wildcardenvironmentalist Pesticides

Organisations call for glyphosate ban ahead of EU vote.

Pesticide Action Network (Pan UK) and 12 UK based organisations have sent a signed letter to MEPs asking them to support an objection to the renewal of EU market approval for the toxic ingredient used in many widley used herbicides, Glyphosate. The vote will be held in Strasburg on the 13th of April.

The organisations object due to the very serious health, environmental and occupational concerns raises by the scientific community about glyphosate.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are widely used in agriculture, forests, public areas and private gardens. The use of this substance is so extensive that it is now detected in food, drinks and in the human body (including babies and young children).

Last year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen”.

Glyphosate may also disrupt the human hormone system – the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and leading scientists have called for further investigation. Both its cancer causing and hormone disrupting properties would disqualify glyphosate from EU market approval under EU pesticides law. In addition, there are “many environmental, plant health and soil-ecosystem problems associated with heavy and repeated uses of glyphosate-based herbicides” according to the scientists.

The EU should immediately ban all uses of glyphosate that result in worker or public exposure.

To support the call please send a letter or email to your MEP – you can find your local representative here.

Download our letter and background information Glyphosate letter to MEPs

Endorse the call from the Global Food and Farming Union and PAN International for a glyphosate ban here.

 

wildcardenvironmentalist Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

EDC-Free Europe calls on Environment Ministers to make strong statement on EDCs

68 organisations have sent a letter to the EU Environment Ministers urging them to make a strong statement calling on the European Commission to comply immediately with the ruling of the European Court of Justice (Case T-521/14 Sweden vs. Commission) on scientific criteria to identify Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) at the upcoming meeting of the European Council.

EDCs can contribute to diseases and disorders such as hormonal cancers (prostate, testicular, breast), reproductive health problems, impaired child development, and obesity and diabetes. The EDC Free Europe Coalition is not alone in its call, scientists, health professionals, trade unions and medical doctors have all issued warnings about the potentail and ongoing adverse health impacts if EDCs continue to be unregulated. We are already paying the price for letting these chemicals contaminate our air, food and water for decades.

The Court ruling found that no impact assessment was legally required to produce the scientific criteria, and that any work on the impact assessment did not justify missing the legally binding deadline (Paragraph 74). Hence, any work on or from the impact assessment cannot be used to help decide or influence the final criteria, as the impact assessment is entirely irrelevant to the final completion and adoption of scientific criteria for identification of EDCs.

The group looks forward to the EU taking a position and affirmative action on EDCs with no more delays. Our health depends on it. Read our letter here

wildcardenvironmentalist Occupational Health

Europe’s unions push for better laws on work cancers

ETUC picUnions are to work throughout the Dutch Presidency of the European Union to develop a preventive approach to occupational cancer. During this presidency, which runs from January to June, the Dutch government has expressed a desire to update the EU Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive, a longstanding union objective.

A new report from the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) says the union objective is to “eliminate occupational cancer.” Promoting a six-point preventive charter, it urges unions to run a political and awareness campaign. This should include approaching embassies and consulates of the Netherlands to present the union campaign objectives, it notes.

See more at: Cancer Hazards