Monsanto backing testing pesticides on poor children

[Guest guest]

Monsanto backing testing pesticides on poor children

" GM WATCH " <info

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 22:51:49 GMT

 

 

Monsanto backing testing pesticides on poor children

http://www.gmwatch.org

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Some Members of the American Chemistry Council/

ACC (funders of this toxic pesticide study on children)

 

* Bayer

* BP

* Chevron

* Dow

* DuPont

* Exxon

* Honeywell

* 3M

* Monsanto

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EPA & CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TO STUDY EFFECTS OF KNOWN TOXIC CHEMICALS ON

CHILDREN

http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm

 

11/18/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush

appointees, is seeking input on a new proposed study in which infants in

participating low income families will be monitored for health impacts as

they undergo exposure to known toxic chemicals over the course of two

years. The study entitled Children's Environmental Exposure Research

Study (CHEERS) will look at how chemicals can be ingested, inhaled or

absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.

 

For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free

video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation.

 

In October, the EPA received $2.1 million to do the study from the

American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that includes

members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto (see full list of members on

sidebar of this page). Critics of the research, including some EPA

scientists, claim the study's funders guarantee the results will be

biased in

favor of the chemical industry, at the expense of the health of the

impoverished children serving as test subjects.

 

For 30 years the ACC has known the high level of toxicity of the

specific chemicals being " studied " in this project. These are some of the

most dangerous known chemicals in household products. The ACC knows full

well the intensely negative impacts that these chemicals have on humans,

as does the EPA and has lobbied heavily to keep them legal. This is

fully documented in study after study and memo after memo and meeting

after meeting over three decades (see side bar and footnotes for

reference

and further research http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm).

 

The trick here is that these products are known to have negative long

term health effects. This is a short two year study. In other words, the

results of he study are already known...there will be little to no

obvious short term negative effects on these children at the end of

the two

year period. The seemingly positive results of the study will allow the

ACC to announce positive " EPA study results " to the public, which will

allow the ACC to more effectively lobby congress to weaken regulations

on these products even more (thereby increasing profits dramatically).

This technique has been exercised by the ACC for decades.

 

The real negative effects of these types of chemicals come further down

the road, when these children could exhibit learning disorders, a

propensity for various types of cancer, early puberty/ hormonal

disruption,

and birth defects in their children.

 

Participants for the study were chosen from 6 health clinics and three

hospitals in Jacksonville, FL. These medical facilities report that 51%

of their births are to non-white mothers and 62% of mothers have only

received an elementary or secondary education.

 

Forward this alert to friends and colleagues!

 

Important Note on Participants of Study: The study layout does not

require that participants increase their chemical use, but does mandate

that chosen applicants will need to demonstrate that they do regularly

use

toxic chemicals in and around the home. The concern here is that low

income applicants may increase their toxic chemical use for the sake of

applying and being eligible for the funding.

 

Important Note on Suspension of the Study: On November 11th, the EPA

announced suspension of the study's launch until early 2005 for the sake

of " final review. " The Organic Consumers Association is taking this

opportunity to call on the nation's citizens to demand the EPA

permanently

terminate this abuse of low income children by the chemical industry.

 

Sign Petition to Stop Pesticide Study on Kids!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm

 

 

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