>Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 15:41:47 -0800 (PST)
>X-Conference: panna.panups
>X-Conference: panna.panups
>From: panupdates@igc.apc.org
>Subject: PANUPS: Unsafe Pesticides on Food
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> P A N U P S
> ***
> Pesticide Action Network
> North America
> Updates Service
> <http://www.panna.org/panna/>http://www.panna.org/panna/
> email panna@panna.org
> =====================================
>
>January 30, 1998
>
>U.S. EPA Fails to Protect Children from Pesticides in Food
>
>Every day, one million U.S. children age five and under
>consume unsafe levels of pesticides that can harm the
>developing brain and nervous system, according to a new
>report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The report,
>based on an analysis of federal data, found that most of the
>risk to children comes from five organophosphate
>insecticides: methyl parathion, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos,
>pirimiphos methyl and azinphos methyl. The foods most likely
>to contain unsafe levels are peaches, apples, nectarines,
>popcorn and pears. Among baby foods, pears, peaches and apple
>juice most frequently had elevated levels.
>
>EWG undertook the study to monitor effectiveness of the 1996
>Food Quality Protection Act, which requires all pesticides to
>be safe for infants and children. "It's been more than 18
>months since Congress passed the Food Quality Protection
>Act," said Richard Wiles, vice president for research at the
>Environmental Working Group. "This study shows that every
>day, hundreds of thousands of children receive unsafe
>exposures, at precisely the age when they are most vulnerable
>to long- and short-term brain and nervous system damage." The
>study found that approximately one in four peaches and one in
>eight apples have levels of organophosphate insecticides
>(OPs) that are unsafe for children.
>
>The report stresses that the solution is not for infants and
>children to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, but rather "that
>baby food should not contain pesticides," said Wiles
>
>EWG says its report is the first comprehensive analysis of
>exposure to organophosphate pesticides in the U.S. food
>supply. It is based on more than 80,000 samples of food
>tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the
>Food and Drug Administration, and dietary records for more
>than 4,000 children collected by USDA.
>
>According to the report, estimates of the number of children
>at risk of exposure to unsafe levels of pesticides are
>conservative because children are also exposed to pesticides
>sprayed in their homes, schools and day care centers. In
>addition, the EPA's current standards are based on levels
>considered safe for adults. The study estimates that as many
>as 3.6 million children aged 6 months to 5 years would be
>considered at risk from pesticide levels in food if EPA set
>standards that complied with the Food Quality Protection Act,
>which requires an additional ten-fold margin of safety.
>
>EWG urges that the five OP pesticides be banned immediately
>for all agricultural use, and also recommends:
>-- a ban on all home and other structural use of OP
>pesticides
>-- a ban on all OP pesticides on commodities that end up in
>baby food
>-- safety standards for all OP pesticides must be set at
>levels that are safe for infants and children
>-- additional developmental neurotoxicity studies on all OP
>pesticides in the food supply must be conducted before EPA
>adopts new OP regulations next year.
>
>The chemical and food industries called the report alarmist
>and said it serves only to frighten parents away from
>wholesome food. "The food is safe and so are their children,"
>said Jay Vroom, president of the American Crop Protection
>Association.
>
>But EPA has already identified organophosphates as the top
>priority in determining whether to change the acceptable
>residue levels in food. EPA will decide whether to set new
>standards for organophosphates in the food supply by August
>1999. The agency could ban them outright or change the
>acceptable levels in foods. According to an Associated Press
>report, one top EPA official familiar with the Environmental
>Working Group report said its findings were not out of line
>with the agency's analysis of the threat to children.
>
>"The study offers concrete evidence reinforcing our view that
>organophosphates cannot be safely used on food," said David
>Chatfield, Executive Director of Californians for Pesticide
>Reform (CPR), a coalition of over 70 groups in California.
>"The report shows how widespread these contaminants are and
>calls into serious question the notion that children's safety
>can be ensured by setting allowable, so-called 'safe
>exposure' limits. These chemicals are unsafe at any speed,
>and should be banned."
>
>Copies of the report can be ordered for US$20 from EWG (see
>below) or downloaded from the internet: <http://www.ewg.org/>www.ewg.org.
>
>Sources: "Overexposed: Organophosphate Insecticides in
>Children's Food," 1998. Environmental Working Group;
>Associated Press, January 29, 1998.
>
>Contacts: EWG, 1718 Connecticut Ave, N.W., Suite 600,
>Washington, DC 20009; phone (202) 667-6982; fax (202) 232-
>2592; email info@ewg.org; web site: <http://www.ewg.org/>www.ewg.org
>CPR, 116 New Montgomery, #800, San Francisco, CA 94105; phone
>(415) 495-1149; fax (415) 495-1141; email pests@igc.org; web
>site: <http://www.igc.org/cpr>www.igc.org/cpr.
>
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