2,4-D In The News
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2,4-D In The News
Date:
Wed, 10 Jul 2002 15:40:01 -0400
From:
Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide
Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Wednesday, July 10, 2002
- The Ottawa Citizen
Letters To The Editor - Pesticide Directions Aren't Followed
Re: Handbook clears 2,4-D, July 5.
When pesticide defenders such as the Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data try to convince us that pesticides are harmless to humans, they use qualifying words "when used according to label directions."
This is a crucially important phrase because virtually all labels warn against contact with skin, eyes and lungs. And this amounts to the necessity for all applicators, and all those within exposure distance, to wear full face masks, chemical workers' eye goggles, chemically impervious outer clothing and rubber gloves and boots, according to recommendations on pesticide Material Safety Data Sheets, and from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
So when was the last time anyone saw such protective gear being worn? Sunglasses and rubber boots are all that sprayers wear because their employers are not required to give them full toxicological and such protective gear information, and they wouldn't want to "alarm the public" regarding the toxicity of such products.
Even pesticide manufacturers acknowledge that such products can cause serious damage to human health. Material safety data sheets, although not standardized and voluntarily produced, are often very revealing sources of information, if people can obtain them.
When I testified before the House of Commons standing committee on environment that exposure to Par 3 can cause "nausea, vomiting and muscular weakness, and prolonged or repeated exposure may lead to liver or kidney damage or central nervous symptoms," the source of my information was Weed Man's data sheet on Par 3, obtained from the manufacturers, United Agri Products.
Manufacturers and applicators will not tell us what other toxic products they mix their pesticides with. That's confidential business information.
Peggy Land,
Gloucester
© Copyright 2002 The Ottawa Citizen
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July 10, 2002 - The Ottawa Citizen - Some Risks
Even if 2,4-D were used according to instructions, it still may pose health risks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's hazard summary (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/di-oxyac.html) states that there is an increased incidence of human tumour formation; chronic exposure results in effects on the blood, liver, and kidneys in animals; and at high concentrations affects the human nervous system. These studies are done in relation to adults and not children. The hazard summary also states that the EPA has not classified 2,4-D as to its human carcinogenicity.
Chris Jalkotzy
Ottawa
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