(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2008) In the wake of provincial laws banning lawn chemicals, the Canadian division of Home Depot announced on April 22, 2008 that it will stop selling traditional pesticides in its stores across Canada by the end of 2008 and will increase its selection of environmentally friendly alternatives. Home Depot Canada is the first major home improvement retailer to stop selling pesticides nationwide.The decision coincides with legislation introduced on April 23, which bans the sale and cosmetic use of pesticides on lawns, gardens and parks in the Canadian province of Ontario. Quebec passed a similar ban in 2003. Additionally, there are currently over 55 municipalities in Canada where the residential use, but not sale, of pesticides is banned. Other garden supply and grocery stores have also stopped selling pesticides in Ontario and Quebec, but the Home Depot decision will affect stores nationwide. Environmental and public health activists believe the provincial bans and Home Depot phase-outs demonstrate that the country has reached a tipping point. “I would say that now that we have Quebec and Ontario, there is huge pressure on the other provinces. The next obvious one would be British Columbia.” Gideon Forman, executive director of the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2008)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 this week issued a “stop sale, use or removal” order against Scotts Miracle Gro Co. and three affiliates, all of Marysville, Ohio, for illegal, unregistered and misbranded weed and fertilizer products with a cancer causing and endocrine disrupting pesticide ingredient. EPA will also issue a stop sale order to Scotts Lawn Care Service.Scotts has agreed to recall two products from all retail locations across the United States and to set up a process for consumers to safely return any unregistered products they may have purchased. EPA ordered the companies, collectively an international producer and distributor of lawn care products, to immediately stop selling and distributing the products which can be identified by the invalid “EPA registration number” listed on the package. Invalid registration number 62355-4 is marketed under names including “Garden Weed Preventer + Plant Food” and “Miracle Gro Shake ‘n’ Feed All Purpose Plant Food Plus Weed Preventer.” The active ingredient of this product is trifluralin, an herbicide that is a possible carcinogen and probable endocrine disruptor, among its health effects. Invalid registration number 538-304 is used primarily by Scotts Lawn Service, a lawn care company. It […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 22, 2008) Earth Day, traditionally celebrated by the United Nations on the spring equinox, became a U.S. national holiday proclaimed by Senators Gaylord Nelson and John McConnell on April 22, 1970. It is a time to celebrate our planet, and all the life giving natural resources and beauty that the Earth provides and which we too often take for granted. Most memorable holiday traditions involve family, friends, and of course, food. Building on this idea, the folks at the Organic Valley Family of Farms Cooperative joined with environmental and sustainable agriculture organizations to develop the Earth Dinner celebration. In developing the Earth Dinner idea, the organizers wondered, “Why doesn’t Earth Day have a tradition?” The Earth deserves a celebration too, and it made sense that an Earth Day tradition should revolve around local, sustainable and organic cuisine, and especially meaningful discussion about the impact farming has on the environment. Buying foods grown and distributed locally supports the local farmers, allowing them and their families to stay on the land. Buying foods that were grown using sustainable agricultural practices protects the soil and environment in countless ways. Going organic ensures that you are feeding your loved ones foods […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 21, 2008) A comprehensive review of 97 published studies comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods shows that organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants. The team of scientists from the University of Florida and Washington State University concludes that organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed. The findings are published in the Organic Centers’ report, New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-based Organic Foods. Nutrient levels were studied in 236 matched pairs of foods with scientifically valid results on the levels of ten nutrients, plus nitrates (high levels are undesirable because of food safety risks). Each matched pair contains a crop grown organically and another crop from a nearby conventional farm with similar soils, climate, plant genetics, irrigation systems, and nitrogen levels. In addition, the team ensured that the crops were picked at a comparable level of maturity, handled the same way after harvest, and tested in the same form using the same methods. The team reviewed the study design […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 11, 2008) The United States House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a report last month on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) failures that lead to the E.coli outbreak in spinach, which peaked in September 2006. When E.coli was discovered in package spinach, critics of organic agriculture and parts of the media were quick to target organic spinach as the source (starting something of a debunking “war”). NBC’s Today Show erroneously blamed organic agriculture (to which Beyond Pesticides responded here). However, the Congressional report lists a variety of failures on the part of FDA to ensure safe handling and packaging of spinach, citing a limited number of inspections and failure to enforce adequate sanitation and processing practices. The major faults found by the committee range from frequency and thorughness of inspections, to lack of enforcement, including: Packaged fresh spinach facilities were inspected only once every 2.4 years, less than half of