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PAN India urge Indian Agriculture Ministry to ban glyphosate
PAN India urge Indian Agriculture Ministry to ban glyphosate 4th October 2020 In its comments submitted on the draft 'Restriction on use of Glyphosate Order, 2020', PAN India urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India to ban glyphosate (import, production, sales and use) in India, considering its health and environmental effects as well as wide spread illegal use. Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India submitted its comments on the Draft 'Restriction on use of Glyphosate Order, 2020', demanding complete ban of glyphosate in India. Find below the comments submitted to Ministry of Agriculture. Download the submission here Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001. Sub.: Comment/Suggestions on the Draft Restriction on use of Glyphosate Order, 2020. Ref. : Gazette Notification, No. 1998, dated 7thJuly 2020; Notification No. S.O. 2268(E), Draft Restriction on use of Glyphosate Order, 2020 dated 6thJuly, 2020. PAN India would like to bring to your notice that glyphosate in its approved use itself is a restricted weedicide in India, that it is approved for weed control only in tea plantations and non crop area accompanying the tea plantation. This fact has been re iterated in anorder issued by the Agriculture Department of West Bengal in 2019 quoting the Secretary of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, states that glyphosate formulations are ‘registered to be used in Tea Plantation Crop and non plantation area accompanying the Tea crop and any use beyond this is illegal and in violation of the insecticides Act, 1968 and Rules, 1971’. Therefore, all other uses of glyphosate-based herbicides in India are illegal. An Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s report[1] reveals that two formulations of glyphosate, 41% SL and 71% SG are widely used in at least 22 Indian states for several food crops (cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, and spices) and non-food crops, which are not the uses approved by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee. Glyphosate by itself is still toxic, causing a wider range of effects on humans and the environment.Because of the inert ingredients, exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide entails exposure to a wide range of other chemicals as well as the glyphosate, about which little information is available and the full health effects of which have not been established. Glyphosate formulations may contain a number of so-called ‘inert’ ingredients, most of which are not publicly known. It has been reported that many of the inert ingredients and contaminants in glyphosate results in increased toxicity to non-target organisms. The Safety and Hazards data provided in the PubChem database based on Globally Harmonised System Hazard Statements state that glyphosate causes serious eye damage (danger: serious eye damage/eye irritation), may cause respiratory irritation (warning: specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; respiratory tract irritation), may cause drowsiness or dizziness (warning: specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; narcotic effects), very toxic to aquatic life (warning: hazardous to the aquatic environment, acute hazard), and very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects (warning: hazardous to the aquatic environment, long-term hazard) According to the International Chemical Safety Card, glyphosate exposure can cause cough, redness in skin, redness and pain in eyes, burning sensation in throat, and chest. A PAN International monograph on glyphosate shows numerous research studies pointing to chronic toxic effects of glyphosate other than cancer, such as reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. Signs and symptoms of exposure include irritation, swelling, tingling, itching or burning of the skin, photo-contact dermatitis, recurrent eczema, blisters, rashes; numbness in the face, swelling of the eye and lid, face, and joints; conjunctivitis, painful eyes, corneal injury, burning eyes, blurred vision, weeping eyes; oral and nasal discomfort, unpleasant taste, tingling and irritation of throat, sore throat; difficulty breathing, cough, coughing of blood, inflammation of lungs; nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, diarrhoea, weakness; rapid heartbeat, palpitations, raised blood pressure, dizziness, chest pains. Numerous occupational exposures and self poisoning with death have been reported for glyphosate. The topic of association between glyphosate and cancer became subject-burning discussion globally after the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2015. Though the EU’s comprehensive scientific assessment presents a different view and says ‘glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans’, the European Commission brought in restrictions for its use in 2016. While there are diverse views on the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate from various global regulatory and health institutions, a 2019 report titled ‘Toxicological Profile for Glyphosate’ from the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services is in view of supporting the findings of IARC that there are links between glyphosate and cancer. TheASTDR, 2019 report also shows that gastrointestinal effect, developmental effects, endocrine/hormonal effects, body eight effects, renal effects, hepatic effects, haematological effects, and reproductive effects are the various toxicity effects of glyphosate identified in animal studies. According to the World Health Organisation classification of pesticides based on acute toxicity, glyphosate belongs to Class-III Slightly Hazardous