On my way to work, I pass by a vineyard that uses Round-Up to control weeds around the vines. If I see the tell tale signs of spraying, I roll up the car windows and put the vents on recirculation; however, it is usually too late.
When I was pregnant, I was especially concerned as I drove by this killer chemical wafting in the breeze. When my son was born with a congenital heart defect, I couldn’t help but wonder. Unfortunately, it’s not something easily proven. Ironically, the vineyard is owned by a doctor.
I knew seven years ago the potential of Round-Up to cause birth defects. Monsanto’s known even longer, and a new study confirms these concerns.
Red, Green, and Blue reports:
Key findings:
- Industry (including Monsanto) has known since the 1980s that glyphosate causes malformations in experimental animals at high doses.
- Industry has known since 1993 that these efects could also occur at lower and mid doses
- The German government has known since at least 1998 that glyphosate causes malformations
- The EU Commission’s expert scientifc review panel knew in 1999 that glyphosate causes malformations
- The EU Commission has known since 2002 that glyphosate causes malformations. This was the year its DG SANCO division published its final review report, laying out the basis for the current approval of glyphosate.
A wide variety of scientists were involved “including Cambridge University, the King’s College London School of Medicine, and the Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, São Paulo, Brazil.”
Hopefully this research will be widely reported. I know plenty of “organic” gardeners who think nothing of spraying a little Round-Up around the garden fence or on the poison oak in the yard. Monsanto has done a good job of making consumers feel their lawn and garden products are safe and of no consequence. The lies and cover-ups continue.
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It really is no wonder that the vast majority of people are nearly paralyzed by the overwhelming amount of information about the harmful chemicals we are exposing ourselves, and particularly our children, to. I know this and I still feel that way sometimes. My only hope is that people will become outraged enough that there will have to be change. There just has to.
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