March 15, 2013
Qing X. Li, Jun Wang and Robert Boesch
Department of Molecular Biosciences and
Table
15. Estimated exposure to the
pesticides and MITC in ambient air at Waimea Canyon Middle School (WCS) and
Hanalei Elementary School (HES).
*Click graph to enlarge.
The above graph was
compiled using the data from Table 15, page 30 of the “Final ProjectReport for Kauai Air Sampling Study” , March 15, 2013
by Qing X. Li, Jun Wang Department of
Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering University of Hawaii and
Robert Boesch Hawaii Department of Agriculture. This study has been used repeatedly by opponents of Bill2491 (Ordinance 960) and journalist’s as lending “support to Syngenta’s
contention that the middle school odors were from the aptly named stinkweed,
not pesticides (1).” MITC represented in the graph is a target volatile natural
chemical emitted by Cleome Gynandra (stinkweed). DDT and BHCs and their persistence once
released into the environment should be the lesson learned and not
repeated. They were created by the same pesticide companies Bill2491 (Ordinance 960) addresses. Chlorpyrifos, Bifenthrin, and
Metolachlor are all restricted use pesticides used by the GMO Seed/Pesticide
industry (e.g. Syngenta, Dow, DuPont, Monsanto). The debilitating symptoms
expressed by students and staff during incidents occurring at Waimea Canyon
Middle School are listed on the "Materials Safety Data Sheet" potential health effects for each of the restricted use pesticides listed on the graph.
1. Pollack,
Andrew. "Unease in Hawaii’s
Cornfields.” New York Times [NY] October 7, 2013: 2. The New York
Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/business/fight-over-genetically-altered-crops-flares-in-hawaii.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0.
November 13,2013
3 comments:
Huh, here are the no observable limits from that same table, in the same order as your graph above:
No observable adverse effect level 1.5x106
(ng/kg/day)
6x105
(ng/m3)
3x104
(ng/kg/day)
1.3x104
(ng/kg/day)
9.7x106
(ng/kg/day)
3x102
(ng/m3)
As you can see, the amounts in your graph are far, far below what could even begin to have an effect, let alone cause widespread sickness.
Considering the fact that the data represents air samples taken 3 yrs. after any active spraying, the air samplers including the high volume sampler were blown over and filled with rain throughout the study, Syngenta was cultivating Cleome Gynandra ("Stinkweed") during the study period; the data is frightening. You don't have to be a scientist to infer what pesticide levels were when Syngenta was actively spraying Chlorpyrifos 100ft. upwind of classrooms with children of reproductive developmental age. The 4 women teachers that were pregnant at the time of the spraying who birthed children with special needs, the 20 children taken to the hospital during acute drift incident's, the hundreds of other children that suffered through those same incident's without reprieve, and the multitude of teachers who left the school to then have a myriad of symptoms all listed on the known applied pesticide M.S.D.S cease ask; what kind of person seeks to justify the poisoning of children?
On a good day with winds calm and perfect conditions for spraying all can be ok with the right buffer zones in place but in winter months every year when the conditions are changing daily and it rains one day, hot the next, strong winds all over the compass which are perfect for the increase in disease and insect pests and weed infestations.
Companies scramble to get all the spraying done in very short windows of opportunity to control the pests. But with fields spread out and many sprays for many problems and limited 1500 gallon Nitro sprayers that often break down companies try to get it all done before the weather gets bad again.
With the threat to our children.
That's when things go from bad to worse and we worry they will be combining chemicals not listed for combination so as to speed up applications and fluctuating conditions. It can be 5 mph one minute and be increasing to 15 to 20 mph the next. Do you think they are going to stop in the middle of a spraying a field if no one is there to tell them to stop? Do you think that they are going to spend an hour spraying for fungal problems and then come back and spray for insects and again for weeds with many other fields that need spraying that day in these short windows of opportunity?
I say No they will just combine it and spray combinations regardless if winds pick up or change or winds are blowing down wind to the schools or our homes etc.
That is the problem with open field testing and growing short cycle crops like corn that grow quickly and pest grow quicker. Management of drift in close proximity to the community is dangerous!
It is not that they can not do it right but whether they can do it right ALL the time when millions of dollars are on the line and there is little to no accountability for rushing through the spray cycles to treat all the fields before the pests effect the crops and they loose money. Corporate doesn't like that.
it is not easy being a farmer I know but when the conditions are ripe for pests, control is often not possible by law to do everything by the labeled requirements in an environment like ours on the westside.
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