FDA’s stated goals. FDA observed objectionable conditions during 47% of the packaged fresh spinach inspections [60% of which pertained to facility sanitation]. Despite observing objectionable conditions in packaged fresh spinach facilities, FDA took no meaningful enforcement action. FDA overlooked repeated violations. FDA […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 9, 2008) You have an opportunity to ask your U.S. Representative to stand up for the protection of health and the environment by joining with his/her colleagues in the U.S. Congress on a letter to stop a pro-pesticide amendment in the Farm Bill, which is still under consideration in a House-Senate Agriculture conference committee. The provision, and other substitute language now floating around, stops the U.S. Department of Agriculture from curtailing hazardous pesticide use through its conservation programs, either by targeting specific contaminants that are poisoning water or hurting wildlife, or facilitating a transition to organic practices. (See March 27, 2008 Daily News) Attached below is the “Dear Colleague” letter that your Rep. received from Reps. Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Donald Payne (D-NJ) and the letter s/he is being asked to sign that will go to the Farm Bill conferees. To sign on, tell your Rep. (get contact info here) to email Rep. Holt’s aide Michele Mulder [email protected] or call her at (609) 750-9365. “Dear Colleague” Letter to Your Member of Congress: Don’t Turn Back the Clock on Safer, Less-Toxic, More-Environmentally Friendly Pesticides! Dear Colleague: I am writing to ask you to join me on a letter […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 1, 2008) On March 27, many distinguished environmental health and justice advocates in addition to political leaders gathered in Los Angeles, CA to express their gratitude & praised the efforts of the Los Angeles Unified School District, (2nd largest in the nation) for working cooperatively for a decade with California Safe Schools (CSS), a children’s environmental health organization in creating the most protective pesticide policy for schools in the country. California Safe Schools (CSS) was formed by Robina Suwol in 1998, following an incident with her then 6-year-old son Nicholas, a student at Sherman Oaks Elementary School. Unaware students were present, a school gardener in a hazardous materials suit sprayed the herbicide Princep, creating a cloud of pesticide mist students were forced to walk through in order to reach their classrooms. Later, Nicholas, whose asthma had previously been under control, experienced a life-threatening asthma attack. Ms. Suwol’s initial research on a web site sponsored by Cornell University revealed that a single exposure to Princep could be very dangerous to children, and may cause tremors, convulsions & paralysis, among other symptoms. Further investigation revealed that many chemical pesticides commonly used in schools carry significant risks to growing children […]

Action: Stop Congress from undermining USDA’s ability through its conservation programs to (i) curtail dangerous pesticides that exceed safety thresholds or have not been fully tested, and (ii) advance the transition to organic production and land management. Issue: USDA should retain its discretionary authority to restrict or prohibit specific classes of pesticides as a condition for participating in conservation programs. Language now on the table as a conference amendment in current Farm Bill negotiations: “The Secretary shall not prohibit [or “discriminate against” in the House-passed Farm Bill] the use of specific registered pesticides or classes of pesticides as a pre-condition for participation in programs under that [conservation] subtitle,” known as the Goodlatte pesticide amendment, named for its original sponsor, minority leader in the House Agriculture Committee Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA). Threat: Conferees to the Farm Bill (Democrat and Republican Senators and Representatives from the Agriculture Committees of Congress who are negotiating the final Farm Bill language), are considering a provision included in the House Farm Bill (SEC. 11305) that would prohibit USDA from exercising its authority to restrict specific pesticides in its conservation programs. Time Frame: Conferees are debating this issue now and intend to resolve it in the next […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 25, 2008) According to a new study, Simplifying the Pesticide Risk Equation: The Organic Option, converting the nation’s eight million acres of produce farms to organic would reduce pesticide dietary risks significantly. The report provides the first-ever quantitative estimate of the degree to which pesticide risks from food can be eliminated through adoption of organic farming methods says report author Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., the Organic Center’s chief scientist. Less than three percent of the nation’s cropland produces fruits and vegetables. Yet, according to the report, these crops account for most of the pesticide risks from dietary exposure in domestically produced foods. If converting domestic cropland of organic is coupled with consumers choosing only imported produce that is certified organic, dietary pesticide exposure is reduced by 97 percent.Other findings in the report include: An analysis of the significantly greater pesticide risks linked to consumption of imported conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables, as compared to domestically-grown produce. Rankings of dietary risk levels in select conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables, arranged to help guide consumers seeking to minimize pesticide risks. Suggestions on how to meet dietary guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake in the winter, while also reducing pesticide exposures. An overview […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 14, 2008) An innovative pilot program integrating organic apple and organic pork production proves successful by decreasing pest problems and increasing farm profitability, according