House Republicans want out of pesticide treaty

[Kadie]

House Republicans want out of pesticide treaty

2 hours, 20 minutes ago

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - House Republicans want to make sure American farmers can continue using methyl bromide as a pesticide on crops, despite a nearly two-decade-old international environmental treaty.

At a hearing Wednesday, they promoted a bill that would let the United States ignore the treaty's goal for a ban in 2005 on methyl bromide, a popular killer of insects, weeds and diseases.

"It's simply not fair to put pressure on our farmers to cut off their use methyl bromide before the farmers in developing countries," Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., said.

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee is considering a bill sponsored by Rep. George Radanovich, R-Calif., to allow U.S. production of methyl bromide to continue even if other countries don't agree.

more... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040721/ap_on_go_co/methyl_bromide_1

[DrWeird]

1. As a chemist...

I was shocked to find out methyl bromide is a commonly used pesticide.

It's some nasty shit.

I'm not shocked that republicans would want to keep using it, however.

[aquart]

2. And what does methyl bromide do, dears?

What else is it also a "popular killer of"???

[Mel]

3. my guess is people

and it's cancer that we and our animals get. I hope the Dr. answers you I'd like to know more about what it does.
I know I can go look it up but it's nice to hear from the Dr. I like the Doc :)

[JitterbugPerfume]

5. do a Google search

This is some scary stuff !!!!

[Mel]

12. yikes JitterbugPerfume

your right it is scary! Dr. said he wouldn't even go near the stuff without a hood that tells me enough but I also read what Imalittleteapot posted.

To bad the people that want to keep this stuff on the market aren't the only ones that will suffer from it! We should ask them if they are willing to let their children or grandchildren go work in the fields where it's used.

[DrWeird]

4. It's a methylating agent.

It's not as hot as methyl iodide, although close enough as far as I'm concerned. It's stick methylate your DNA, liver, etc. It's considered a "possible" human carcinogen (I personally would consider it a "damn likely carcinogen). Other methylating agents, like MeOTs, are known carcinogens.

I would be real careful around it in a laboratory hood, I damn sure wouldn't let my kids go near it. And I see no reason to ask the kids of migrant workers to go near it either, just because some corporate CEO of a truck farm is "jealous" of third world subsistence farmers.

[Imalittleteapot]

6. If Radanovich and Norwood knew this, they might

change their minds.

"Carcinogenic effects: In one study of industrial workers exposed to various brominated compounds, exposure to methyl bromide was suggested as the possible common factor in two fatal cases of testicular cancer, but other exposures could not be ruled out <189>."

http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/methylbr.htm

I wonder what big GOP contributors distribute this crap.

[k in IA]

7. Don't they frickin live in this country? Don't their kids and grandkids?

What goes on the crops, goes into rivers and travels. No one is isolated.

[Shakespeare]

8. And let's not forget DeLay's previous career in pest control.

Hell, that little nazi wants to un-ban DDT.

[montanacowboy]

9. First have the Repukes

rub it on themselves.....

do you frickin believe this? do they think they and theirs are insulated from the havoc they wreck on the earth?

trouble is, we are all in the same pot

[maxsolomon]

10. short term thinking, long term consequences.

there's a lot of things that aren't 'fair' in the 3rd world, cheneyheads. we said we'd do it 20 years ago in, what was that? 1987? when st. reagan ran the farm?

don't weasel out of your committments, 'merka!

[Zorra]

11. Methyl Bromide:

What immediate health effects may be caused by exposure to methyl bromide?

Breathing methyl bromide can' cause injury to the brain and nerves, lungs, and throat. High doses also can injure the kidneys and liver. Contact with the skin and eyes can lead to irritation and bums.

What is the treatment for methyl bromide poisoning?

There is no antidote for methyl bromide poisoning, but its effects can be treated. Persons who have experienced serious symptoms may need to be hospitalized for 24 hours.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg16.html

An EWG study shows that more than 2.4 million pounds of the acutely toxic pesticide methyl bromide were applied near 758 California schools in 1995. April 1998.

http://www.ewg.org/california/ca-mb.html

[DrWeird]

16. Yeah...

it will fuck up your CNS system if you are exposed to large amount. But environmental effects are different. In that case we're dealing with very dilute amounts (unless you're the poor migrant worker who has to deal with the stuff) getting into the water table and polluting wells. So instead of killing you quickly, in gets you slowly. Liver cancer ain't fun.

[Rose Siding]

13. Not fair?

"It's simply not fair to put pressure on our farmers to cut off their use methyl bromide before the farmers in developing countries," Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., said.
------------------
Has he EVER picked up a National Geographic or watched the Discovery Channel?

[peacetalksforall]

14. They say it isn't fair to do this to the farmers....

the real reasons are -

the corporations are going to make the money...

they can't dump it all over the world if we prohibit it....

they are equally interested in population control.


Buy organic at your co-op.

[Democat]

15. Kerry needs to make sure people understand the anti-environment extremists

The Republicans should be painted as what they are, anti-environment extremists who are trying to destroy the future for American's children.

[bushwakker]

17. I'd like to turn the House of Reps into a giant Roach Motel*

[struggle4progress]

18. kick

:kick: