[BCNnet] Great news for birds

[Donnie R]

This was the lead item in yesterday's online environmental magazine, Grist.
For years the American Bird Conservancy has fought to have this chemical
banned worked..


EPA to ban pesticide carbofuran from food in U.S. 

In an unexpected move, the U.S. EPA announced Thursday that it will act to
ban the pesticide carbofuran from food in the United States before next
year's growing season. The EPA said the pesticide can cause "nausea,
dizziness, confusion, and -- at very high exposures -- respiratory paralysis
and death"; the pesticide has also killed millions of birds (emphasis mine)
and other wildlife. Carbofuran isn't widely used in the United States, but
farmers in developing countries use it on bananas, coffee, corn, rice, sugar
cane, and other crops, so the ban could have a significant impact worldwide.
"It's one of the most widely used pesticides in the world," said Michael Fry
of the American Bird Conservancy. Using language we didn't even think was in
the EPA's vocabulary, the agency's James Gulliford said, "While there is
little exposure today [to the pesticide], we don't think there's a need, a
reason for any exposure." The EPA had indicated earlier this year that the
ban would only apply to domestically grown food, but the agency changed
course Thursday, saying the ban would also apply to imports. 

 

Donnie Dann

Highland Park/Lake County

donniebird at yahoo.com

 

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