Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Fwd: URGENT Action Alert: Tell EPA to Get Dow to Withdraw Clopyralid Persistent Herbicide TODAY!!

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jerome Osentowski" <jerome@crmpi.org>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Fwd: URGENT Action Alert: Tell EPA to Get Dow to Withdraw Clopyralid Persistent Herbicide TODAY!!
  • Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 09:59:01 -0600

Larwrence, Glad someone on the list is picking this issue up. I have been
trying to get people aware of it here in the valley, but no one in is
interested. I had the local compost tested at Anatek Labs, inc
www.anteklabs. com and it was contaminated at 8 parts per bill. It only
takes 3 parts to kill peas and other vegs. The local coop sells three
herbicides that are widely used in the valley. The local enviro group is
brain dead on this issue. My consern is that people are buying the local
compost and useing it with out mixing it, or using it as a topdressing .
A few years ago people were wondering why the stuff was burning or killing
their gardens. The word then was that it was too hot, but it tests only
.0l for nitrogen. the product is really only partically composted wood
chips and horse manure, and has very little value as compost, but it is the
only thing here in the valley except the dump compost which uses human wast
in its process. It did not, however, test positive for Clopyraild. I did
not have the $ to test it for further contamination. My real concern as a
mulcher is that potentionally everything you bring into your site to us as
mulch could be contaminated with Clopyrlid. Old hay or straw or leaves
collected on lawns where clopyrlid is used, and it gets worse. This stuff
takes longer to brake down in soils that are high in organic matter. Does
this sound like an up hill battle. Our video on natural weed control
(Natural Controls for Noxious Weeds) is for sale at 15.95 . see the page
on our web site for more info. www.crmpi.org We have had one good review
out on the video from the IPM Practitioner , and expect two more reviews in
the comming months . I asked Peter to review it in the Activist , since
contaminating mulch material, cuts right to the bone , for us in
permaculture. I have a file of emails on the Clopyralid contamination
subject. this is not a subject I enjoy working on. I have a small book "
the pestiside mafia" which lay out the plan from the 1970 through the 80's,
and it's not hard to follow the ....... to the present.
Not something you would want to read before going to bed.

On a more up beat note: We are getting lots of rain here in co. and I got
the cover (double inflated poly) on my 60' greenhouse, it is all planted in
a mediterain forest garden . Quince, Palmagranate, Jujbi, precim. and
others. The figs in the other greenhouse will have company. Our 16th pc
course went well , we have not had a killing frost. We are off the grid
for food and much more. Our solar/gravity drip system works like a dream.
Some of the carp from the pond will winter over in a tank in the large green
house. The tank will add more thermo mass plus rich carp water for the
winter greens. Well, I need to go cut comfrey for the rabbits and chickens.
Have a nice day. jerome
--
Jerome Osentowski, Director
Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute
PO Box 631
Basalt, CO 81621 U.S.A.

Tel/fax (970) 927-4158 E mail: jerome@crmpi.org

For more information, please visit our web site at <<www.crmpi.org>>


----------
>From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
>To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
>Subject: [permaculture] Fwd: URGENT Action Alert: Tell EPA to Get Dow to
Withdraw Clopyralid Persistent Herbicide TODAY!!
>Date: Sun, Sep 29, 2002, 12:12 AM
>

