than half (749) are declining; (2) nearly 1 in 4 (347 native bee species) is imperiled and at increasing risk of extinction; (3) many of the bee species lacking sufficient data are also likely declining or at risk of extinction, highlighting the urgent need for additional […]
Posted in Announcements, Habitat Protection, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Litigation, Pollinators, Take Action, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Thursday, February 16th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, February 16, 2017) On Tuesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) sued the Trump administration for reversing a February 10 rule, published in the Federal Register, that designated the Rusty Patched Bumblebee an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The reversal of the endangered species listing establishes a new review period until March 21. As to their reasoning for such a sudden change, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) cited the White House memo instructing federal agencies to postpone the effective date of any regulations that had been published in the Federal Register, but not yet in effect. As discussed several days ago, the order by the Trump administration means that despite FWSâ determination that without federal action the species will likely become endangered, the Trump administration has 60 days to evaluate the decision for the purpose of âreviewing questions of fact, law, and policy.â The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, argues that FWS violated the notice and comment requirements of public rulemaking for the delay on the bumblebee listing. In the lawsuit, NRDC states that, âWithout valid explanation, opportunity for public input, or other legally required process, FWS […]
Posted in Litigation, National Politics, neonicotinoids, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 14th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, February 14, 2017) Less than one month after the Rusty Patched Bumblebeeâs listing as âthreatenedâ under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Trump Administration has reversed the order. On his first day in office, President Trump issued a memo instructing federal agencies to postpone the effective date of any regulations that had been published in the Federal Register, but not yet in effect. This order means that despite FWSâ determination that without federal action the species will likely become endangered, the Trump administration has 60 days to evaluate the decision for the purpose of âreviewing questions of fact, law, and policy.â Advocates for the imperiled species are urging the administration to allow the Rusty Patched Bumblebee to officially become the first bumblebee federally recognized under ESA. Although the Rusty Patched was once widespread throughout the United States and parts of Canada, it declined dramatically in the 1990’s, and now their populations are estimated to be less than 10% of what they once were.  On its website, FWS lists a number of threats to the Rusty Patched, including pesticides, habitat loss, disease, climate change, and intensive farming practices. Insecticides known as neonicotinoids, […]
Posted in Announcements, Beneficials, Chemicals, neonicotinoids, Pollinators, Take Action, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Friday, February 10th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, February 10, 2017) On Wednesday, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), along with Public Citizen and the Communications Workers of America, sued the Trump administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in an attempt to block an executive order (EO) mandating that federal agencies zero out costs to regulated entities, while ignoring benefits to the public, environment, and natural resources. The so-called âTwo for Oneâ order requires agencies to propose the repeal of two regulations for every new regulation that is proposed. The Executive Order in question mandates that new rules have a net zero cost to regulated entities in fiscal year 2017, with no mechanism for taking into account the value of benefits they provide in the form of public protection. According to the complaint, âthe Executive Order directs agencies to disregard the benefits of new and existing rulesâincluding benefits to consumers, to workers, to people exposed to pollution, and to the economyâeven when the benefits far exceed costs. The Executive Orderâs direction to federal agencies to zero out costs to regulated industries, while entirely ignoring benefits to the Americans whom Congress enacted these statutes to protect, will force agencies to take regulatory […]
Posted in Beneficials, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Events, National Politics, State/Local, Washington D.C. | No Comments »
