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Philly City Council Bill #200425 - Healthy Outdoor Public Spaces /

Contact city council: http://www.healthalertphilly.org/politicalcontacts.htm

Just say "NO" to Monsanto's Roundup (GLYPHOSATE) and other harmful herbicides and pesticides.

PDF LIST OF HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES USED IN PHILLY PARKS & PDF Right-To-Know Response

The 5% VINEGAR SOLUTION - Use safe & effective household/food grade undiluted "5% Vinegar" to control plant growth on streets, sidewalks, and around park facilities, instead of using toxic chemicals, such as Monsanto's Roundup.  SEE http://www.wildfoodies.org/Vinegar.docx

June 29, 2020: Demand Mayor Kenney and City Council Ban Toxic Spraying in Fairmount Park & Publicly-Owned Spaces!

(All letters to City Council)

From: Lynn Landes [mailto:lynnlandes@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2020 3:39 PM
To: 'Mayor James Kenney'; darrell.clarke@phila.gov; mark.squilla@phila.gov; cindy.bass@phila.gov; derek.green@phila.gov; Helen.gym@phila.gov; David.oh@phila.gov; isaiah.thomas@phila.gov; kenyatta.johnson@phila.gov; Jamie.Gauthier@phila.gov; curtis.jones@phila.gov; Maria.Q.Sanchez@phila.gov; cherelle.parker@phila.gov; brian.oneill@phila.gov; Allan.domb@phila.gov; bobby@bobbyhenon.com; Katherine.Gilmore.Richardson@phila.gov
Cc: kathryn.ott.lovell@phila.gov; patrick.morgan@phila.gov; susan.buck@phila.gov; aparna.palantino@phila.gov; orlando.rendon@phila.gov; sudha.suryadevara@phila.gov
 

Subject: Philly P&R continues to spray toxic herbicides in Fairmount Park - Bayer/Monsanto Agrees to $10B Settlement With Victims Poisoned by Roundup Weedkiller


     

Dear Mayor Kenney and City Council:  It is totally irresponsible for anyone to continue to use toxic herbicides and pesticides in this day and age – see article below. Yet, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation continues the practice in Fairmount Park – see the attached photographs in West Fairmount Park.

This email is the latest in a series of emails over the years that have been sent to you on this subject, which also includes the safest solutions to toxic herbicides – manual removal and 5% household vinegar! http://www.healthalertphilly.org/ToxicFreeParks.htm & http://www.wildfoodies.org/Vinegar.docx

Despite widespread support on City Council, no legislation outlawing the use of toxic herbicides or pesticides has been passed. So, PPR continues to poison people, pets, and wildlife. 

Please pass legislation that will, once and for all, ban the use of toxic herbicides and pesticides. We will be more than happy to assist in this effort.

Lynn Landes, Founder
The Wild Foodies of Philly
 www.WildFoodies.org (our resource website)
 http://www.wildfoodies.org/Vinegar.docx
 http://www.healthalertphilly.org/ToxicFreeParks.htm
 https://www.meetup.com/Wild-Foodies-of-Philly (our 5,000+ member meetup)

Where is GLYPHOSATE BANNED? Lots of places around the world https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/where-is-glyphosate-banned

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:

"INVASIVE" SPECIES ARE PART OF EVOLUTION: http://www.wildfoodies.org/EvolvingEcosystems.htm Many environmentalists and preservationists justify using toxic weed killers in defense of native species, but that is a flawed argument and has led to the poisoning of people and the planet.

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif LAWSUITS:

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif human health cost of using glyphosate

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif Environmental cost of using glyphosate

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif Governments that have taken action against glyphosate and other toxic herbicides

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif Those who support 5% vinegar instead of toxic herbicideS LIKE ROUNDUP's Glyphosate

Largest Settlement in Pharma History: Bayer-Monsanto Agrees to $10B Settlement With Victims Poisoned by Roundup Weedkiller
  https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/largest-settlement-in-pharma-history-bayer-monsanto-agrees-to-10b-settlement-with-victims-poisoned-by-roundup-weedkiller/

Bayer-Monsanto Agrees to $10B Settlement With Victims Poisoned by Roundup Weedkiller
 by Alex Formuzis
 The Environmental Working Group 

WASHINGTON – In a settlement reached today, Bayer AG agreed to pay $10 billion over claims its signature herbicide Roundup causes cancer in people, according to a report by Reuters.

The $10 billion settlement will be apportioned to four leading plaintiffs’ law firms, who will in turn distribute the money to nearly 100,000 clients who were stricken with cancer after prolonged use of the toxic weedkiller.

The German company acquired the St. Louis-based agrochemical giant Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion, and inherited liability in thousands of lawsuits filed by people who claim exposure to Roundup and its main ingredient glyphosate was the cause of their cancer.

EWG President Ken Cook made this statement on the settlement:

Today’s settlement is vindication for all those who have fallen ill with cancer as a result of being exposed to this chemical. No amount of money can reverse the damage Bayer-Monsanto has inflicted on these victims and countless others, but because of their and their attorneys’ tireless fight for justice, the company that exposed them is now paying a heavy price for its duplicitous deception.

