EPA Approves Pesticide Known to Cause Cancer & Miscarriages

[Guest guest]

ALERT OF THE WEEK:

EPA APPROVES PESTICIDE KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER & MISCARRIAGES

On October 5, the EPA approved a new chemical fumigant for use on strawberries

and other food crops across the U.S. The pesticide, methyl iodide, vaporizes

quickly, causing it to drift far distances. Although the state of California has

categorized it as cancer causing, and the EPA admits it causes thyroid tumors,

the Bush Administration has been advocating approval of the fumigant for the

better part of two years. In a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson on

September 25, the nation's leading chemists asked EPA not to approve methyl

iodide without further scientific review. The chemical has been used to induce

cancer in laboratory experiments and causes neurological and thyroid problems,

as well as miscarriages in studies with laboratory animals. Farmworkers,

families, rural workers, and the food supply will now be subjected to exposure

to the carcinogen unless the EPA revokes the approval immediately.

Please take action now:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_7580.cfm