Friday, February 15, 2013

Help Pesticide Action Netork Rid Us of Chlorpyrifos

Ingredients = pesticides, money, lack of strong government oversight and incessant lobbying.

Result = Our kids' health and intelligence suffer.


Here's the latest action alert from Pesticide Action Network, which should help us realize that all strawberries and apples aren't the same. 

"[The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)] is taking another look at chlorpyrifos, and it’s about time. This insecticide is so widely used that it shows up in most of our bodies — whether or not we live near fields where it’s sprayed. And it's especially harmful to children’s developing brains. 
"EPA's review shows that when chlorpyrifos drifts from fields where it’s applied, it poses real risks to 'bystanders.' But the findings overlook strong science showing that this pesticide can be very, very damaging to children — even at extremely low levels.
 

"Click here to tell the EPA it's time to protect kids!  The science linking chlorpyrifos to children’s health harms is irrefutable. As EPA reviews the effects of this pesticide, it must fully consider the damage to children’s health — and then take swift action to protect our kids. 

"Scientists have known for years that chlorpyrifos is especially harmful to kids. Back in 2001, it was banned from home use because exposure puts children’s developing nervous systems at risk. 


"And the evidence keeps rolling in. In utero exposure has been linked to changes in brain architecture that can last a lifetime. And prenatal and early childhood exposures can reduce IQ levels by 7 points or more. The list goes on. These effects — for which the science is strong and just keeps getting stronger — are not even considered in EPA’s current review.


"Click here to tell the EPA that enough is enough!  The 2001 ban on chlorpyrifos for at-home use protects children from some exposures. But continued use on apples, strawberries, broccoli and many other crops guarantees that kids are still exposed, either in their daily diet or — in the case of rural children — by breathing pesticide drift at home or at school. Enough is enough."

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