United Nations Science Panel Urges Ban on Toxic Pesticide

A key U.N. science panel is urging governments worldwide to ban the widely used pesticide called endosulfan. The pesticide is used on fruits and vegetables as well as cotton. Endosulfan is known to cause nerve damage to both humans and wildlife. Evidence also shows it can harm the environment through spray drift and run off. 60 countries have already banned the use of the pesticide including the United States. Scientists say use of the pesticide should be phased out completely. A spokesman for the U.N. Environment Program says governments will decide whether to follow the recommendations at a meeting of leaders at the so-called Stockholm Convention on harmful chemicals in April 2011. 31 scientists make up the U.N. panel called the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee.

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Source:  DoYourPart.com

Australian Government Bans Toxic Pesticide 'Endosulfan'

Reversing previous rulings that claimed that the toxic pesticide endosulfan was “safe,” the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announced its decision Tuesday to finally cancel the registration of the highly hazardous chemical. Recent assessments by the Australian government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC) concluded that the prolonged use of endosulfan is likely to lead to adverse environmental effects via spray drift and run-off, and that these long-term risks could not be mitigated merely through use restrictions or label changes. Australia joins over 60 countries, including to the U.S. to have banned endosulfan.

 

Endosulfan is an organochlorine insecticide that was first registered for use in the U.S. in the 1950s. It is an endocrine disruptor and exposure in male children may delay sexual maturity and interfere with sex hormone synthesis. Endosulfan also decreases semen quality, sperm count, spermatogonial cells, and sperm morphology, and contributes to other defects in male sex hormones. It is volatile, persistent, and has a high potential to bio-accumulate in aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Two-headed bass, for example, were found in the Noosa River resulting from surrounding pesticide drift from neighboring farms in Queensland, Australia. The pesticides, endosulfan and carbendazim, were implicated in the contamination of the river, which has yielded thousands of chronically deformed fish.

In December 2009, the Stockholm Convention Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) recommended that urgent “global action” was needed to address health and environmental impacts of the toxic pesticide. Scientific experts at the POPRC concluded that endosulfan is likely to cause significant adverse human health and environmental effects as a result of the chemical’s medium- and long-range transport on a global scale and subsequent accumulation in nearly all environmental media.

In June, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would take action to end all uses of the insecticide endosulfan, deciding that new data presented to the agency in response to its 2002 Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED), which shows that risks faced by workers are greater than previously known. In completing revised assessments, EPA concluded that endosulfan’s significant risks to wildlife and agricultural workers outweigh its limited benefits to growers and consumers. EPA also found that there are risks above the agency’s level of concern to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, as well as to birds and mammals that consume aquatic prey which have ingested endosulfan.

EPA’s decision followed a lawsuit that was filed on behalf of environmental and farmworker groups, including Beyond Pesticides, on July 24, 2008. The suit cited a glaring omission in the EPA’s decision in its failure to consider risks to children: a 2007 study found that children exposed to endosulfan in the first trimester of pregnancy had a significantly greater risk for developing autism spectrum disorders. It also poses risks to school children in agricultural communities where it has been detected at unsafe levels in the air. In addition, endosulfan has been found in food supplies, drinking water, and in the tissues and breast milk of pregnant mothers.

According to APVMA, endosulfan will be discussed in October 2010 at a scientific advisory meeting of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. This meeting will determine whether to recommend to the Conference of the Parties meeting in April 2011 to globally ban or restrict endosulfan. For more information on APVMA’s decision, see the agency’s Chemicals in the News page.

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Source: BeyondPesticides.org

Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Personal Care Products

The Story of Cosmetics, released on July 21st, 2010, examines the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced with Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the seven-minute film by The Story of Stuff Project reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products.

The Story of Stuff

Protect Canadians from Chemicals Linked to Breast Cancer [Petition]

Mother's Day March by Breast Cancer Action Montreal/Action Cancer du Sein de Montreal

This week, in a continuing effort to provide Alternatives to Pink, join with Breast Cancer Action Montreal to demand our government take a safety first approach by applying the Precautionary Principal to the management of environmental toxins linked to Breast cancer.

