On August 3rd I wrote about industrial chemicals that are introduced into our environment even though that have no known natural analogues. This means they are unlike any natural occurring chemicals, and their effect on us and the environment is unknown. Testing of these materials takes place, but it is rarely long term or comprehensive enough. So, we are at risk.
Here is a specific example of one that was let out of the lab too soon and is now used in 80 countries including the US but was banned by the EU in 2004.
Atrazine is a herbicide that may cause a variety of cancers and harm human and animal reproductive and hormone systems. The word “may” in the previous sentence is a relatively small word with only three letters, but it is a very large word for Syngenta. It translates into billions of dollars for Syngenta, the manufacturer of Atrazine. Since no governmental or private scientific organization has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Atrazine is carcinogenic or harmful to reproductive systems Syngenta feels they have the right to produce it.
What about our rights? The EU felt the risk was too great 5 years ago so it banned Atrazine. This was not some arbitrary decision. Studies were done, results were examined, and finally a decision was made. This was a well thought out decision in favor of possibly saving lives.
Syngenta’s corporate goal is to increase crop productivity, a good thing. While possibly causing human and environmental harm while doing this, a bad thing. Simple solution: Stop doing the bad thing. Last year Syngenta’s sales were 11.6 Billion. So they make a little less and possibly save some lives; sounds like a more reasonable course of action then what they are doing now.
The irony in all of this is quite scary. Syngenta works to increase crop productivity to better feed an ever increasing world population. Also possibly decreasing world population by introducing a herbicide that could disrupt our reproductive systems.
In the meantime I’ll stick to organically produced products.
Since no governmental or private scientific organization has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have any common sense it then makes you feel that it's right to post such drivel.
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