Roundup Found in People’s Urine

By B. McPherson




Glyphosate, first developed as Roundup, weed killer has been found in the urine of city dwellers according to research done in Germany.GM Watch has translated part of the work published in the journal Ithica in German. The findings are troubling in that levels 5 to 20 times allowable limits were measured.

Glyphosate is a widely used broad leaf plant poison that sprayed onto undesirable plants killing them. The herbicide, originally developed by Monsanto has been widely used since 1974. The seed company has since developed a wide array of “Roundup Ready” crops that will not die when sprayed with the chemical. This eliminates the need for hand weeding.

As with many innovations there are unforeseen consequences. Glyphosate resistant ‘super-weeds’ are becoming an increasing problem. Canadian scientists reported that the first glyphosate resistant weed in Western Canada has been confirmed. Kochia is now a super-weed. This is now added to giant ragweed(2009) and Canada fleabane(2011). A publication released by PurdueUniversity and authored by scientists at the University of Wisconsin and Iowa State have listed rigid ryegrass, marestail, Italian ryegrass, common ragweed, palmer amaranth and waterhemp as glyphosate resistant.

This has prompted many large scale farmers to spray their genetically modified crops multiple times throughout the growing season leading to overspray. While the chemical is not very mobile once sprayed, some has leached into waterways.

The persistence of this chemical at even very low levels may cause long term sub chronic health and reproductive issues. A paper published seven years ago by Environmental Health Perspectives spoke of toxic effects of Roundup and presented evidence that the herbicide tends to accumulate in the body.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prince Rupert Says No to Enbridge Pipeline

Image
B. McPherson Prince Rupert city council joined a growing list of BC coastal communities that are saying “No” to the Enbridge proposal to build a twinned pipeline from Edmonton to the coast. The decision of the Prince Rupert city politicians was unanimous. Already the village of Kitimaat, Terrace and the Skeena Queen Charlottes Regional District have voiced their opposition to the project. There are ongoing hearings by a federal court appointed Joint Review Panel which are gathering input from interested parties about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline which would bring crude petroleum from the oil sands of Alberta to the coast of British Columbia. The proposal would see a twinned pipeline run over the Rocky Mountains and through wilderness to the treacherous west coast. The proposed terminus at Kitimat would require tankers to wend their way through the maze of islands and reefs to load up at the head of Douglas Channel. While the hearings and the finding
Read more

Abandoned Oil Pipelines What Lurks Below?

Image
These photos were taken July 2012 in the historic Turner Valley, Alberta B. McPherson Controversy over new oil pipelines is reaching boiling point in many circles. Heated debate is taking place over the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway and Keystone Pipeline proposals. Safety, disruption to landowners  and more are being weighed against the money to be made transporting and selling petroleum products. It got me thinking about the old pipelines. What happens to a pipeline when it is too old to use or not needed? It’s a bit of an Alice in Wonderland scene. The US laws and regulations are different from ours in Canada. The Pipeline and Gas Journal is a source of information about abandoned pipelines in Texas. Apparently a pipeline in Texas may be abandoned by a company, but it still retains ownership and may choose to reactivate the line at a later date. In the meantime, the right of way or easement is no longer maintained, but the through which the pipe extends is not free
Read more

Dirty Fish Farms Continue to Pollute -- Tasmania the Latest Catastophe

  The latest victim of factory farming seems to be the people and wildlife of Tasmania. I was alerted to the situation by headlines reporting the escape of hundreds of thousands "farmed" Atlantic salmon into the waters off Tasmania. Now an even greater catastrophe is playing out in the sheltered waters of Macquarie and Bathurst Harbours. It's a regular shit show -- literally. Open net fisheries allow waste from the growing salmon to drop to the sea floor, disease, parasites and medications can pollute  the surrounding waters and seabed. Oxygen is needed to decompose the waste, and that waste comes from the sea water. The area becomes a "dead zone". Fish simply suffocate here.                                  The Tasmanian setup includes hatcheries which require vast amounts of clean, fresh water. At times water that is diverted to the hatcheries means that farmers go wanting and downstream from the hatcheries, the water may be too contaminated for household use.
Read more