Tell our officials that you are concerned about your family’s health in the face of hazardous chemicals present in our home and body care products. Ask them to consider vulnerable populations like children, blue-collar workers, pregnant women and indigenous populations. DEMAND, that known, suspected or potential carcinogens be designated “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, CEPA 1999. Steps must also be taken to ban the use and importation of toxic substances, in all forms, including products containing carcinogens. The same policy holds for substances that are known or suspected genotoxins, mutagens, reproductive and developmental toxins.

Breast Cancer Action Montreal (BCAM) is a non-profit group that advocates for a serious search for the causes of the disease and its prevention.

HealthCanada has not responded for 5 days.

Health Canada (Government of Canada): Providing current, trusted and accurate information. Pour notre chaîne française, visitez www.twitter.com/santecanada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php

Source: Act.ly

'BedBug' Green Porno Starring Isabella Rossellini

Sundance's avante garde Green Porno series features Isabella Rossellini as various creatures mating. Directed, written by and starring Isabella Rossellini, her mini 'Pornos' called Seduce Me are five two-minute portraits which explore the unconventional seduction rituals of creatures ranging from bugs to cuttlefish.

"There's nothing porno about it," Rossellini says in the promotional introduction, "It's just fun!" And so it is, with Isabella donning foam, rubber, and latex costumes to become the bug-of-the-moment (usually, she's in the guise of the male insect, as they are seemingly always the aggressors). Rossellini's genuine interest is so infectious, one is alternately tickled, amusingly disgusted, enlightened, but left wanting more.

According to Schmoozequeen TV Rossellini was in Winnipeg recently filming Keyhole -- Guy Maddin's latest brainchild.

Additional Links:
Non-Toxic Bedbug Treatments

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Posted by Olga Krywyj

Non-Toxic Bedbug Treatments

 A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers
taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying
on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators. However, these measures pose more dangers than any perceived short-term benefit, as non-toxic alternatives are not widely discussed.

Bed bugs can be effectively controlled without the use of dangerous chemical pesticides. Heat treating infected spaces or items such as
furniture and laundering linens in hot water will kill bed bugs. Habitat modification, such as sealing cracks, and removing clutter,
can prevent an infestation from occurring.

Some steps you can take to treat for bed bugs include:

• Eliminate clutter –clutter provides places for bed bugs to hide!
Getting rid of as much clutter as possible will help you locate and
get rid of infestations.

• Caulk and Seal Crevices to prevent bed bugs from entering your home.

• Encase mattresses and box springs –make sure the encasement has been
tested for bed bugs and will not rip and does not contain synthetic
pesticides impregnated in the material. If left on, it will eventually
kill all bed bugs inside, and will make finding bed bugs on the
surface much easier.

• Laundering Fabrics and Clothing – run clothing through 30 minutes or
a full cycle at the hottest setting the fabric will allow. Dry clean
only clothes can simply be put into the dryer. If the fabric is too
delicate for the hottest temperature, place it on a lower heat setting
and let it run for the full cycle. Be sure to use a different bag for
infested clothing and clean clothing, or, better yet, wash the bag
with the clothing! Seal non-essential clothing in a plastic bag for
the duration of treatment.

• Vacuuming –this will only remove visible bed bugs. This is important
to help eliminate sources of food (dead skin!) and will get rid of
dead bugs. Use a stiff brush to dislodge eggs in cracks and crevices
and use a vacuum attachment that does not have bristles to get into
the corners. Be sure to discard the bag immediately after vacuuming,
or vacuum up a desiccating dust or some corn starch to prevent bed
bugs from spreading.

• Steam Treatment –if applied properly, steam treatment will kill all
stages of bedbugs. Move the nozzle over the bed bugs at a rate of 20
seconds per linear foot, and wrap a piece of fabric over the
upholstery nozzle to reduce water pressure to make sure bed bugs don’t
blow away. Many pest control companies have this as an option but due
to the amount of time it takes, don’t provide it, so make sure you ask
if this is available and request that it’s used.

