Last week I received a letter form JD Irving Limited ( their Silvaculture Department ) . In the letter it stated that they will be spraying Glyphosate aerially . A 1999 study, A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides, (American Cancer Society,1999), found that people exposed to glyphosate are 2.7 times more likely to contract non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Much of the belief about glyphosate’s environmental safety is based on the expectation that residues will be “immobile in soil,” and therefore the chemical will not contaminate groundwater. EPA acknowledges that the material does have the potential to contaminate surface waters.
If glyphosate reaches surface water,it is not broken down readily by water or sunlight.
They also go on to say spraying will be begin August 11 and run through September 30th . I was also told when I called 432-2925 that the following areas will be sprayed - 45 Mile Road .
New Ireland Road ,Riverside -Albert and other surrounding areas . I was assured that the chemical would not travel - This chemical has been known to travel 25 Km !
If you want to become active in trying to stop this slap in the face to New Brunswickers then call 1-506-887 -2008 .
Some Quick Points to Remember:
* Monsanto, who made Agent Orange and PCB's, also makes Vision and Vision MAX among other defoliants/herbicides/pesticides
* Our government did not do its own testing of VISION/VISION MAX, the PMRA gets its safety information from Monsanto
* Glyphosate and many other pesticides are banned in other countries and even as close as Quebec
* Denmark banned glyphosate because it was found in well water
* Spray areas that have blueberries are deemed unedible
* Pictou County Municipality voted unanimously against the spraying in our county but its request was ignored the Minister of Environment Mark Parent
* After Halifax, NS got their pesticide bylaw in place, a law was passed that no other municipality was allowed to pass a ban
* The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities may be looking into reversing this undemocratic law so that areas can once again ban pesticides
* Pesticides do not stay where they are sprayed, a test was done at 10ft in the air with a 3 mile wind and the spray drifted 21 miles, which is why it is our right NOT to be exposed against our will
* Pesticides poison more than 6 000 Canadians every year and almost half of them are children younger than six, the David Suzuki Foundation says after reviewing poison control records across the country
Here are some quick statements from www.panna.org
* Glyphosate residues in soil have persisted over a year
* Although not expected for an herbicide, glyphosate exposure damages or reduces the population of many animals, including beneficial insects, fish, birds, and earthworms. In some cases glyphosate is directly toxic; for example, concentrations as low as 10 parts per million can kill fish and 1/20 of typical application rates caused delayed development in earthworms. In other cases, (small mammals and birds, for example) glyphosate reduces populations by damaging the vegetation that provides food and shelter for the animals.
* http://www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html#pesticides