Friday, January 27th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, January 27, 2016) Last week, farmers, environmentalists, and conservation groups filed a federal lawsuit that challenges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of a new formulation of the toxic herbicide dicamba. The new formulation is called Xtendimax with Vapor Grip Technology, which is claimed to have lower volatility. The petitioners claim that EPA violated its duties under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) in issuing a conditional registration, and that it did not adhere to duties under the Endangered Species Act that require EPA to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure registration would not harm any listed species. The organizations involved in the lawsuit are National Family Farm Coalition, Pesticide Action Network North America, Center for Food Safety, and Center for Biological Diversity, represented by legal counsel from Earthjustice and Center for Food Safety. Dicamba has caused a lot of controversy in the past. In August 2016, farmers in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee confronted widespread crop damage and braced for lower yields as a result of agrichemical giant Monsantoâs botched roll-out of GE soybean and cotton crops. The company, whose current line of glyphosate-tolerant crops are failing to control weeds throughout […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Chemicals, contamination, Contamination, Corporations, Dicamba, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Label Claims, Missouri, Monsanto, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, Resistance, State/Local | No Comments »
Monday, January 23rd, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, January 23, 2017) Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  released its final Biological Evaluations of Three Chemicalsâ Impacts on Endangered Species, which finds that chlorpyrifos and malathion likely have detrimental effect on 97 percent of all species listed and protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), while diazinon adversely affects 78 percent. According to EPAâs release on the subject, this is the âfirst-ever draft biological evaluations analyzing the nation-wide effectsâ of these registered chemicals on endangered species after decades of widespread use. The evaluations stem from a legal settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) in which CBD sued EPA in April 2014 for its failure to comply with ESA, which requires the agency to carry out consultations with federal wildlife agencies while registering pesticides. According to Nathan Donley, Ph.D., a CBD senior scientist, âWeâre now getting a much more complete picture of the risks that pesticides pose to wildlife at the brink of extinction, including birds, frogs, fish and plants. When it comes to pesticides, itâs always best to look before you leap, to understand the risks to people and wildlife before theyâre put into use. The EPA is providing a reasonable assessment of those risks, many of which can be […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Chemicals, Chlorpyrifos, contamination, Diazinon, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Malathion, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 18th, 2017
(Beyond Pesticides, January 18, 2017) Despite science affirming its hazards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded the registration of the toxic herbicide mixture, Enlist Duo, which contains 2,4-D and glyphosate, for use on genetically engineered (GE) cotton and extended its use on GE corn, soybean, and cotton from 15 to 34 states. This approval late last week comes at a time when widespread chemical use is threatening public health and the environment and weed resistance continues to grow, threatening farmers’ productivity and profitability. Over 600 public comments were submitted to EPA on this issue, with many comments vehemently opposing the current uses and the proposed expansion of uses. In its decision, EPA stated that Enlist Duo âmeets the safety standard for the public, agricultural workers, and non-target plants and animal species.â However, as Beyond Pesticides stated in comments to the agency, EPA has not fully considered all the environmental costs, including the cost of tackling increased 2,4-D resistant weeds, crop and non-target damages from uncontrolled drift, as well as unanswered questions regarding synergistic chemical effects in non-plant species. Advocates predict weed resistance to Enlist Duo and have urged EPA to reject its continued use and incentive sustainable organic practices. Additionally, […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Agriculture, Announcements, Chemicals, Contamination, contamination, Corporations, Dow Chemical, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, Resistance | No Comments »
Friday, November 11th, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides, November 11, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered a new formulation of dicamba to control weeds in cotton and soybean crops that have been genetically engineered (GE) to tolerate the chemical. The new formulation is called Xtendimax with VaporGripâ Technology, which is claimed to be specifically designed to have lower volatility. The registration, which is time-limited, will automatically expire after two years. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, EPA ignored the legal requirement to explore threats to endangered species, approving this new formulation without considering impacts to species protected under the Endangered Species Act. This decision comes directly after EPA announced that it is reapproving the toxic herbicide mixture Enlist Duo, and proposed to expand the number of crops and states in which it can be used. Dicamba has been linked to damage of the kidney and liver, neurotoxicity, and developmental impacts. The chemical has a strong propensity to volatilize small particles of the herbicide into the air and drift far off-site. Sensitive crop species can be damaged by dicamba at levels in the parts per million.  A study published by Pennsylvania State scientists in late 2015 found dicamba drift was âfrequently responsible for […]
Posted in Chemicals, Corporations, Dicamba, Dow Chemical, Genetic Engineering, Resistance | No Comments »