to the initial results of a one-year USDA Integrated Organic Program funded study.Jim Koan, owner of Al-Mar Orchards in Flushing, Michigan, had been fighting the plum curculio (PC) beetle, a major pest of pome and stone fruits. Mr. Koan decided to team up with David Epstein, Tree Fruit IPM Integrator with the Michigan State University IPM Program, to study a way to control the beetles without using hazardous pesticides. They are finding that hogs are the answer Mr. Koan was looking for. The pilot program results showed that in three days, twenty-seven, two-month old Berkshire hogs ate more than 98 percent of the dropped apples in one-acre plots, many of which were infested with PC larvae. Mr. Epstein found that the PC do not survive in the hog digestive system. Thus, subsequent summer feedings by the PC on apples decreased five-fold where hogs grazed. Without the hogs eating the PC infested apples, the larvae in the apples would have moved into the soil and later during the summer, re-emerged to feed on the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 10, 2008) Head lice affect an estimated 12 million people in the U.S. each year, and are rapidly becoming resistant to over-the-counter and prescription medications. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found that ivermectin, a compound produced by soil-dwelling bacteria, was 100 percent effective in killing head lice resistant to many standard treatments. Results were published in the January 2008 edition of the Journal of Medical Entomology. Although ivermectin is not well-absorbed through the skin, some public health advocates are concerned about its use on humans for lice and scabies. The National Pediculosis Association (NPA), a non profit agency, directs parents, health care professionals and child care providers to safer head lice control options via a standardized prevention approach focusing on routine screening, early detection and thorough combing and manual removal of lice and nits. NPA promotes this as a rational strategy over chasing lice with pesticides that offer more risk than benefit and have a well-documented history of lice resistance and failure.Most products used to treat head lice contain the insecticide pyrethrum, or its synthetic cousin permethrin, as the active ingredient. Over the past two decades, resistance to these chemicals has become a serious […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 6, 2008) The public is invited to a screening of the remarkable Rachel Carson film, A Sense of Wonder, opening at the D.C. Environmental film festival, March 12th at 7 pm at E Street Cinema in Washington, D.C. The film was shot last fall at Miss Carson’s cottage in Maine and is adapted from the one-person play of the same name. Bill Moyers of PBS said of the play, “I was deeply moved by Kauilani Lee’s incarnation of Rachel Carson in A Sense of Wonder. You cannot watch. . .without reflecting on universal themes – life death, the power of place, courage in growing old and speaking truth. You cannot walk away unmoved.” The film should have a great life spreading Miss Carson’s vital and timely words. The actress Kaiulani Lee with director Christopher Monger and co-producer Karen Montgomery bring Ms. Lee’s play based on the life and writings of environmentalist Rachel Carson to the silver screen. Ms. Lee will perform the play at the upcoming 26th National Pesticide Forum, Reclaiming Our Healthy Future, March 14, 7:30pm at the Clark Kerr Conference Center at the University of California, Berkeley. For directions, details on the film or general […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 4, 2008) Concern about environmental health and justice has exploded in our communities and around the world as a political and moral issue. One of the central threats, toxic pesticides, is directly linked to adverse health effects, particularly in children, and poisoning of the environment. We have learned enough in the last several decades since the publication of Silent Spring to make dramatic shifts away from toxic chemical dependency — as science increasingly links exposure to disease; insect, plant and bacteria resistance to chemicals multiplies; the energy and carbon footprint associated with pesticide use is documented; and the viability of sound and safe practices is realized. While the shift away from pesticide dependency has begun to take hold in communities around the world, conventional chemical intensive practices in agriculture and residential and institutional management continue to pose unjustifiable and unwarranted hazards. Regulatory standards and underlying laws accept unnecessary risks for workers that handle and work around pesticides and children who eat treated food, breathe contaminated air, or touch toxic surfaces. Studies link pesticides to cancer and immune, reproductive and nervous system damage. Subtle low level exposure effects that cause learning disabilities or impede brain function defy classical […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 14, 2008) Researchers have found what they are calling the first insect resistance in the field to genetically engineered plants that are modified to produce an insecticide called Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. The University of Arizona (UA) researchers, who have previously received research support from Monsanto and Cotton, Inc., are supportive of bioengineered crops and dismiss the findings of resistance, given that they are only in cotton and no other crops. The report, “Insect resistance to Bt crops: evidence versus theory,” is due out in the February issue of Nature. Concern about resistance has raised fears in the organic community that Bt, derived from natural soil bacterium, would be rendered ineffective as insect resistance spreads and this natural control collapses over time.In organic systems, composted manures and cover crops replace synthetic fertilizers, innovative weeding strategies are used instead of herbicides, beneficial insects and trap crops control insect pests, and alternatives to toxic defoliants prepare plants for harvest. Bt-resistant populations of the insect bollworm, Helicoverpa zea, were found in more than a dozen crop fields in Mississippi and Arkansas between 2003 and 2006. The bollworm resistance to Bt cotton was discovered when a team of University of Arizona […]