The most damning revelations in this case uncovered, through the company’s own internal documents, the extent to which Monsanto-Bayer recognized early on the risk of cancer and other health problems posed by glyphosate and its commercial formulations. Monsanto-Bayer aggressively conspired for decades to withhold or lie about the evidence to the public and to regulators, while relentlessly attacking scientists and organizations that sought to tell the truth about the company’s products.

This damning information only became public because plaintiff’s lawyers pried it out of the company in court and made it public. That coverup killed the company’s integrity as systemically as its chemicals kill plants. Monsanto-Bayer’s dissembling for profit at the expense of public health is a permanent stain on its reputation. Nothing in this settlement amends the conclusion that this is a company that simply cannot be trusted.

Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, was classified in 2015 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “probably carcinogenic” to people. In 2017, glyphosate was also listed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a chemical known to the state to cause cancer.

Glyphosate is mostly applied to corn, soybean and wheat crops, but is increasingly sprayed just before harvest on oats, chickpeas and other crops as a drying agent, or desiccant, to speed the harvest. The pre-harvest use is why many oat-based cereals are contaminated with glyphosate.

Three separate rounds of laboratory tests commissioned by EWG in 2018 and 2019 found glyphosate in nearly every sample of popular oat-based cereals and other foods marketed to children. The contaminated brands included cereals and breakfast bars made by General Mills and Quaker.

A new EWG testing report, coming next month, will show glyphosate contamination widespread in hummus and chickpeas.

Besides its use in agriculture, millions of Americans spray Roundup on their yards and gardens – a main source of exposure for those who were sickened and sued Bayer-Monsanto. Four people in California have already won their cases in jury trials, including Dewayne Johnson, a Bay Area school groundskeeper.

“Even as we celebrate and congratulate those who made this day possible, millions of people are being exposed to glyphosate through the food they eat, working as groundskeepers or farmworkers, or gardening at home,” Cook said.

“Bayer-Monsanto must be held accountable beyond today’s settlement, The Food and Drug Administration must immediately eliminate its use as a pre-harvest desiccant, and the Environmental Protection Agency must ban all home uses. That is the only way to assure future generations of Americans do not get sick or die from exposure to this cancer-causing chemical.”

From SOKOLOVE LAW -

Glyphosate, the herbicide and active ingredient in the weed-killer Roundup®, has recently been classified as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). Agricultural workers are now filing lawsuits against Monsanto, the maker of the weed killer, claiming that on-the-job exposure to glyphosate caused them to develop cancer.

How Dangerous Is Glyphosate?

A July 2015 report published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified the chemical compound as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The report states:

“Two large case-control studies of NHL from Canada and the USA, and two case-control studies from Sweden reported statistically significant increased risks of NHL [Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma] in association with exposure to glyphosate.”

The use of agricultural grade Roundup has increased since the introduction of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready crops in the 1990’s. In 2012 alone, over 283 million pounds of glyphosate were sprayed on crops across the U.S., including corn, soybeans, and sugar beets, among others.

Agricultural Workers Take Action

Those most at risk of developing cancer associated with heavy exposure to glyphosate-containing weed-killers include:

  • Farmworkers

  • Garden center and nursery workers

  • Horticulturists

  • Groundskeepers

  • Landscapers

  • Avid gardeners

We are currently investigating cases involving non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. If you or someone you know developed cancer after frequent exposure to Roundup, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact Sokolove Law for a free and confidential legal consultation today.

Roundup® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.

May 6, 2018: U.S. environment agency says glyphosate weed killer is not a carcinogen (but the World Health Organization and juries don’t agree)https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-epa-glyphosate/us-environment-agency-says-glyphosate-weed-killer-is-not-a-carcinogen-idUSKCN1S62SU  
Tom Polansek

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Tuesday that glyphosate, a chemical in many popular weed killers, is not a carcinogen, contradicting decisions by U.S. juries that found it caused cancer in people.

The EPA’s announcement reaffirms its earlier findings about the safety of glyphosate, the key ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup. The company faces thousands of lawsuits from Roundup users who allege it caused their cancer.“ EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label and that glyphosate is not a carcinogen,” the agency said in a statement.

Farmers spray glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in U.S. agriculture, on fields of soybeans and other crops. Roundup is also used on lawns, golf courses and elsewhere. The EPA did previously find ecological risks from the chemical and has proposed new measures to protect the environment from glyphosate use by farmers and to reduce the problem of weeds becoming resistant to it.

Bayer said it was pleased the EPA and other regulators who have assessed the science on glyphosate for more than 40 years continue to conclude it is not carcinogenic. “Bayer firmly believes that the science supports the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides,” it said in a statement. The company has repeatedly denied allegations that glyphosate and Roundup cause cancer.

But critics of the chemical disputed the EPA’s assurances. “Unfortunately American consumers cannot trust the EPA assessment of glyphosate’s safety,” said Nathan Donley, a senior scientist at the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity.

Monsanto developed Roundup as the first glyphosate-based weed killer, but it is no longer patent-protected and many other versions are available. Bayer bought Monsanto last year for $63 billion.

