The widely used herbicide glyphosate has been judged 'safe', write Pete Farrer & Marianne Falck. But by the time it's used, it's in a 'formulation' with toxic surfactants, which escape EU regulation despite their known dangers. Germany alone has forbidden the use of the most dangerous surfactant - but is keeping its evidence secret.
Toxic glyphosate herbicides fly under the EU's regulatory radar Pete Farrer Marianne Falck | 12th September 2014 News Health Toxics Food Farming GMOs EU Regulation Corporations Germany …
Extensive, long running evidence for the cancer-causing effects of glyphosate, and other toxic impacts, have been ignored by regulators. Indeed as the evidence has built up, permitted levels in food have been hugely increased, writes Dr Mae Wan Ho.
Glyphosate is a disaster for human health Dr Mae Wan Ho | 30th April 2014 News Farming Toxics Regulation Health USA EU Science roundup-ultra-cut.jpg Extensive, long running evidence for the …
The health of Europe's citizens is on trial as the EU's food safety regulator challenges the World Health Organisation over glyphosate and cancer, writes Corporate Europe Observatory. On the WHO side, published, peer reviewed science, real world epidemiology and open processes. While the EFSA conclusion is based on secret industry studies and opaque procedures. Will science or realpolitik win the day?
EFSA and EU member states vs. WHO on glyphosate as carcinogen: can science win? Corporate Europe Observatory | 2nd December 2015 News Health Science Regulation EU Corporations Toxics …
The European Commission was guilty of maladministration and acted unlawfully in approving pesticides for which there was insufficient safety data, the EU Ombudsman has ruled. It must now reform its practices, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers, or face legal action.
'Unlawful'! EU's hasty approval of pesticides condemned Vanessa Amaral-Rogers | 22nd February 2016 News Food Farming EU Regulation Toxics Law farmer spraying field.jpg The European Commission was …
A federal judge has ruled that the US Environmental Protection Agency is under no obligation to force pesticide makers to disclose supposedly 'inert' ingredients in their products - even where those ingredients are seriously hazardous to health or environment.
Judge rules: no right to know hazardous pesticide ingredients Oliver Tickell | 14th June 2016 News Law Toxics Pesticides FOI Regulation USA pesticide-packs-cut.jpg A federal judge has ruled that the …
News headlines today suggest that a UN report on glyphosate residues has given the controversial herbicide a clean bill of health, writes Georgina Downs. But that's seriously misleading: the panel concludes that exposure to the chemical in food is unlikely to cause cancer. But that does not apply to those exposed to it occupationally or who live near sprayed fields.
No, the UN has not given glyphosate a 'clean bill of health' Georgina Downs | 17th May 2016 News Pesticides Health Toxics Un Regulation Media one.jpg News headlines today suggest that a UN report on …
As if melting ice in Polar bears' Arctic habitat was not enough, Norwegian scientists have found that organic pollutants such as pesticide residues are disrupting their thyroid and endocrine systems, adding a further threat to the species' survival.
Polar bears at risk from pollution as well as warmth Tim Radford | 24th April 2015 News Toxics Pollution Ecology Oceans Waste Arctic Mammals polar-bears-cut.jpg As if melting ice in Polar bears' …
Local authorities around the world are going pesticide-free following an initiative by a small town in Canada 25 years ago, writes Keith Tyrell. Now the movement is coming to the UK, with campaign groups setting up in towns, cities and rural communities to keep pesticides out of our streets, parks, playgrounds and allotments.
… Pesticide Action Network | 6th October 2015 Activism Cities Health Farming Toxics …
As scientific evidence grows of the many ways in which glyphosate - pipe-cleaner, herbicide and antibiotic - damages the environment and health, governments and regulators turn a blind eye, writes Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji, and the EU has even raised allowable residue levels. It's time for us all to put bans in place wherever we can!
Roundup - a converging pattern of toxicity from farm to clinic to laboratory Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji ISIS | 25th February 2015 News Health Food Farming Regulation Toxics glyphosate-chafer-cut.jpg As …
With EU ministers due to decide tomorrow on the future of the glyphosate in the EU, Colin Todhunter finds evidence of collusion between regulators and the corporations whose sales of the 'probably carcinogenic' herbicide add up to many billions of dollars a year - evidence that underlies a legal action alleging fraud by the European Food Safety Authority against the EU's 508 million citizens.
… corruption'? Colin Todhunter | 17th May 2016 Activism Pesticides Health Science Regulation …
This autumn the Monsanto Tribunal will assemble experts from around the world to set out the evidence against the global mega-corporation, which will stand accused of monstrous 'crimes' against people and the environment. The Tribunal's verdict will not be legally binding - this time. But on a future occasion, it may be.
Holding Monsanto to account: the People's Tribunal Heidi Chow | 4th August 2016 Comment Corporations Law Pollution Toxics Pesticides Ecocide vietnam-defoliation-cut.jpg This autumn the Monsanto …
Apparent 'victories' in the fight against toxic chemicals - like the EU's failure to re-approve glyphosate yesterday - are illusory, writes Jonathan Latham. The real problem is not one of specific 'bad actors', but the entire system that allows new, likely to be toxic compounds to pollute the environment in near-total ignorance of their impacts. It's time to take our campaigning to a whole new level.
The problem is not glyphosate, or DDT, or BPA - we must challenge the entire system! Jonathan Latham | 20th May 2016 News Toxics Pesticides Regulation Corporations Campaigning Science …
The devastating human impact of Syria's civil war may persist for decades to come as heavy metals and carcinogens in munitions end up in the environment, along with chemicals from destroyed industrial plants and stores. A long-term public health crisis is in the making.