• Heat Treatment –companies can use fans and a heat source to heat an
area (either a whole room or a smaller container) to 120 degrees F.
Ambient heat can provide complete control of bed bugs if all areas of
infestation reach 120 degrees F.

The bedbug problem has worsened and spread to more states across the
U.S. This prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to
issue a warning this month against the indoor use of chemicals meant
for the outside. The agency also warned of an increase in pest control
companies and others making “unrealistic promises of effectiveness or
low cost.” EPA also cautions against the use of a product or pest
control operators that treat homes with products that are not named to
control bed bugs on the product label. In a joint statement on bed bug
control, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
EPA highlight emerging public health issues associated with bed bugs
in communities throughout the U.S. The statement provides background
information on the recent rise in bed bug problems, discusses the
public health implications of bed bug infestations, and stresses the
importance of controlling them with an integrated approach. It also
explains the role of government agencies at the local, state, tribal,
and federal levels in better understanding the recent resurgence of
bed bugs and developing better ways to control them.

Bedbugs, infesting U.S. households on a scale unseen in more than a
half-century, have become largely resistant to commonly used
pesticides like pyrethroids. As a result, some homeowners and
exterminators are turning to more hazardous chemicals that can harm
the central nervous system, irritate the skin and eyes or even cause
cancer.

Ohio authorities, struggling against widespread infestations in
Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and other cities, petitioned EPA last
fall to approve the indoor use of the pesticide propoxur, which the
agency considers a probable carcinogen and banned for in-home use in
2007, due to concerns posed to children. About 25 other states are
supporting Ohio’s request for an emergency exemption. In comments to
the agency objecting the petition for propoxur, Beyond Pesticides and
other environmental and public health advocates urged the agency to
reject the request, citing the serious public health threat associated
with the chemical, as well as the availability of alternatives. EPA
rejected Ohio’s petition in June.

In the meantime, authorities around the country have blamed house
fires on people misusing all sorts of highly flammable garden and lawn
chemicals to fight bedbugs. Experts also warn that some hardware
products such as bug bombs and other pesticide products claim to be
lethal, but merely cause the bugs to scatter out of sight and hide in
cracks in walls and floors. Despite these warnings, many have resorted
to dangerous practices in an effort to rid bedbugs. A pest control
company in Newark, N.J., was accused in July of applying chemicals not
approved for indoor use throughout 70 homes and apartments units, even
spraying mattresses and children’s toys. In Cincinnati, an unlicensed
applicator saturated an apartment complex in June with an agricultural
pesticide typically used on golf courses. Seven tenants got sick and
were treated at the hospital. The property was quarantined, and all
tenants were forced to move. Authorities are pursuing criminal
charges.

Though propoxur is still used in pet collars, it is banned for use in
homes because of the risk of nausea, dizziness and blurred vision in
children. Steven Bradbury, director of the EPA’s pesticide program,
said the problem is that children crawl on the floor and put their
fingers in their mouths.
Critics in the pest control industry say that the federal government
is overreacting in its precautions aimed to protect children from
hazardous pesticides. Many in industry say other in-home pesticides
aren’t as lethal as propoxur, requiring several treatments that can
push extermination costs to $500 or $1,500, depending on the size of a
home. Marion Ehrich, PhD, a toxicologist at the Virginia-Maryland
Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, said the EPA is showing
appropriate caution. She said other scientists who have studied the
bedbug problem are not eager to see propoxur released in homes.

“Propoxur is not a silver bullet, and given time, bedbugs would likely
become resistant to it, too,” said Lyn Garling, an entomologist at
Penn State University.

Experts say it is going to take a comprehensive public health campaign
— public-service announcements, travel tips and perhaps even taxpayer-
funded extermination programs for public housing — to reduce the
bedbug problem. People can get bedbugs by visiting infested homes or
hotels, where the vermin hide in mattresses, pillows and curtains. The
bugs are stealth hitchhikers that climb onto bags, clothing and
luggage.

For more information on treating bedbugs, read our factsheet, “Bed
Bugs: Back with a Vengeance Detection, Prevention and Least Toxic
Control of Bed Bugs.”



Source: BeyondPesticides.org 

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