Reclaiming Our Healthy Future: Political change to protect the next generation, the 26th National Pesticide Forum, will be held March 14-16 at the University of California, Berkeley. This exciting environmental health conference is just about a month away, sign-up now to pay the pre-registration rate.Speakers, panels and workshops Many scientists, authors, community leaders and activists have been added to the Forum line-up, which already includes Arturo Rodriguez, Devra Davis and Tyrone Hayes. View the updated speaker list and schedule of events, which now includes a list of workshop topics. Bus tour of CA agriculture community Join the bus tour on Friday, March 14 to learn about the amazing efforts of activists from the San Joaquin Valley ­ the source of much of the state’s food for California, US and foreign markets. Tour begins at noon (meet at UC Berkeley Clark Kerr Conference Center). RSVP required. Travel and lodging We’ve found that inexpensive airfare is still available, but should be booked soon. Kayak seems to find good rates (round trip from Seattle $170; Chicago $285; New York & Washington, DC $300). Lodging in Berkeley is very tight the weekend of March 14-16. We recommend that you book your hotel now. A […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 8, 2008) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking for public input on its review of the chemical endosulfan, an antiquated and dangerous insecticide. Now is the time to go on record to protect children, farmworkers and rural communities from this harmful nerve toxin. Used in the U.S. on tomatoes, cotton and other crops, endosulfan harms the hormone system, and low levels of exposure in the womb have been linked to autism, male reproductive harm, and other birth defects. Acute poisoning can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, and in extreme cases, unconsciousness and even death. EPA’s own analysis shows that endosulfan endangers workers who handle it directly and those who work in endosulfan-treated fields. Endosulfan travels great distances, accumulates up the food chain, and poses grave risks to aquatic ecosystems. The European Union and several other countries have already banned endosulfan, and alternatives are available. It’s time the U.S. does its part to protect communities and the environment at home and around the world from this persistent organic pollutant. TAKE ACTION: Let EPA know that continued use of this unnecessary poison is unacceptable. Add your name to the petition today and forward to as many people as […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 7, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded more than $500,000 in federal grant funds to several states and non-profit organizations to be used for programs to educate health care providers and women of childbearing age on environmental health risks.The grants were provided to five states and non-profit organizations in Ohio, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, and Texas, and are to focus on educating women, especially pregnant women, on the hazards of environmental contaminants and hazards to children. Health issues such as exposure to mercury, lead, environmental tobacco smoke, chemicals, pesticides, drinking water contaminants, and indoor and outdoor air contaminants have been especially targeted. These grants are estimated to benefit 3,000 health care providers and 10,000 women of childbearing age.“We’re giving pregnant women information on how to avoid exposure to certain environmental hazards to give children a healthy start to life,” said Dona Deleon, acting director, Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education. “These grants help the public health community reach women during this important time in their lives.”According to the EPA, pregnancy is a time for joy and celebration, but it is also a time to be especially careful about the environment in which one […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 31, 2008) A study to be published in the February 2008 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives finds that children who eat a conventional diet of food produced with chemical-intensive practices carry residues of organophosate pesticides that are reduced or eliminated when they switch to an organic diet. The study is entitled “Dietary Intake and Its Contribution to Longitudinal Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure in Urban/Suburban Children” (Chensheng Lu, Dana B. Barr, Melanie A. Pearson, and Lance A. Waller) and includes authors from Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, and the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.According to the authors, “The objective of this article is to present the data of assessing young urban/suburban children’s longitudinal exposure to OP [organophosphate] pesticides in a group [of] young children participating in the Children Pesticide Exposure Study (CPES). The results from this study identify not only the predominant source of OP pesticide exposure but also the profile of exposures in children that are vital in formulating the strategies, both from the regulatory policy and personal behavior change perspectives, in reducing children’s exposures to OP pesticides.” The study design included 23 children, male and female, from the Seattle […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 30, 2008) A survey of 31 Australian strawberry growers conducted by a consumer watchdog revealed that almost all conventionally grown strawberries contained residues of pesticides. Several samples of the strawberries tested contained pesticide residues that exceeded the legal limit, and some even tested positive for pesticides banned for use on strawberries.Tests revealed that that 17 of the 27 samples of conventionally grown strawberries registered residues of at least two types of pesticide or fungicide. Four samples