The debate over glyphosate’s safety has put a spotlight on regulatory agencies around the world in recent years and, more recently, on U.S. courtrooms.

In 2015, the World Health Organization’s cancer arm classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” But the EPA in 2017 said a decades-long assessment of glyphosate risks found the chemical was not likely carcinogenic to humans. 

In February, analysts at Brazilian health agency Anvisa also determined the weed killer does not cause cancer while recommending limits on exposure.

In the first U.S. Roundup trial, a California man was awarded $289 million in August 2018 after a state court jury found the weed killer caused his cancer. That award was later reduced to $78 million and is being appealed by Bayer.  A U.S. jury in March awarded $80 million to another California man who claimed his use of Roundup caused his cancer.

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gifhuman health cost of using glyphosate:

cANCER
KIDNEY & LIVER DISEASE
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION
 MICROBIOME DISRUPTION
EPIGENETIC CHANGES
REPRODUCTION & BIRTH DEFECTS

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif Environmental cost of using glyphosate:

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gif Governments that have taken action against glyphosate and other toxic herbicides:

2019: Glyphosate use will eventually end, (Germany's) Merkel says https://www.physiciansweekly.com/glyphosate-use-will-eventually

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Images/j0115834.gifThose who support 5% vinegar instead of toxic herbicideS LIKE ROUNDUP's Glyphosate:

NOTE: Why not use 20% vinegar?  According to reliable sources, 20% vinegar is 99% acetic acid, dangerous to use, a petroleum derivative, and not organic (see https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2002/spray-weeds-with-vinegar/ and https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Vinegar_vq862.htm The strongest vinegar available in retail stores is 30% but it is far too strong and I do not recommend it. For general use, 20 percent or 200 grain is available but it is stronger than needed. At this strength it is corrosive enough to eat metal and must be handled carefully in plastic containers. It is also dangerous to breathe….Vinegar that is made from the petroleum derivative, 99% acetic acid, is not acceptable in an organic program.)

From NPRs “You Bet Your Garden” >>> Philly radio host Mike McGrath http://www.gardensalive.com/product/round-up-your-weeds-without-nasty-chemicals/you_bet_your_garden

"Round Up" Your Weeds Without Nasty Chemicals!

Question. Dear Mike: Our church has gone "green", but the grounds people still insist on using Roundup. Our local school district's IPM (Integrated Pest Management) manager told me they have not used Roundup since the late 1980's and recommended that the Church stop using it as well. He said that the 'inactive' ingredients (stickers, spreaders, etc.) are more toxic than the active ingredient! Perhaps this would be a good subject for your show...

----Mary Kane;Main Line Unitarian Church, Radnor, PA

Answer. Thank you, Mary! It's been WAY too long since I went on a good garden chemical tirade! I always assume that people realize the extreme dangers posed by herbicides and other garden poisons. But I tend to forget how bombarded they are with ads imploring them to use the junk, often implying that the toxins are somehow harmless. (Like when Monsanto says that their Roundup is harmless as table salt-which is actually kind of true, since salt is one of the most corrosive substances on the planet.)

And yes, evidence strongly suggests that Roundup's so-called 'inert ingredients' (a decision often made solely by the manufacturer) are even worse than the 'active' ingredient, the extremely nasty chemical glyphosate. That's why, when Monsanto talks about their popular Calliban of weed killers, they always say "the active ingredient in Roundup does this or that". They never talk about the actual product,which kills earthworms and beneficial insects, has been linked tonon-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and is taken up internally by any plants it doesn't kill-so if you foolishly use it to control weeds in your veggie garden, you'll be eating Round-Up for the next two years. Yum.

You can get all the scary details from one of my favorite organizations, Beyond Pesticides. I'll post a direct link to their factsheet on glyphosate with this Question of the Week. You can also visit their home site at BeyondPesticides.org

I actually prefer to let others do the scaring you to death part.(Which is more than just a phrase in this case-although they're actually scaring you AWAY from death). My job is to turn you on to the many non-toxic alternatives to poisons like Roundup-like my Fantastic Four of Weed Warriors: Flame, heat, soap and vinegar!

But of course, I MUST first mention mulch. An inch of shredded fall leaves, straw, or clippings from an herbicide-free lawn is your best defense against garden weeds. DO NOT USE WOOD CHIPS, SHREDDED BARK, SAWDUST, "COLORED MULCH" OR OTHER WOOD PRODUCTS AROUND PLANTS-they steal nitrogen from the soil and prevent water from reaching roots. Don't use them within 30 feet of your home or car either-unless you like impossible-to-remove shotgun fungus stains.

I use a weed whacker on the grass that grows in the lanes between my raised beds. I used to use woods chips in the lanes-a place in which they are perfectly safe-but I've come to prefer whacking once a month. The grass 'captures' nutrients that leach out of the beds, and then I 'harvest' it for mulch and compost making. Plus I get to make a lot of noise and get all dirty and then run through the sprinkler.

VINEGAR! A POWERFUL herbicide! (So be careful not to splash your 'wanted' plants!) You can just fill a spray bottle with regular old white vinegar and spritz away...

You Bet Your Garden   ©2004 Mike McGrath