I signed a petition earlier in the year asking the government to ban the use of aminopyralid - a hormone weed killer used on broad-leafed weeds - because it persist in manure from animals that have eaten the grass from such areas. The product was labelled to the effect that the manure should not be used on crops but it's almost impossible to trace back where manure has come from, or where the cattle grazed, when the manure is offered to allotment holders.
Part of the reply to the petition is shown below.
"The manufacturers of aminopyralid products have now withdrawn their products from sale and the Government has formally suspended their approvals whilst they investigate the options for mitigating against a recurrence of this problem. Only when the Government is satisfied that the necessary measures to achieve this can be put in place will aminopyralid products be allowed back on the market."
Good job too. This substance, even after manure has been composted, was causing severe deformity in potatoes and tomatoes and people were being advised not to grow on that land for 12 months. Not good enough!
The Autumn Paintbrush is Out
3 days ago
5 comments:
Result!
It does make you wonder how these things get licenced in the first place - did no one think to look at the biodegradability of this?
Aparently not Hazel, or at least, not in sufficient detail. Chemicals that are still actively poisonous to plant life and remain active for a couple of years, even after composting, shouldn't be used when they are going to get into the food chain like this. No-one was actually prepared to say that the crops, or any crops grown on contaminated land, were safe to eat. Scarey.
As you say - Scarey! it makesyou wonder how many more things are out there that they are using on foods and are dangerous to us! Some of the things produced during the 50's and 60's didn't have such strict safety checks as things now and are they still being used? Some of those that obviously did cause damage to us were withdrawn - paraquat for one but I bet there are others that got through the net - Good on ya for helping in the campaign that got this one banned - even if only for the time being .
Thanks Granny. It was the fact that this was badly affecting people who were growing their own food specifically so they could have it organic and chemical free that made me cross.
Very scary, and anther example of big chemical companies producing stuff which benefits them, not us. Sigh.
Want to get really depressed - have a look at these http://www.bayer-kills-bees.com/
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