Latest news with #PesticideActionNetwork
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Dorothy Myers obituary
My friend and colleague Dorothy Myers, who has died aged 88, was a pioneering environmentalist. When she joined the Oxfam policy unit in Oxford in 1984, the organisation had just published David Bull's influential book Pesticides and the Third World Poor. Dorothy led Oxfam's input to teamwork with the global Pesticide Action Network (Pan) that challenged the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to stop export of pesticides banned in industrialised countries to the developing world. While at Oxfam, she helped establish the Pesticides Trust (part of the global Pan, and now Pan UK), which promotes safe and sustainable alternatives to pesticides. Dorothy's research identified pesticides with deadly impacts in the global south and contributed to the Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty effective since 2004 that agrees responsibility for dangerous chemicals. Her last study at Oxfam, co-authored with Joan Davidson, on poverty and environmental degradation, was presented to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. After leaving Oxfam, she joined Pan UK in 1994 to establish an organic cotton project with African partners. She helped the project identify methods of pest management that would safeguard health and reward farmers financially for growing organic cotton. Many thousands of farmers still benefit. Dr Abou Thiam, the former regional coordinator of Pan Africa, recalled how Dorothy was 'always available and always helpful' and'provided outstanding service to many peoples, farmers, communities and organisations in Africa'. Dorothy was thoughtful and strategic, with a great ability to turn abstract concepts into action. Friends around the world also remember her great sense of fun. Born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, she was the daughter of Amy (nee Hinton) and Frank Halliman, both teachers, and went to Middlesbrough high school for girls. She gained a degree in geography from LSE in 1959, then joined her parents, who were teaching in Kenya. Working in Nairobi's town planning department from 1960, she highlighted the need for essential services in rapidly growing shantytowns. Dorothy met the environmentalist Norman Myers in Kenya and they married in 1965. In the late 60s they built up a wildlife photographic business, which supported them through a spell in California while Norman studied for a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1972 they returned to Nairobi, where Dorothy became involved in local environmental action. In 1974, now with two young children, she helped establish the Environment Liaison Centre International, the local link to the Nairobi-based UN Environment Programme. The family returned to the UK in 1982 and settled in Oxford, where Dorothy began her work with Oxfam. Dorothy separated from Norman in 1992. Launching a new challenge, she ran an English language summer school for foreign students, remembered fondly by many who worked there, which she continued for many summers while at Pan UK. Always able to effortlessly fit more into life, Dorothy loved music, art and gardening, and being surrounded by nature. After retiring in 2001 she bought a house near Limoux, France, where friends and family valued entertaining discussions. Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Malindi and Mara, and grandchildren, Juliette and Alex.
The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Toxic pesticide found in tampons, say British NGOs
A report co-authored by several British non-governmental organisations (NGOs) warns of the presence of glyphosate in over a dozen brands of menstrual tampons. This finding is all the more worrying given that glyphosate is far from being the only harmful substance found in women's sanitary protection products. Manufacturers of tampons, pads and other menstrual protection products still have a long way to go to protect the health of menstruating people. The new report has revealed the presence of glyphosate in around 15 brands of tampons sold in the United Kingdom. According to their investigation, concentrations of this pesticide (considered a probable human carcinogen) can be as high as 0.004 mg/kg ... 40 times the legal limit for drinking water in the UK! One of the hypotheses put forward to explain how these substances end up in products designed for period protection is that glyphosate may have been present in certain weedkillers used in cotton fields. In light of these findings, the NGOs behind the survey recommend that a regulatory system be put in place, along with a testing process to ensure that menstrual hygiene products are free of pesticides. 'Women, girls and people who menstruate use an average of 11,000 disposable menstrual products throughout their life. 'Despite the prolific use of these products, the potential health impacts of the chemicals and pesticides that they can contain remains largely unexamined,' says the executive summary, available on the website of Pesticide Action Network, a UK NGO that co-authored the report. NGOs and scientists have been warning us about the toxic composition of menstrual products for several years now. In July 2024, an American study revealed the presence of several heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and vanadium) in 24 brands of tampons sold in Europe and the United States. Other studies were previously conducted, particularly in France. In 2019, the magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs sounded the alarm in a comparative test carried out to check for the presence of chemical compounds in menstrual products. The results reported the presence of residues of several harmful substances, such as phthalates, dioxins and ... glyphosate. – AFP Relaxnews
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Toxic 'forever chemical' showing up in European food and wine
A team of researchers has found "alarmingly high" levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a so-called forever chemical, in dozens of organic and non-organic pastas, baked goods and breakfast cereals from Europe, as well as in wine. "In conventional grain products, the average levels were so high that a health risk to children can no longer be ruled out," said Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, an environmental chemist part of the Brussels-based Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe, which describes TFA as a "product of PFAS pesticides and industrial chemicals." Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, are thousands of long-lasting substances used in household and everyday products since the middle of the 20th century but which have been found to be difficult to remove from the environment and from human bodies. The latest research points to 'widespread contamination from PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) pesticides," PAN Europe said, warning that TFA tends to build up in water and farmland. The amount of TFA in the food items was found to be three times that recorded in a similar study eight years ago, according to PAN Europe, which in April warned of "dramatic rise" of TFA in wine. In a report covering wines from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain, PAN Europe found that while pre-1988 vintages do not contain any such contamination, there has been a "sharp increase" in pesticide and chemical residues in wine bottled since 2010. Such a "steep accumulation" should be "a red flag that calls for decisive action," according to Michael Müller, a professor of pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry at the University of Freiburg. The European Chemicals Agency has warned that TFA "may cause harm to the unborn child" and "may impair fertility."
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Toxic pesticide levels found in tampons 40 times higher than legal limit for water
Toxic pesticide levels have been found in tampons at levels 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water. Traces of glyphosate, a pesticide linked to cancer, has been found at very high levels in menstrual products, according to a report by the Pesticide Action Network UK (Pan UK), the Women's Environmental Network and the Pesticide Collaboration. This is concerning, according to the authors, because chemicals absorbed through the vagina directly enter the bloodstream, bypassing the body's detoxification systems. This means even small traces of chemicals in direct contact with the vagina could cause health risks. The researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK retailers across a range of different popular brands. Glyphosate was found in tampons in one of the boxes, at 0.004 mg/kg. The UK and EU maximum residue level for drinking water is 0.0001 mg/kg, making this 40 times higher than permitted levels of glyphosate in drinking water. Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide, but a review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, classified the weedkiller as 'probably carcinogenic to humans'. It has also been linked to the development of Parkinson's, and emerging research is raising concerns about links to other serious health conditions. Amy Heley, from the Pesticide Collaboration, said: 'If this level of glyphosate is deemed to be unsafe in the water we drink, why is it allowed to appear in our period products? Our investigation reveals that women, girls and those who menstruate may not be protected from exposure to harmful chemicals. And yet, most people remain completely unaware that this is even an issue.' It is thought this pesticide could have ended up in the tampons because weedkillers are used to grow cotton, a key ingredient. The plant is one of the most chemical-dependent crops in the world, and up to 300 pesticides can be used in its global production. The UK government has no plans to tackle chemicals in period products, even though previous studies have found heavy metals such as lead and arsenic in tampons. Josie Cohen, the interim director at Pan UK, said: 'We were genuinely shocked to find glyphosate in tampons sitting on UK shelves. This harmful chemical is already impossible to avoid since it's sprayed by councils in streets and parks and contaminates much of our food and water due to its overuse in farming. 'We urgently need to reduce our overall toxic load and shouldn't have to worry about glyphosate and other highly hazardous pesticides in our period products. This is a blatant gap in health and safety regulation that the government urgently needs to address.' The report's authors have suggested a regulation scheme with a testing process in place to ensure period products are pesticide-free. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion In the UK, glyphosate is used to prepare fields for sowing crops by clearing all vegetation from the land. It kills weeds by inhibiting EPSP synthase, an enzyme involved in plant growth, while not damaging crops that have been genetically modified to be glyphosate-tolerant. Farmers argue that it is an important herbicide because it has 'high efficacy on non-resistant weeds and is a cost-effective weed control solution for farmers'. But beyond concerns about human health, red flags have also been raised over the weedkiller's impact on biodiversity: recent research has shown that it damages wild bee colonies, and this product also has adverse effects on aquatic organisms. There are calls to ban it from urban areas: at present many local councils continue to use it to kill weeds. However, 70 to 80 UK councils have turned to chemical-free options or now simply allow plants grow, from Bath & North East Somerset council, to Highland council in Scotland.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Global agreement reached to eliminate hazardous pesticide chlorpyrifos with exemptions for India and other countries
. NEW DELHI: In a significant decision, countries across the globe on Saturday struck a major deal to eliminate the use of one of the most hazardous pesticides , Chlorpyrifos, with certain exemptions, under the Stockholm Convention at the ongoing meet in Geneva. India, which opposed its complete elimination at this stage, will continue to use it for another five years as per its registered uses for 12 crops, including rice, wheat, gram, sugarcane, beans, cotton, mustard, brinjal, onion, apple, barley, and groundnut, to deal with certain pests and termites. Over 40 countries, including all 27 European Union (EU) nations, the UK, and the US, have already banned the use of Chlorpyrifos on food crops. India, during the negotiation, pitched for exemptions, arguing the need for its use in certain crops in the absence of alternatives. The country, along with other nations, including Russia, Kenya, Zambia, and Costa Rica, also favoured exemptions for ensuring food security . Though India and many countries will continue to use it for select exempted purposes in the cultivation of certain crops while dealing with pests, the decision will ultimately push the users to look for alternatives in the final goal of complete elimination of the use of Chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide with harmful effects on health and the environment. The decision was taken at the ongoing Conference of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Convention in Geneva, being held to galvanise global efforts to manage hazardous chemicals and waste in an environmentally sound manner. Experts who have been tracking the development at the Convention welcome the listing of Chlorpyrifos in Annex A (meant for elimination) of the Convention but expressed their concerns at the long list of exemptions. 'The world can no longer turn a blind eye to the overwhelming scientific evidence on Chlorpyrifos. Its global elimination is a critical step toward safeguarding public health, environmental integrity, and the rights of future generations,' said Dileep Kumar of the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India. "We support a broad spectrum evaluation and speeding up the separation of highly hazardous chemicals for elimination. The survival of life, including biodiversity, is at stake. Also, national govts have to take up their own independent physico-chemical and ecotoxicological evaluation to propose such chemicals for elimination,' said Narasimha Reddy Donthi, a public policy expert. The specific exemptions allowed under the decision include 18 crop-pest complexes (rice, maize, wheat, sugarcane, onion, peanut, barley, cabbage, chickpea, cotton, pineapple, and rapeseed, among others); control of leaf-cutting ants for agricultural use; control of locusts; control of ticks in cattle; and wood preservation against borers and termites in building foundations.
