By Jennifer Larino
An agency of the World Health Organization (click here) has declared glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup, "probably" causes cancer in people, throwing a three decades-long debate back into the spotlight, The New York Times reports.
Monsanto, maker of Roundup, manufactures the weed killer and glyphosate at a plant in Luling.
The report says the Environmental Protection Agency determined Roundup might cause cancer 30 years ago and then reversed itself six years later after revisiting the mouse study that informed the finding....
The use of herbicides by Monsanto in their seed supply is nearly more worrisome than the chemical itself.
In the summers of 2009 and 2010 I worked with conservation groups to improve on invasive species removal. Herbicide was the last resort in removing invasive species of plants, but, it was a fair amount of the work. About fifty percent.
According to state statue I had to obtain an application permit and take tests to obtain it. Being I did the work I earned the license. The licensing requirements are very stringent when using herbicides or any kind of chemical including insecticides. Considering insets are animals sort of, they are considered to be important to understand because the human nervous system can be compromised.
A few decades ago a dear friend and a farmer was exposed to herbicide toxicity while spraying a corn field and had to be treated for the effects of the chemical on his body. The chemicals in some instances assault the chemicals at the nerve endings that transmit impulses. Needless to say these chemicals are not benign. They have never been benign.
When I received by license to apply ...icides the information demanded I protect myself. I applied chemicals that were obtained from Monsanto. A five gallon container cost $350.00. There was a lot of reason to get the mixing correctly. There was the chemical exposure as well as the cost.
But, let me tell you my daily routine as demanded by law. I would dress in comfortable clothing in the morning. Have breakfast, prepare lunch and fill my water containers I would use for the day to quench my thirst. I then left and traveled to the office of the conservancy where I worked.
At work there was a plan of attack for the day after assessing the weather I and my team mate would encounter. If it was going to rain, there were properties to work on that did not require chemicals. I liked those, it was unfortunate we reserved those for rainy days, but, no matter.
On a sunny day or mildly cloudy the equipment and chemicals were loaded into a specially equipped van. The van was equipped with a large water drum we would use to dilute the chemicals. We would make a trip to a property some were shared with other interests such as the state and/or other groups. Our activity was known all the way up the chain. Where the property was a private property that was given to the conservancy for stewardship we had to obtain the written permission of the property owner before we could start work.
Once everything was in place, including the weather and the chemicals mixed the property was assaulted for the removal of invasive species. The work was correct to do. The native forests were under assault by these species.
This was the rules. Rubber boots, gloves and equipment comfortably mounted on the back with straps comfortable and not pinching. The equipment once mounted on the applicators back was checked by partner to be sure there were no loose fittings and all was as safe as possible. The spray was not to be conducted if there was significant wind that would blow it back into the applicator's face. These were the safest chemicals available with a SHORT HALF LIFE that would degrade within hours after application.
Thank about that a minute.
Invasive species are very hardy plants otherwise they would not be invasive. Yet, in order to end their existence the chemicals had to be strong enough to work almost on contact because it would degrade in a few hours. The plants died by the way. The short duration was to protect the wildlife from exposure.
The application was always made in the opposite direction of any movement through a forest or across a field. Once the chemical was applied no human being was to reenter the areas where the chemicals were applied.
Once the work day of 7.5 hours with a one half hour lunch was finished the equipment was cleaned upon returning to the office garage where all the equipment was stored. The spray equipment was cleaned several times with water and the contaminated water was then diluted with more water before disposed of.
After all the equipment and chemicals were secured for the night, I went home. Once I was home, I disrobed in the entrance hallway to the back door. I had a robe waiting for me. The clothing was then placed in a plastic bag and taken to the laundry room. Law stated this was the procedure to insure well being from any contamination.
The clothing was immediately washed. They were washed not once, but, twice. After the second washing the dryer could prepare them for the next day or another day. I had several sets of clothing to wear to work. But, that is all they were; work clothing.
Chemicals are dangerous. They just are. There is a great deal of planning and preparation to use them. When I was married I also was a farmer. We had to have licenses then, too. This stuff is a dangerous deal no matter what chemical it is.
The problem with Monsanto is that they are out of control. They have a very draconian relationship with the American Farmer. The farmers are nearly always obligated through some legal instrument or understanding with Monsanto.
Monsanto is doing dangerous things. Monsanto is engineering seeds with chemicals introduced into the seeds DNA. Monsanto has discovered a method to insure their chemicals are now a part of their seeds DNA.
Think about that a minute.
You see, most folks don't understand that the planet itself contains the chemicals in the DNA. Most people believe the seeds are coated with a strange color and that is the chemical. NOT the case at all.
When Monsanto corn grows and everyone believes they are safe from chemicals they are completely wrong. The DNA carries the chemicals through the entire plant cycle of the plant. If I were to walk through a corn field seeded with Monsanto seed, I would have to wear protective clothing otherwise my skin might soak up the chemicals in the leaves of the corn.
Now, if you think for one minute there isn't some form of those ...icides in the corn, you'd be a fool. Once a chemical is introduced into the seed DNA that is permanent.
Monsanto states it is important to have those types of chemicals in order to have the best crop production in a country that feeds the world. LIE. The chemicals that are suppose to end the life of pests (bugs or disease) are CAUSING Superbugs and Resistant Disease.
But, not to worry as soon as Monsanto receives information about Superbugs and resistant disease, they simply find a way to change the DNA so the chemical is still somewhat effective.
There is no such thing as a safe chemical. Protections are suppose to be in place to prevent danger to the public.
The rule is a cancer doesn't really manifest if ingested for nearly 20 years. That is the rule. There exists research that proves rats exposed to the Monsanto chemicals develop mammary tumors. That research was removed from the annals of a professional journal because they were sued by Monsanto as well as their peers.
The rodents ate the GM diet over a two-year period - a normal lifetime. (click here)
The study's length made its results far more reliable than previous research, said team-leader Gilles-Eric Seralini.
But independent scientists criticised the work for its statistical methods and for using the wrong type of rat.
They said the albino Sprague-Dawley strain of animal had a tendency to develop cancers, especially the mammary tumours seen in some of the study subjects.
The research team used that particular rat because it was the same type used by Monsanto in their reporting to the appropriate federal government. Dr. Seralini was simply trying to reproduce the same results that Monsanto reported.
He was unsuccessful in reporting the same results, but, results that proved there was danger as indicated in duplicating the study.
Oddly, the peer reviewed journal never complained about the journal article nor were there peers in decent until they were sued.
Chemicals in the environment are causing wide ranging problems, including the demise of honey bees and other vectors needed for pollination.
When I worked in the field there were always alternatives including physically removing the invasive by hand. On rainy days that was the optimal approach. But, there were also predatory insects as well that would have no damage to the property so much as damage to the invasives.
I remember arriving to one property and being greeted by a beautiful Rose Breasted Grosbeak. It simply sat there with morning dew on the tree leaves clucking at me. It wasn't upset, it was simply noticing me and letting me know it was paying attention. He just stayed there the entire time I was preparing to go to work with pruning sheers and large plastic bags that would cook the plants and make them and their seeds far less a threat (if there were any seeds, the best time to remove invasives is before they go to seed). But, sometimes there would be pods that didn't open yet. We caught them in time to inhibit the spread.
But, the wildlife knew we were there. They paid attention. They didn't know quite what to make of it, but, we did and we respected their worry.
