Roundup® (glyphosate) is a “broad spectrum herbicide” that has negative effects on nearly every plant with which it comes in contact. Roundup® is a toxic, hazardous chemical that should not be used in public areas where families engage in passive and active recreation with their children and their dogs.
The manufacturer insists it's "safe." But Glyphosate is technically extremely difficult to measure in environmental samples, which means that data is often lacking on residue levels, and existent data may not be reliable.
Moreover, the EPA only requires herbicide manufacturers to provide proof that the “active” ingredients are “safe” for the environment, not “inactive” (the “other”) ingredients. Herbicide manufacturers are not even required to list non-“active” ingredients on their packaging: they are protected as “industry/trade secrets.”
Polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA) is a surfactant, a chemical used to transport glyphosate from the leaves of a plant to the roots in Roundup®. As an inert ingredient, POEA has been shown to be significantly more toxic than glyphosate. POEA is not trapped by soil like glyphosate and stays in the environment longer before degrading, creating an environmental hazard. These inert ingredients synergize and amplify the toxic effect on human cells.
Extensive scientific literature has identified a myriad of health consequences related to exposure to Glyphosphate and other "inactive" ingredients in Roundup, so many that we can alphabetize them:
ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, anencephaly, birth defects, brain and breast cancer, Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, chronic kidney disease, colitis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, hypothyroidism, inflammatory bowl disease (IBD), infertility, liver disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), miscarriages, multiple sclerosis (MS), Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, prostate or testicular cancer , stillbirths, reproductive problems, and respiratory illnesses.
There are safer alternatives to Roundup® for use in public open spaces. We ask the Conservation Commission to consider other options.
PETITION TO ELIMINATE THE APPLICATION OF TOXIC CHEMICALS AND INISCRIMINATE DESTRUCTION OF ESTABLISHED TREES AND NATURAL HABITAT, WITHIN OPEN SPACE PARCELS, BY THE TOWN OF FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT.
We, the undersigned, as parents of the Fairfield Connecticut Community and others concerned, submit this petition to the Conservation Director, Open Space Manager and Selectmen of said town, to discontinue use of known toxic chemicals on the people’s land, such activities being counterproductive to the goals for use of public places and open space preservation and the scientific facts/laws governing human health and waterfront conservation.