Syria - the toxic footprint of war Pieter Both Wim Zwijnenburg | 13th July 2014 News War Toxics Oil Pollution Syria Health homs-children-cut.jpg The devastating human impact of Syria's civil war may …
Europe's top food safety regulator has ruled that the world's top selling herbicide, glyphosate, does not cause cancer - in defiance of the WHO and overwhelming scientific evidence. The decision opens the way for a 10-year EU re-approval next year, before its Chemicals Agency has released its own findings.
EFSA decides: no cancer risk from glyphosate The Ecologist | 13th November 2015 News Regulation EU Toxics Health Farming Corporations Science efsa-cut.jpg Europe's top food safety regulator has ruled …
Easy to miss in the New Year Honours list: a little-known civil servant for 'services to pesticides regulation'. But none the less shocking for that, writes Georgina Downs. Paul Hamey MBE is the very man who has been responsible for ensuring that rural residents receive no proper protection from repeated exposure to toxic mixtures of pesticides on nearby farms. Go figure.
Disgraceful 'Honour' for failing to protect people from poisons Georgina Downs | 18th January 2016 News Health Toxics Farming Regulation UK bateman-4000-cut.jpg Easy to miss in the New Year Honours …
Ever since its creation in 1970 the US-EPA has been a failing organization, writes Carol Van Strum in her review of 'Poison Spring' - serving the corporations it was there to regulate, falsifying data, suppressing the truth about pesticide toxicity, and crushing whistleblowers.
Poison Spring - the secret history of the EPA Carol Van Strum | 2nd April 2015 Reviews Regulation USA Corporations Toxics Health poison-spring-cut.jpg Ever since its creation in 1970 the US-EPA has …
A new study shows that the market-leading Roundup herbicide kills soil microbiota at concentrations 50 times lower than used in agriculture, writes Claire Robinson. The findings raise serious new concerns about the environmental impacts of glyphosate herbicides.
Monsanto's Roundup toxic to soil fungus at ultra-low doses Claire Robinson GMWatch | 5th May 2016 News Science Ecology GMOs Toxics Pesticides aspergillus-nidulans-cut.jpg A new study shows that the …
Chemical giant Bayer has failed in its attempt to sue Friends of the Earth Germany over its claims that its pesticide Thiacloprid harms bees. Now pressure is growing on the EU to add the neonicotinoid to the three already banned.
Bees victory in pesticide battle - Bayer libel action dismissed Oliver Tickell | 12th March 2015 News Law Germany UK EU Farming Toxics Corporations bayer-garten-schaedlingsfrei-calypso-150-ml-cut.jpg …
Forty years ago Monsanto carried out detailed studies of glyphosate and Roundup toxicity, write Richard Gale & Gary Null. But they have remained buried in filing cabinets ever since. Now a determined scientist has breached the wall of secrecy - and all the evidence is that Monsanto knew just how toxic its products were all along, while claiming they were 'safe as lemonade'.
Monsanto knew all along! Secret studies reveal the truth of Roundup toxicity Richard Gale Gary Null Progressive Radio Network | 18th September 2015 News Health Toxics Corporations Science Regulation …
The global pesticide and bioscience giant Monsanto is a byword for evil for millions of campaigners and concerned citizens, writes JP Sottile. But that has never stopped it getting its way with the people that matter - politicians and regulators. And now the company is on the verge of biggest victory ever - winning clearance to spray biologically active RNA sequences on US crops.
While we all fixate on glyphosate, Monsanto prepares its next GM trick: RNA pesticides JP Sottile | 11th April 2016 News Corporations Farming Toxics Health Regulation USA Law Politics …
Chemical and pesticide industry lobbyists are striving to abolish the European precautionary principle in favour of a so-called 'science-based' approach, write Lora Verheecke & Laura Große. If the EU succumbs to the spin, human health and the environment across Europe will be sacrificed to corporate profit.
Europe must resist chemical industry attacks on health and environment Lora Verheecke Laura Große | 12th October 2016 Comment Corporations EU UK Brexit Toxics Pesticides Health eye-cut.jpg Chemical …
The EU's 'rapporteur state' on glyphosate, Germany, has recommended re-approval of the herbicide with its daily intake increased by 67%, write Drs Nancy Swanson and Mae Wan Ho. The verdict is based on a re-assessment carried out by Monsanto and a consortium of chemical companies, based on unpublished industry studies. It should be rejected outright.
Naked corruption: the scandal of glyphosate re-assessment in Europe Dr Nancy Swanson Dr Mae Wan Ho | 24th August 2015 News Toxics Corporations Regulation EU USA Sri Lanka efsa-cut.jpg The EU's …
A new wave of ‘next generation' GM crops resistant to multiple herbicides, may be approved for import into the European Union, writes Helen Wallace, even though the health impact of the herbicide combinations is unknown. Regulators and retailers must refuse to authorise these GMOs or allow their use in any part of the food chain.
Regulators and retailers must stop ‘next generation' GMO imports Helen Wallace | 20th November 2015 Comment GMOs Farming Food Toxics Health Regulation EU palmers-amaranth-cut.jpg A new wave of ‘next …
After an apparent cave-in to Europe's pesticide industry, the European Food Safety Authority's latest guidance on pesticides conflicts with European law, writes Georgina Downs - by ignoring the real-life agrochemical exposure of rural residents. Commission President Juncker must step in and demand the withdrawal of this disgraceful document.
Negligent and unlawful: EFSA's latest guidance on pesticide use and exposure Georgina Downs | 4th December 2014 News Food Farming EU Corporations Law Regulation Toxics windy-day-spray-cut.jpg …