California Ignores Its Own Scientists on Dangerous Pesticide

[marmar]

from Civil Eats:



California Ignores Its Own Scientists on Dangerous Pesticide

August 31st, 2011
By David Lawlor


Spraying a cancer-causing poison on California’s farm fields sounds like some dastardly plot hatched by a Batman super-villain. Unfortunately, reality is often scarier than fiction. In December 2010, the State of California approved the known carcinogen methyl iodide for use on the state’s farm fields. Yes, you read that right—a chemical that actually causes cancer was approved to be sprayed on the fields that grow the Golden State’s most prized crops.

Earthjustice promptly filed a lawsuit in January challenging the state’s approval of the toxic pesticide. As a result of the lawsuit, Earthjustice recently obtained internal documents detailing dire warnings about methyl iodide from scientists at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Unfortunately, those dire warnings fell on deaf ears and then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved methyl iodide for use.

“These smoking gun memos show that state officials cherry-picked calculations to support their preferred outcome of approving methyl iodide instead of letting science guide their decision-making,” said Susan Kegley, PhD, Consulting Scientist with Pesticide Action Network North America. “Ignoring the science and prioritizing the needs of the manufacturer has put the health and safety of Californians at great risk.”

Methyl iodide, produced by the agri-chemical concern Arysta LifeSciences, is a highly toxic pesticide that kills weeds, insects, nematodes, soil borne pathogens, and basically anything else that lives below ground. The chemical is most threatening to the men and women who work in California’s strawberry fields where the majority of the pesticide will be applied. Those farm workers risk eye irritation, nausea, central nervous system disorders, late-term miscarriages, and the aforementioned cancer. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://civileats.com/2011/08/31/california-ignores-its-own-scientists-on-dangerous-pesticide/

[valerief]

1. It's all okay, as long as rich people are getting richer. That's all that matters in the world.

:grr: