Latest News...

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Revealed: The secret push to bury a weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease

about paraquat - Internal documents from chemical giant Syngenta reveal tactics to sponsor sympathetic scientific papers and mislead regulators about unfavorable research

view details »

Revealed: The secret push to bury a weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease

Internal documents from chemical giant Syngenta reveal tactics to sponsor sympathetic scientific papers and mislead regulators about unfavorable research   (by Carey Gillam, The Guardian, 2 June 2023)  

'Those documents showed that Syngenta was aware decades ago of evidence that exposure to paraquat could impair the central nervous system, triggering tremors and other symptoms in experimental animals similar to those suffered by people with Parkinson’s.

They also showed that Syngenta worked covertly to keep a highly regarded scientist studying causes of Parkinson’s from sitting on an advisory panel for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the chief US regulator for paraquat and other pesticides.

The new documents have emerged at a sensitive time for Syngenta. In less than six months, the Swiss chemical giant faces a first-ever trial in litigation brought by US farmers and others who allege the company’s paraquat weedkiller causes Parkinson’s.'

 SNAP comment: Historically there were16 paraquat containing pesticides registered in Canada, even some as domestic products (to be used by consumers). The last to be taken off the market was Gramoxone 200 SL on 2022-03-08. As a result, this product, classified as restricted, might still be in use because the PMRA only controls sales not use. Typically a pesticide is used for several years after it is taken off the market as users stockpile it. Research on glaciers indicates that peak deposition for banned organochlorines occurs at least 1 decade after they had been banned and maximum use had occurred in North America. 

filed under Industry Shenanigans, nervous system effects/Parkinson's  and paraquat

Friday, June 2, 2023

Move to change how U.S. tracks pesticide use sparks protest

Scientists oppose U.S. Geological Survey plan to reduce scope and frequency of chemical database

view details »

Move to change how U.S. tracks pesticide use sparks protest
Scientists oppose U.S. Geological Survey plan to reduce scope and frequency of chemical database  (by Virginia Gewin, Science, 30 May 2023)

'The USGS data have played a role in more than 500 peer-reviewed studies, the letter notes, including highly cited works on the impact of pesticides on public health, water quality, and ecosystems. Instead of reducing the database’s scope and frequency, the critics say USGS should be expanding it in order better track the estimated 540 million kilograms of pesticides used annually in the United States.'

 The USGS database, which dates to 1992, tracked the shifting use of more than 400 chemicals to control insects, fungi, weeds, and other pests. Now the only track 72 pesticides. Preliminary maps are released documenting pesticide use 2 years prior. Now they want to do it every 5 years.  'Some scientists also want USGS to restart efforts to track one of the fastest growing uses of pesticides: seed coatings that protect against, for example, plant diseases or nematodes.'

SNAP comment: As far as I know, we have no canadian maps. According to old stats, SK uses 33 to 36% of all pesticides sold in Canada and the PMRA annual reports don't disclose the amount and individual chemicals by province. This is apparently secret data. and that is only sales's data. As to use data, we are in total darkness. Is that any surprise that it's so hard to study correlations between pesticide use and illness or environmental harm in Canada?

filedunder

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Presentations from delegations EX23-47 Supplemental Report - Regulate the Non-essential (Cosmetic) Use of Pesticides

includes SNAP presentation.

view details »

Regina Executive council. EX23-47 Supplemental Report - Regulate the Non-essential (Cosmetic) Use of Pesticides  Wednesday, May 31, 2023 9:00 AM Henry Baker Hall, Main Floor, City Hall, Regina. The item came to the agenda around 4:45 pm.

includes delegations list and some of the presentations submitted in advance SNAP presentation is in its entirety down the document under EX23-47 as well as a few others. 

All Regina Council meetings are on YouTube if anyone wants to watch. They are apparaently all taped.

filed under bylaws/provincial/Saskatchewan/Regina

Monday, May 29, 2023

SNAP presentation on EX23-47 - Supplemental Report - Regulate the Non-essential (Cosmetic) Use of Pesticides

Snap prefers a bylaw but offers comments on options

view details »

Error (DOC): file doesn't exist by the City of Regina

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Regulate the Non-essential (Cosmetic) Use of Pesticides

(City of Regina, EX Public Report, EX23-37

view details »

Regulate the Non-essential (Cosmetic) Use of Pesticides (City of Regina, Saskatchewan CA,
EX Public Report, EX23-37, Tabled May 3, 2023)

If you want to speak to Executive Committee on the 31st,  you must contact the Clerk’s office by Monday noon with your name, contact information and a brief statement of what you will speak on. You will have five minutes to present and then Councillors may ask questions. The link below provides information on how to make a request to the Clerk’s office and what is required from you:  https://www.regina.ca/city-government/city-council/council-meetings/

and, the Report and appendices on Regulation of Non-essential (Cosmetic) Pesticides     http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=5819&MediaPosition=&ID=9498&CssClass=

Here is the link to the Supplemental report on City of Kelowna Pesticide Registry:     http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=5819&MediaPosition=&ID=9816&CssClass=

filed under action and bylaws/provincial/Saskatchewan

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Australian Pesticides Map

view details »

Australian Pesticides Map (Friends of the Earth) You can searach the map by categories of impact (fauna, human health, drift, etc), chemicals, locations and era (period of use) 

filed under exposure to pesticides link to p. 2

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Webinar Recording: The Problem With Pesticides

and new Pesticide Atlas for the US

view details »

Webinar Recording: The Problem With Pesticides (PAN, 25 May 2023)

Watch the recording of The Problem with Pesticides, a discussion hosted by Real Food Media featuring PAN Senior Scientist Emily Marquez and partners from the Center for Biological Diversity, US Right to Know, and Hawai’i Alliance for Progressive Action. This conversation marked the launch of the U.S. edition of the Pesticide Atlas, which details the current state of pesticide use, and panelists discussed the connections between pesticides, public health, the climate crisis, and biodiversity.

there are also European and Asian editions of the Pesticide Atlas. google for them. 

filed under Exposure to Pesticides link to p 2.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Flea Beetle Natural Control

view details »

Flea beetles are starting to appear in various parts of the prairies. They are attracted to many different vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohrabi, kale, radish, pak choi, potato, tomato, eggplant, arugula, beets and spinach. They also feed on nasturtium, alyssum and horseradish. Weeds in the mustard family are also hosts such as: shepherd's purse, stinkweed, common pepper-grass and any of the wild mustards or canola. Damage from flea beetles is worst at the seed leaf stage (see photo). Older plants can tolerate feeding with less damage. To learn how to manage flea beetles in your vegetable garden without using pesticides (Gardening at USask)

filed under Alternatives//Insects

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Report Adds to Evidence of Widespread PFAS Contamination; Calls for Removal of Products

view details »

Report Adds to Evidence of Widespread PFAS Contamination; Calls for Removal of Products

(Beyond Pesticides, May 4, 2023) One of the most widely used insecticides in California, Intrepid 2F, contains harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” according to a report by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In fact, 40 percent of pesticide products in the report tested positive for high levels of PFAS. PFAS are common in non-stick cookware, cleaning/personal care products, food packaging, and other consumer products. However, these compounds are also in pesticide products.' Tested products containing PFAs were   the insecticides Malathion 5EC (active ingredient: malathion), Oberon 2SC (active ingredient: spiromesifin)  Intrepid 2F (active ingredient: methoxyfenozide).

SNAP Comment: There are 12 malathion products registered in Canada, 2 methoxyfenozide and 0 spiromesifin.

filed under Formulants/Inerts and Contaminants/contaminants

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Organophosphate (OP) Pesticides in Agricultural Area Residents’ Urine Year Round

view details »

Organophosphate (OP) Pesticides in Agricultural Area Residents’ Urine Year Round

(Beyond Pesticides, April 28, 2023) 'A study published in Science of The Total Environment finds agricultural communities encounter chronic and measurable pesticide exposure regardless of seasonal pesticide applications. Several biomonitoring studies demonstrate people living adjacent to or within agricultural areas often experience elevated levels of organophosphate (OP) insecticides, even while not working directly with OPs. Six dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites (breakdown products) of OPs persist in urine during the spraying and non-spraying seasons.' This is likely due to widespread contamination of foods woth OPs and household use. 

filed under body burdens  and Pesticide fact sheets/Organophosphates