Possible 'Cide Effects

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

Posted at 7:12 AM on 25 Jul 2008

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 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.

sources: The Washington Post, Associated Press

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Comments: (6 comments)

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Nice, but...

...how exactly will they enforce it?

by Tasermons Partner at 8:18 AM on 25 Jul 2008

ONLY a million lbs used in US each year - geez

"There is no question that carbofuran exacts a toll on wildlife: A 2006 EPA document examining the pesticide's environmental effects found that if a flock of mallard ducks wandered into an alfalfa field within a week after the chemical was applied, 84 percent of the birds would die. The pesticide also kills bees, which have experienced an unexplained massive population collapse in recent years."

A million pounds of carbofuran are applied each year in the United States, affecting less than 1 percent of the nation's farmed acres, according to the EPA, but....
Oh geez, ONLY a million pounds! Wonder what prompted the "unexpected move"?! Well hooray.

by Masked Goddess at 8:57 AM on 25 Jul 2008

Nice step

It's always nice to see these steps taken. In general, we as individuals need to make a more concentrated effort to support businesses that not only provide a suitable utility but also that benefit the environment. For example, I came across a website http://www.simplestop.net that stops your postal bulk mail and benefits the environment.

Visit Simplestop.net - We stop your postal junk mail, Protect the environment, Protect your identity.

by Gustavion at 9:36 AM on 25 Jul 2008

When ??

"... the regulation will likely take effect in 2009 after a comment period."

What!?!?!? "Likely take effect?!?!"

Pity there is not a comment period NOW and take effect immediately.

So eat your bananas, other imported fruit, and drink your coffee till then.

Richard Pauli Seattle, WA

by rpauli at 4:01 PM on 25 Jul 2008

Employment and Comments

Gustavion,

You work for simplestop.net. We get it. Shut up.

rpauli,

Not denying for a moment that it would be nice to rush this particular policy, but trust me, comment periods are a good thing. Quite a few of the federal policies that are subject to comment periods--and in the past seven years, more than not--are the kind that you want to delay... And hopefully force some semblance of change upon, and if possible, scrap entirely.

Comment periods have delayed hundreds of Bush admin policies, and if memory serves, they've actually created positive change in one or two.

Better to delay the occasional good policy than to open the doors to rushing dozens of bad ones.

by Pathos at 9:47 PM on 25 Jul 2008

One Of Many

When I first heard that a very harmful pesticide was going to be banned, I thought it was going to be methyl bromide, which in addition to poisoning the planet is also a major ozone depleter. Most other countries have banned it, but the U.S. continues to use it.

There are tens of thousands of pesticides currently in use, unfortunately. While banning carbofuran is a nice first step, the problem is not individual pesticides, but is instead their existence and use in the first instance. Again, humans need to totally change their attitude toward how we interact with the rest of the planet.

by Wolverine at 10:38 AM on 26 Jul 2008

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