had traces of four different chemicals on the skin that had penetrated the fruit’s flesh as well. Choice, the chemical watchdog group that commissioned the survey, described the findings as alarming and calls on the Australian Government to remedy years of neglect over pesticide regulation, and to require independent, mandatory testing of all fruits and vegetables. “Analysis shows strawberries are more likely to have pesticide residues than other fresh fruit, and washing does not necessarily remove them,” said Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn. “Strawberries contain lots of nutrients but unfortunately they also tend to contain residues of pesticide”¦ [T]here are some concerns about long-term exposure to a mixture of different pesticides.” Jo Immig, the coordinator of National Toxics Network Inc, said the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 28, 2008) Reclaiming Our Healthy Future: Political change to protect the next generation, the 26th National Pesticide Forum, will be held March 14-16 at the University of California, Berkeley. Register now to pay the pre-registration rate. Recent speaker additions include Marla Cone, author of Silent Snow and environmental journalist with the Los Angles Times; Paul Saoke, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Kenya; and Ted Schettler MD, science director of the Science and Environmental Health Network. These speakers will be joining a line-up which already includes Arturo Rodriguez (UFW President), Devra Davis, Ph.D. (author and University of Pittsburgh professor of epidemiology) and Tyrone Hayes, Ph.D. (UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology). Also, actress Kaiulani Lee will perform A Sense of Wonder, her one-woman play based on the life and works of Rachel Carson. The conference themes are pesticides and health with a particular focus on  children and workers, a vision for a just and sustainable food system, and creating political change. A tentative schedule of events is now available on the Forum webpage. Marla Cone is one of the nation’s premier environmental journalists. She has 22 years of experience covering environmental issues, including 18 years at […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 16, 2008) As of January 2008, the UK’s leading campaigning and certification organization for organic food and farming bans man-made nanomaterials from all of its certified organic products. The Soil Association has become the first organization in the world to formally reject having nanomaterials in organic cosmetics, food, and textile products, and prohibits products made with nanoparticles from carrying the pro-organic group’s logo. In their press release, the association states that they are the first to take action against this hazardous, potentially toxic technology that poses a serious new threat to human health. While the group recognizes some potential benefits from nanotechnology, like its use in medicine and in the renewable energy sectors, there is insufficient evidence about the impact of nanotechnology on the environment and human health. The Soil Association Standard’s Board decided to ban manufactured nanoparticles as ingredients, in keeping with their organic standards and principles. The initiative stands at the core of the organic movement’s values of protecting human health. Soil Association policy manager, Gundula Azeez, said, “The Soil Association is the first organization in the world to ban nanoparticles. There should be no place for nanoparticles in health and beauty products or food. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 8, 2008) Reclaiming Our Healthy Future: Political change to protect the next generation, the 26th National Pesticide Forum, will be held March 14-16 at the University of California, Berkeley. Register now to pay the pre-registration rate. James Roberts, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina and co-author of Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings, and Jim Riddle, outreach coordinator for the University of Minnesota Organic Ecology program, have recently been added to the program. Previously announced speakers include Arturo Rodriguez (UFW President), Devra Davis, Ph.D. (author and University of Pittsburgh professor of epidemiology) and Tyrone Hayes, Ph.D. (UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology). Also, actress Kaiulani Lee will perform A Sense of Wonder, her one-woman play based on the life and works of Rachel Carson. Session topics include: Children’s health and public policy; Farmworker justice, organizing and consumer action; Building just and healthy food systems; Power of local activism to influence political change; Pesticides and the secret history of the war on cancer; Skills training sessions; DDT and malaria; Global warming and biofuels; Biomonitoring and pesticide drift; Lawns and landscapes; Managing indoor environments; Water quality and much more. Jim Riddle is outreach […]

Beyond Pesticides Daily News is taking a holiday break and will return on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 with restored energy and vision to keeping charging ahead. In the meantime, we would like you to tell us your wishes and vision for change in the new year as we seek to protect health and the environment. Please contribute your holiday wish(es) by commenting on this blog entry. Also, please consider a contribution to Beyond Pesticides this year. If you have already donated to the Beyond Pesticides’ program, we thank you deeply because you make it possible for us to continue our important work. We look forward to working with you to make 2008 a happy, healthy and pesticide-free year for you, your family, your community and those most threatened! We are thankful for all our members and supporters who enable Beyond Pesticides to be a strong voice that is working to protect our air, land, water and food at home, in the workplace and in the community. While you are writing your wish list for the new year, consider Beyond Pesticides vision for the New Year. 1. People recognize that it is a human right not to be poisoned by pesticides. […]