Fwd: Pesticide Action Update: Senator Jim Talent cuts fees for chemical corporations, North Carolina residents sickened, New report on pesticide resid

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From: Carolyn

Wolf [mailto:carwol@...] Yesterday I forwarded a petition to ask the EPA to not approved this DDVP; have just received further information on the impact of chemical corporations. Carolyn From: Pesticide Acton Network North America carwol@... Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 5:47 PM Subject: PANUPS: Senator Jim Talent cuts fees for chemical corporations, North Carolina residents sickened, New report on pesticide resid Home Resource Library Campaigns and Projects Act Now Donate Now About Us Site Help and Information A Weekly News Update on Pesticides, Health and Alternatives Senator Jim Talent cuts fees for chemical corporations, North Carolina residents sickened, New report on pesticide residues on produce and

more... November 09, 2006 Previous Issue Due to technical issues, the PANUPS sent on November 2nd, 2006 only reached a portion of our readers. The full issue is available in it's entirety here. These are the issues covered: .: U.S. seeks methyl bromide exemption under Montreal Protocol .: Protestors greet EPA Region 10 Administrator Elin .: Indonesian farmers prosecuted for breeding own seeds .:

New Zealand widows win campaign for methyl bromide investigation .: U.S. methyl bromide maker Albemarle turns to Internet auction .: Oregon unveils new pesticide use reporting program .: Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

conference For a list of recent PANUPS and more information, click here. Tell EPA No! to the Dangerous Organophosphate Pesticide (DDVP): Dichlorvos (DDVT) is a toxic pesticide used in home based pest strips, posing a significant health risk to families. DDVP is also dangerous for farmwokers,

who use the pesticide as a fogger, but aren't always provided effective protective gear. EPA is poised again to allow continued use of yet another organophosphate pesticide. Join PANNA in support of our partner NRDC to ban DDVP – submit your comments to EPA by November 13th, 2006 and help protect families, children and farmworkers. U.S. Senator proposes $10 million in cuts on import duties for chemical companies: During the 2005-2006 legislative year, Missouri Senator Jim Talent proposed forty- two bills that would reduce U.S. Customs $10 million. German pesticide

corporations BASF, Bayer and Syngenta (all headquartered in Europe); Monsanto, the American Chemistry Association and agrichemical industry trade group CropLife are among corporate interests that contributed over $600,000 to Talent’s campaign funding. The independent media website, ePluribusMedia has the details. Jim Talent lost his Senate seat in the Nov. 7 election, and may attempt to rush some of his legislation through the lame duck Congress. Congress calls for EPA Social Justice accountability: In response to an EPA Office of Inspector General report issued in Sept. 2006 that called for an review of the Agency’s performance on environmental justice, seventy-five members of Congress, including Representatives Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) and Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Kerry (D-MA), wrote a letter asking EPA Administrator “to immediately implement the recommendations of the report.” In their letter, the Congress members of Congress demanded EPA to "take real steps to combat the environmental injustices which continue to plague our low income communities." Read more. Hundreds sickened by North Carolina chemical and pesticide spill: "I think we are seeing the tip of the iceberg. I think they finally processed something that smelled so bad that we noticed it. We know this is bad stuff, but we have a million questions that still need to be answered, and any help that you can give us would be appreciated," declared chemist Dr. Lois Speaker. Over 750 residents of Fayetteville and Fulton Counties in North Carolina became ill from a spill from a waste treatment company of the chemical odorant propyl mercaptan—which produced the smell—and the organophosphate pesticide MOCAP (active ingredient ethoprop), which is more dangerous. Ethoprop is a PAN “Bad Actor” chemical, a carcinogen and nervous system toxicant. Speaker described the chemical to the Fayetteville News: "It directly attacks the nervous system in the body. It is the gift that keeps giving because it has an unusually long lifeline. ...you use one pound per acre and it's one of the most hazardous compounds to human health." The Peachtree City Council has appealed to state and federal authorities to make public whatever is discovered about the chemical mess. New food guide shows pesticide residue on

food: Environmental Working Group (EWG) issued its new Food Guide for assessing average pesticide residues on the produce we buy. Peaches, apples, and sweet bell peppers contained the highest residues, while onions and avocados had the lowest of those measured. EWG analyzed tests from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which had collected over 43,000 samples in 2000-2004. The report notes that washing produce does not eliminate all pesticide residue, and that peeling eliminates important nutrients. EWG advises to choose organic produce for the best protection from pesticides. Get the Food Guide from Environmental Working Group. Green businesses and customers gather in San Francisco: Organic food and clothing companies, green builders, non-profit organizations dedicated to sustainability issues, and visionary speakers will be joining tens of thousands at the Green Festival in San Francisco this week. Pesticide Action Network North America will be there, too, so stop by and say hello! We’ll have gift memberships available for the holidays there and online. Green Festival was convened in Washington D.C. in October, and a Chicago edition is scheduled for April 21-22, 2007. PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide. We gladly accept donations for our work and all contributions are tax deductible in the United States. Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) 49 St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax: (415) 981-1991 Email: panna@... Web: http://www.panna.org Unsubscribe me!

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