"Philip" wrote in message
m...
"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
...
"Philip" wrote in message
...
In a previous thread (Docks around and young apple tree) it was stated
that
Roundup was safe to use for a number of reasons. But basically the
feeling
was "its been around for a long time and nothing has been proven yet".

Well here is a recent report showing that Roundup cannot be considered
totally safe.

http://www.newfarm.org/news/0803/082903/gm_fungus.shtml

NOne of which applies to spraying near the roots of a tree, rather than
the
entire actual crop (which is what this is about, thats the way these
particular GMO's are engineered, that you spray them with roundup and
they
live but nothing else does). FWIW i've also read that tests of organic
products bought in shops show more toxic fungi on them than non-organic.
But
strangely, that wouldnt have the greenpeace weenies out rushing to ban
organic crops.

Its interesting to see the feeling that this topic arouses. I have to
admit that I own a pot of weedkiller based on Glyphosate, and futher
admit to having used it this year.

In my original post, I wanted to call into question the bland
statement that these substances were safe because no-one had stated
otherwise. This is not the case.

Here is an extract from a paper concerning water table polution. EPA
in this case are the US Environmental Protection Agency.

**Quote**

What are the Health Effects?
Short-term: EPA has found glyphosate to potentially cause the
following health effects when people are exposed to it at levels above
the MCL for relatively short periods of time: congestion of the lungs;
increased breathing rate.

Long-term: Glyphosate has the potential to cause the following effects
from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: kidney damage,
reproductive effects.

**End Quote**

Now I am sure that none of you people intend to bath daily in a
mixture containing 50% Glyphosate, but the assertion that it is safe
is clearly not proven.

I recognise I am ploughing a lonely furrow here, but someone has to
counter the statements put forward by the companies with a vested
interest in making money out of these products.

Those findings could apply to just about any chemical you name, including
most of the ones found in plants (of which there are thousands). Plants are
full of natural 'organic' pesticides and hormone mimics which evolved to
kill and damage grazers, from insects to mammals. The same comments about
safety would apply to these chemicals, only more so, since they are much
more carcinogenic than many man made pesticides, as an example lettuce and
coffee being particularily bad, far far worse than glyphosphate.
Unsurprising since the man made ones were tested and the really dangerous
ones removed during that process, whilst the organic ones evolved without
concern for that, indeed the very opposite applied.
Tests of the chemicals in plants show that 50% would be banned were they to
follow the same standards as for their artificial equivalents. Lettuce would
certainly be removed from sale immediately.


--
Tumbleweed

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