Thursday, November 10th, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides, November 10, 2016) In the wake of the monumental decision to elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, Beyond Pesticidesâ work to protect public health and the environment is more critical than ever. On Tuesday, November 8, 2016  saw Mr. Trump prevail in winning the presidency, and Republicans hold on to their majorities in both the U.S. House and the Senate. In the coming months, the President-elect will deliberate on  cabinet appointments, which will impact pesticide and agriculture policy and the laws and regulations that have the capacity to protect citizens from the harmful effects of chemical intensive practices. According to an article in Scientific American, Donald Trump may  select Myron Ebell, âone of the best-known climate skepticsâ and director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, to lead his U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team. This represents a  blow to  the environmental movement, which has been building momentum to fight global climate change, transition to organic agricultural systems, and protect the public from the threat of corporate mergers that threaten farmers, rural communities, and consumers. Despite having few details on environmental policy, it is clear from Donald […]
Posted in Climate Change, Washington D.C. | 2 Comments »
Friday, November 4th, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides, November 4, 2016) After withdrawing in January its registration approval for the toxic herbicide mixture Enlist Duo, for use in genetically engineered (GE) crops, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  announced  this week that it is not only reapproving  the chemical combination, but it is proposing to expand the number of crops and states in which it can be used. The expanded registration will allow the use of Enlist Duo on GE cotton and extend use to GE corn, soybean, and cotton from 15 states to 34 states. This follows an EPA review triggered by manufacturer claims that Enlist Duo ingredients have synergistic effects, which EPA had not evaluated. According to EPA, its latest review of the data found no synergistic effects. Ironically, this EPA-proposed expansion of pesticide use in GE crops across the U.S. comes on the heels of a front page Sunday New York Times exposĂŠ  that concludes “genetically engineered crops fail to increase yields and reduce pesticide use,” despite continuing claims to the contrary. Developed by Dow AgroSciences (Dow), Enlist Duo is an herbicide that incorporates a mix of glyphosate and a new formulation of 2,4-D, intended for use on GE Enlist-Duo-tolerant corn and soybean crops. […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Chemicals, Corporations, Dow Chemical, Endocrine Disruption, Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Resistance, Take Action, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Monday, October 24th, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides, October 24, 2016) Systemic neonicotinoid (neonic) exposure is associated with reductions in colony size and changes in foraging behavior, according to a recent field study done by a team of scientists at Imperial College London. The senior author of the study, Richard Gill, Ph.D., stated that when neonicotinoid âexposure is relatively persistent and combined with other stressors associated with land use change, they could have detrimental effects at the colony level.â The study, Impact of controlled neonicotinoid exposure on bumblebees in a realistic field setting, assesses the effect of exposure to the neonic, clothianidin, on bumblebee foraging patterns and colony size. Clothianidin was given to 20 buff-tailed bumblebee colonies for five-weeks in a sugar solution at a concentration of 5 parts per billion, an environmentally relevant level of the pesticide. A bumblebee colony census was done before and after the field experiment, where the number of eggs, larvae, pupae, and workers bees were recorded along with the wax and pollen stores in the colony. The researchers found that the clothianidin treated colonies had fewer workers, drones and reproductive female bees compared to the colonies with no exposure. These data add to the growing body of research on sub-lethal […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Chemicals, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, neonicotinoids, Persistence, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Friday, October 7th, 2016
(Beyond Pesticides, October 7, 2016) For the first time in U.S. history, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has added a group of bees to the list of Endangered Species. FWS published a final rule last Friday that  declares seven species of yellow-faced bees (genus Hylaeus) that are native to Hawaii as endangered. This announcement immediately follows last weekâs news that FWS has proposed listing the rusty patched bumble bee as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). While the decision is great news for these bees and the environmental groups who have fought to protect them, there is still much work that needs to be done, and FWS says that it needs additional time to identify specific areas to be designated as critical habitat for the endangered bees. Further, though FWS has identified many threats to bees, including habitat loss and degradation due to urbanization, and other human activities, the final rule does not specifically point to pesticides. However, there is an overwhelming amount of research demonstrating that neonicotinoid insecticides, working either individually or synergistically, play a critical role in the ongoing decline of bees and other pollinators. Neonicotinoids have been linked to a range of […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »