Ugg
Nov 2, 2003, 09:37 AM
gw & co. have been rather consistent in their use of Fridays to release news about the "deregulation" of environmental protection. The latest is atrazine, it's a weedkiller mostly used in the production of corn.
Link (http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/natrazine.asp)
In 2002, the EPA for the first time proposed a standard to restrict atrazine in waterways to 12.5 parts per billion, a level criticized by environmentalists as unsafe. Despite the disturbing new evidence about its health effects, the agency now says it intends to adopt a level three times higher than it had initially proposed, permitting atrazine in lakes, rivers and streams used as sources of drinking water to reach 37.5 parts per billion. The about-face is apparently the result of its closed-door negotiations with Syngenta. The subsequent pollution will endanger public health, particularly where water utilities do not treat for atrazine, and threaten the survival of aquatic plants and wildlife.
The EPA's backroom dealings were in direct violation of its own regulations, which require public records of meetings with industry representatives, and prohibit relying solely on these meetings to formulate agency policies.
Syngenta is actually a Swiss company so this is not a matter of US protectionism but rather a disregard for human health in favor of business in general. Several EU countries have banned its use due to changed sex organs in frogs and studies showing increased prostate cancer in men who apply atrazine.
Maybe this is ultimately about population control?!?!
Link (http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/natrazine.asp)
In 2002, the EPA for the first time proposed a standard to restrict atrazine in waterways to 12.5 parts per billion, a level criticized by environmentalists as unsafe. Despite the disturbing new evidence about its health effects, the agency now says it intends to adopt a level three times higher than it had initially proposed, permitting atrazine in lakes, rivers and streams used as sources of drinking water to reach 37.5 parts per billion. The about-face is apparently the result of its closed-door negotiations with Syngenta. The subsequent pollution will endanger public health, particularly where water utilities do not treat for atrazine, and threaten the survival of aquatic plants and wildlife.
The EPA's backroom dealings were in direct violation of its own regulations, which require public records of meetings with industry representatives, and prohibit relying solely on these meetings to formulate agency policies.
Syngenta is actually a Swiss company so this is not a matter of US protectionism but rather a disregard for human health in favor of business in general. Several EU countries have banned its use due to changed sex organs in frogs and studies showing increased prostate cancer in men who apply atrazine.
Maybe this is ultimately about population control?!?!
