The EPA is considering the approval of methyl iodide, a cancer-causing chemical, as an agricultural pesticide to be used on some of our favorite foods such as strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers.
Fumigant pesticides are volatile chemicals that are injected into the soil at high rates. They drift away from the application site to contaminate groundwater, poison neighbors and farm workers, and endanger schools and communities surrounding fumigated fields.
The state of California already lists methyl iodide as a carcinogen under Proposition 65. Researchers using methyl iodide use great caution, transferring small quantities from sealed tubes with syringes under special ventilation hoods. Should we then be pumping large amounts of this chemical into our farm fields and the air we breathe?!
Non-toxic alternatives to fumigants such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and solarization exist and are already in use by organic farmers. EPA needs to work with USDA to invest in further research and help put these methods into the hands of the producers.
There is no excuse to poison our communities! The EPA is taking public comments on the registration of methyl iodide through February 21st, 2006. Join scientists, organic growers and public health advocates in voicing your concern. Take action by sending your comment to the EPA today.
Please note: thoughtful and respectful comments have the most impact.
We signed the “Tell the EPA to stop poisoning our farmlands and communities” petition!
# 6,445:
9:18 am PST, Feb 22,Connie Clausen, Hawaii
# 6,444:
9:18 am PST, Feb 22,Karen Reed, Ohio
# 6,443:
9:16 am PST, Feb 22,Cynthia D. Hutchinson, Texas
All I have to say is that I wish that the government would stop spraying poisonous crap on our natural food. It pisses me off. It doesn't make the American farm a better place. It only makes Americans sicker people.
# 6,442:
9:15 am PST, Feb 22,Louise McGuire, California
# 6,441:
9:14 am PST, Feb 22,Name not displayed, California
# 6,440:
9:14 am PST, Feb 22,Marguerite Ramlow, Wisconsin
# 6,439:
9:12 am PST, Feb 22,William Schmidt, Washington
# 6,438:
9:08 am PST, Feb 22,Jan Fulton, Texas
# 6,437:
9:07 am PST, Feb 22,Beau Treadwell, Alabama
# 6,436:
9:07 am PST, Feb 22,Joan Brown, New Mexico
Other means more healthful for current and future generations are possible rather than the chemical being promoted.
# 6,435:
9:06 am PST, Feb 22,Jonathan Stein, Oregon
# 6,434:
9:05 am PST, Feb 22,Name not displayed, Texas
# 6,433:
9:05 am PST, Feb 22,Sari Remer, New York
# 6,432:
9:04 am PST, Feb 22,Jessica Love, Iowa
# 6,431:
9:04 am PST, Feb 22,Julian C. holmes, Maine
# 6,430:
9:04 am PST, Feb 22,Ned Coates, Pennsylvania
# 6,429:
9:03 am PST, Feb 22,Laurie Bennett, Oregon
# 6,428:
9:02 am PST, Feb 22,Jana Rae Heberlein, Oregon
# 6,427:
9:02 am PST, Feb 22,Gail Marceaux, Louisiana
There are too many natural ways to promote growth and reduce crop damage without resorting to a known cancer causing chemical. Let's be people friendly as well as protect the plants.
# 6,426:
9:01 am PST, Feb 22,Diane Lucas, Illinois
# 6,425:
9:01 am PST, Feb 22,Joel Chesney, Colorado
# 6,424:
9:00 am PST, Feb 22,Waldo Meier, Minnesota
# 6,423:
8:58 am PST, Feb 22,Jo Ann Nelson, Illinois
Just because a chemical is considered" effective" does not mean that it is safe, safe for the workers who need to come in contact with it, and safe for the trusting public who expect highly nutritions foods such as strawberries to be SAFE to EAT!
# 6,422:
8:57 am PST, Feb 22,JoAnn Bradley
, Iowa
# 6,421:
8:56 am PST, Feb 22,Elisabeth Brackney, Idaho
There are already too many harmful chemicals in our environment. I do not want to ingest any more pesticides with my food.
# 6,420:
8:55 am PST, Feb 22,Therese Wetta, Kansas
For both health and environmental reasons I am opposed to the use of methyl iodide. The US already has too much pollution and too many carcinogens without adding one more. People come first.
# 6,419:
8:54 am PST, Feb 22,Ed Speir, Georgia
# 6,418:
8:53 am PST, Feb 22,Judy Barrett, California
# 6,417:
8:52 am PST, Feb 22,Judy Pizarro, New Jersey
# 6,416:
8:52 am PST, Feb 22,Christian Leiva, California
# 6,415:
8:52 am PST, Feb 22,JIM HEAD, Michigan
# 6,414:
8:51 am PST, Feb 22,Melissa Wilson, Maryland
I already have to tell my daughter about the dangers of smoking, but should also have to keep a list of "fresh" foods she will also have to stay away from to decrease her chances of getting cancer?
# 6,413:
8:50 am PST, Feb 22,Name not displayed, Florida
If you put carcinogenic chemicals into the ground and poison all the crops...will you; the government officials; and your families be eating from private reserves? and when runoff gets into the aquifer will you have enough water to last you 50 years or more? Think on it before you kill us all!
# 6,412:
8:49 am PST, Feb 22,Kathie Hittinger, California
# 6,411:
8:48 am PST, Feb 22,Holly Klinker, Minnesota
# 6,410:
8:48 am PST, Feb 22,Stephanie Ellickson, Iowa
# 6,409:
8:46 am PST, Feb 22,Retha Eagle, Ohio
Public health has always taken a back seat to newer, better, faster ways of growing, producing, and packaging. Organic is the answer, and if not practical for the "factory farmer" then too bad...and it isn't even the factory farmer's fault that he is doing business the way he is now doing business; it is the big corporations who by his products that have put him in the predicament in the first place. Methyl iodide, a cancer-causing chemical, is not an answer we as a nation should be pursuing, or as a public, allowing to occur! Farmers should be educated to use non-toxic alternatives to fumigants such as crop rotation, cover cropping, and solarization, which are already in use by organic farmers, to stablize our nation's health and put us on the right path to improving our nation's health. Has anyone ever asked the question: who would benefit from using cancer causing agents in our food? Which big business will benefit most? Has anyone looked into which pharmecuetical giant has a controlling interest in how the farming business is changing? Did we learn nothing from the cigarette industry. I implore you to stand up for the health of your children, and grandchildren, if you care nothing about whether the food you eat poisons your body, because all the money in the world won't matter when you hear the words "terminal" and it is directed at you or one you hold dear.
# 6,408:
8:46 am PST, Feb 22,Susan H. Hopkins, Oregon
# 6,407:
8:44 am PST, Feb 22,Name not displayed, Michigan
For you to even consider using this on our food is outrageous!
# 6,406:
8:44 am PST, Feb 22,Laura Baird, Texas
# 6,405:
8:41 am PST, Feb 22,Dale Gammill, Alaska
You guys keep putting all that chemical junk in our food and our grandchildren will end up with three eyes,or who knows what all. Please act responsible. Think of our future. Think GREEN!!!!!
# 6,404:
8:32 am PST, Feb 22,Brian K. Sutton, Kentucky
Stop poisoning our lands!
# 6,403:
8:31 am PST, Feb 22,Mark Schumacher, Ohio
# 6,402:
8:30 am PST, Feb 22,Steven KLine, California
# 6,401:
8:28 am PST, Feb 22,CATHY POHLMAN, Wisconsin
...in the present culture of war and war terminology, consider the collateral damage...the blowback....
