EPA Sued Over 2-4-D Use; Dow’s 2-4-D Corn Shoudn’t Be Approved!

February 24, 2012 by B. Matherson

Yesterday the National Resources Defense Council brought a lawsuit against the EPA over the toxic chemical, 2-4-D, citing that the agency never responded to a 2008 petition against the chemical.

This comes just before the end of the comment period by the USDA for Dow’s approval of GMO 2-4-D  tolerant corn. In light of this lawsuit,  Dow AgroSciences’   2-4-D   TOLERANT GMO CORN    should not be approved  by the USDA.

2-4-D’s use is so widespread:  sold in lawn and garden preparations, used by commercial landscapers,  in industrial applications from roadside shrub maintenance, in parks, playgrounds schools, shopping malls and many other places.  Golf courses are one of the most toxic areas with over-application of 2-4-D being at 4 to 7 times more than the agricultural rate.

Despite a very strong link to cancer, hormonal disruption, Non-Hodgkins lymphoma,  birth defects and other illnesses,   2-4-D is marketed to consumers for use around their homes as a multi-use broadleaf weedkiller.  Millions of American homeowners use this on their lawns in one form or another in sprays, dusts or in a pelletized version. It is also in other lawn care products such as “Winterizers,”  and “Turfbuliders.” It is very likely that yearound exposure is not uncommon: “weed and feed” being used in the spring and summer, “Turfbuilders” from spring through fall and “winterizer” just before winter sets in.  Consumers who rely on these chemicals to keep their lawns looking golf course perfect are spreading poison on their property all year without realizing it.

    

2-4-D corn ~ MORE chemicals in our lives

Read the EPA’s fact sheet HERE.

The Natural Resources Defense Council filed suit Thursday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over 2,4-D, a widely used ingredient in broad leaf weed killers.  The NRDC went to court with the agency over its alleged failure to respond to a petition calling for the EPA to stop licensing the use of 2,4-D, which was one of two ingredients in the toxic Vietnam war herbicide Agent Orange.  READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE