| Topic: | Re:Re:Chiswick-on-Sea! | |
| Posted by: | Kathleen Healy | |
| Date/Time: | 25/09/23 12:58:00 |
| Probable carcinogen the IARC part of WHO has glyphosate on a list. The same list includes eating red meat, working as a hairdresser and a wide range of substances. It is a hazard list the things on it haven't been risk assessed. To quote; Designation is applied when there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans as well as sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some cases, an agent may be classified in this group when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans along with sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals and strong evidence that the carcinogenesis is mediated by a mechanism that also operates in humans. Exceptionally, an agent may be classified in this group solely on the basis of limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. The difference between identifying something as a hazard and a risk, is that in risk assessing something you assess the liklihod of the hazard causing harm. There are substances in apple seeds that metabolise in the body to form cyanide. Cyanide is highly poisonous to people so a big hazard. If you risk assess the hazard though, you find that you'd have to eat 50 apples in one go and crunch the seeds in your teeth or the whole seed would pass safely through your body. Hence apples are not banned for sale. Glyphpaste has been used for over 50 years.The campaing against it started when Monsanto (now owned by Bayer) developed genetically engineered crop seeds resistant to Glyphosate. Glyphosate use workwide has massively increased since these seeds were developed. These seeds arent sold or grown in the UK. Initially campaigners who were against GM argued that it would be dangerous to genetically modify plants to resist Glypohosate as they could cross breed with weeds and create super weeds resistant to Glyphosate. That didn't get much traction. The Glyphosate causes cancer campaign, has, however been hugely succesful. The EU and HSE have risk assessed Glyphosate and advise that it is safe for humans and the environment if used according to advice. People can and still do buy and use Glyphosate in their gardens with no training. To use Glyphosate on public land you have to be trained and pass a test. The training is mainly on how to protect yourself and the environment whilst using it. How to dispose f what is left. How to calculate how much you need to avoid having leftovers. Pavements wil get worse as perennial weeds grow year on year and all weeds multiply. Council's should risk asses the situation taking reliable advice and balancing the risk from Glyphosate against the risk from trips and falls, blocked drains, brioken pavements and tarmac. |