> Subject: URGENT Action Alert: Tell EPA to Get Dow
> to Withdraw Clopyralid Persistent Herbicide TODAY!!
> Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 21:44:09 -0700
> From: Chrys Ostrander <bright@FAMRC.ORG>
> To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU
>
> PLEASE ACT TODAY
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> EPA has caved in to diversionary tactics by DOW Agrosciences and is about
> to clear the
> persistent herbicide clopyralid for continued use in ways that directly
> threaten the
> composting industry as well as thousands of organic farmers and gardeners by
> truncating the official comment period on proposed regulations.
>
> The Grassroots Recycling Network has been closely monitoring this issue and
has a
> letter to EPA you can send right from their website www.grrn.org. Click on
> the "Make
> DOW Responsible" link.
>
> Or, you can look at the wording of the GRRN sample letter below and compose
> your own
> message right from your email program, sending it to Mr. James A. Hollins at
> hollins.james@epa.gov
>
> PLEASE ACT TODAY. EPA has eviscerated the comment period and it ends on
> Sept.
27!
>
> For more information on Dow's persistent herbicide visit
> www.grrn.org/dow/background.html20
>
> Sample Letter:
>
> To: Mr. James A. Hollins - Office of Pesticide Programs - 7502C
> Environmental Protection Agency
> 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
> Washington, DC 20460
> hollins.james@epa.gov
>
> Dear Mr. Hollins,
>
> The composting industry is threatened by the increasingly widespread use of
> a
> particularly persistent herbicide made by Dow AgroSciences, a subsidiary of
Dow
> Chemical Company. The taxpayers of Spokane WA recently had to pay $950,000
> to buy out
> a local municipal composting operation whose product was contaminated with
> clopyralid,
> the active ingredient in Dow's herbicide.
>
> In an effort to preempt the stronger ban recently signed into law in
> California, Dow
> AgroSciences has asked U.S. EPA to absolve itself of responsibility by
> simply adding a
> warning to labels cautioning users not to apply the herbicide on turf that
could be
> composted. Dow has also asked EPA to delete approval for 'residential
> turf.'
>
> Unfortunately, Dow's requested action neither addresses the most
> significant uses of
> clopyralid products nor provides adequate warning of all the dangers
> presented by the
> product. The vast majority of product is applied by commercial and
agricultural
> applicators, and clippings from commercial turf (the majority of turf in
> some states)
> frequently wind up in municipal compost programs. Dow's toxic herbicide
threatens
> taxpayer investments in these programs and an entire industry engaged in
> enhancing the
> environment.
>
> I urge you to reject Dow's requests and to tell Dow that it is their
> responsibility to
> solve the problem, not the end-user's. Apply the Precautionary Principle:
Withdraw
> the product until it can be shown to be safe.
>
> Sincerely,
> [Your Name Here]
>
>
> GRRN Press Release follows:
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> September 24, 2002
>
> Contact: Bill Sheehan (Ga.) 706-613-7121
>
> David Wood (Wisc.) 608-270-0940
>
> EPA virtually eliminates opportunity for public comment on toxic Dow
> herbicide
>
> ATHENS, Ga. - While common herbicides produced and marketed by Dow
> AgroSciences continue in use and cause significant financial harm to
> successful composting operations, an action by the U.S. Environmental
> Protection Agency at the request of Dow has all but closed the door for
> public comments on this important issue.
>
> The composting industry is threatened by the increasingly widespread use
> of a particularly persistent herbicide made by Dow AgroSciences, a
> subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company. The taxpayers of Spokane WA are
> having to pay $950,000 to buy the city out of a contract with a
> composting company whose product was contaminated with clopyralid, the
> active ingredient in Dow herbicides like Confront. Compost contaminated
> with clopyralid residues have been found in several other states and
> cities. Compost made from grass clippings cut from clopyralid-treated
> lawns has severely stunted certain food plants to which the compost is
> applied.
>
> "Composting is one of the oldest and easiest types of recycling," says
> Bill Sheehan, executive director of the GrassRoots Recycling Network.
> "Dow's toxic products not only kill weeds, they are killing financially
> successful compost programs that keep thousands of tons of organic
> material out of landfills."
>
> GRRN has led the grassroots effort demanding that Dow follow the
> Precautionary Principle - take responsibility for the impacts of their
> products and remove them from use until they can be proven safe.
>
> Recently, however, in an effort to preempt a stronger state ban in
> California, Dow AgroSciences asked U.S. EPA to absolve Dow of
> responsibility by simply adding a warning to product labels cautioning
> commercial users not to apply the herbicide on turf that could be
> composted. That action is not open to public comment, according to EPA.
> Dow also asked EPA to delete application of the product on "residential
> turf" as an approved use. On August 28th, EPA published public notice
> of the proposed deletion action in the Federal Register with a 6-month
> comment period - although they failed to include two of the three
> technical source forms of clopyralid.20
>
> Incredibly, EPA agreed with Dow's request to shorten the public comment
> period because the issue is controversial, according to an EPA
> spokesperson. On September 20th, EPA issued a correction in the Federal
> Register that ends the public comment period on September 27th. This
> followed by five days the signing into law of the California bill (AB
> 2356) that goes beyond Dow's self-serving requests for limited EPA
> action. 20
>
> "Whether or not Dow is getting a free ride from the EPA is
> unclear, but to virtually exclude the opportunity for meaningful public
> engagement on this issue is shocking," continues GRRN's Sheehan. Only
> through GRRN's pursuit of this issue was EPA's error first detected and
> an opportunity for public comments offered. Concerned citizens can send
> comments to the EPA at GRRN's Web Action Center,
> http://action.grrn.org/action/.
>
> Dow's requested action neither addresses the most significant uses of
> clopyralid products nor provides adequate warning of all the dangers
> presented by the product. The vast majority of product is applied by
> commercial and agricultural applicators, and clippings from commercial
> turf (the majority of turf in some states) frequently wind up in
> municipal compost programs.
>
> ****
>
> The GrassRoots Recycling Network is a North American network of waste
> reduction activists and professionals promoting producer responsibility
> and Zero Waste as critical elements of a sustainable society. For more
> information on Dow's persistent herbicide visit
> www.grrn.org/dow/background.html20
>
>
> ********************************
> Bill Sheehan
> Executive Director
> GrassRoots Recycling Network
> P.O. Box 6707, Athens, GA 30604-6707
> Tel: 706-613-7121 Fax: 706-613-7123
> Email: zerowaste@grrn.org20
> Web: www.grrn.org
> ********************************
>
> Forwarded by:
> Chrys Ostrander
> 33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
> Davenport, WA 99122
> 509-725-0610
> chrys@thefutureisorganic.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing list
> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
>



  • Re: [permaculture] Fwd: URGENT Action Alert: Tell EPA to Get Dow to Withdraw Clopyralid Persistent Herbicide TODAY!!, Jerome Osentowski, 09/30/2002

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page