category. However, according to Pesticide Action Network International’s list of Highly Hazardous Pesticides, glyphosate is a highly hazardous pesticide, considering it health and environmental effects. Glyphosate is a wide spread environmental pollutant in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It pollutes water and soil and results in degraded soil quality. Glyphosate is toxic to soil microorganisms. Decreased earthworm and microbial population, as well as reduced soil dehydrogenase activity, are reported in scientific literature. PAN international fact sheet also reported weed resistance to glyphosate was reported in 35 species of weeds from 27 countries. Glyphosate has been banned or severely restricted in more than 35 countries, of them are Srilanka, Netherlands, France, Colombia, Canada, Israel, and Argentina. Allowing continued use of glyphosate in India would contribute to wide spread use of illegal herbicide tolerant crops, which would endanger the agroecological nature of Indian farms. As illegal HT cotton has invaded many of the cottonseed markets and supply chains in India, farmers themselves may not be able to identify HT and non-HT varieties, and therefore, application of glyphosate on non-HT cotton leading to crop destruction could be a disaster. As glyphosate is not approved for cotton in India and considering its huge use and anticipating public health and environmental issues, some states such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh tried to temporarily restrict its usage but ended up with little effectiveness. The State of Kerala brought stringent restrictions and/or cancellation of licenses for glyphosate bases herbicides in their jurisdiction considering indiscriminate use as well as health and environmental concerns. The regulation allowing use of glyphosate through Pest Control Operators as put for the by the Draft Restriction on use of Glyphosate Order, 2020, would be disastrous as the presence of such pest control operators is almost non existent in agriculture sector in India. Moreover, as any such regulations would actually contribute to black marketing and illegal trade of glyphosate-based herbicides in India, which will in turn endanger health and environmental well being for Indian citizens as well as India’s rich biodiversity. Hence, PAN India urge the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to completely ban glyphosate (import, production, sales and use) in India, considering its health and environmental effects and wide spread illegal use. Further, we urge the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to initiate legal/prosecution actions against the responsible institution, agencies and industry for illegally recommending glyphosate for weed control in crops/farm violating the national approved use. Additionally, PAN India recommends the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to put in efforts and facilitate encouraging the manufacturers of glyphosate based weedicides to come up with non toxic weed management products that help boost sustainable, non-chemical farming methods. End Note: [1]Choudhury PP, Singh R, Ghosh D and Sharma AR. 2016. Herbicide Use in Indian Agriculture. ICAR - Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, 110 p. Download the submission here New study finds that glyphosate based herbicdes are used illegally in several of food and non food crops across India. Recent Posts Booklets on Highly Hazardous Pesticides and Weedicides in India released National Symposium Demands Ban of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in India Village leaders in Yavatmal commits to stop using pesticides and advance non chemical farming practices TWO-DAY TOT WORKSHOP AND SURVEY REPORT PRESENTATION Stakeholder’s Consultation Workshop TagsAdverse Effects of Herbicides Agroecology AnupamVarma Commitee Report Banned Pesticides BAN Pesticides BRS COPs 2017 Corporate Accountability Draft Banning of Insecticides Order 2020 Draft Banning of Pesticides Order 2016 Drone Spraying Fact Finding Mission Glufosinate Glyphosate Herbicides HHP HHPs Highly Hazardous Pesticides India India Pesticide Ban India Pesticide Risk MAPPP Occupational Poisoning Paraquat Paraquat Retailing India Paraquat Use is India Pesticide Legislation-India Pesticide Management Bill 2020 Pesticide Poisoning in Yavatmal Pesticide Poisonong Pesticide Posioning Pesticide Regulation Pesticide Regulation India Pesticides Phasing out HHPs PMB2020 Regulation Restriction On use of Glyphosate order 2020 Roundup Safe Farming Safe Food Syngenta UN HRC Special Rapporteur on the right to food Victims of Pesticide Poisoning Webinar Yavatmal poisoning
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Comprehensive New Review of Monsanto’s Glyphosate Underscores Urgent Need for Global Action
Comprehensive New Review of Monsanto’s Glyphosate Underscores Urgent Need for Global Action Press Release | 10th October 2016 In a “state of the science” review released today, PAN International presents a large body of research documenting the adverse human health and environmental impacts of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides and underscores the need for a global phase-out. Environmental and health advocates say the monograph on the world’s most widely used herbicide, commonly known by its original trade name Roundup, should serve as a wake up call for regulators, governments and users around the world. Adverse human impacts detailed in the review include acute poisoning, kidney and liver damage, imbalances in the intestinal microbiome and intestinal functioning, cancer, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, reproductive and developmental reduction, neurological damage, and immune system dysfunction. Aggressive public relations and marketing by glyphosate’s developer, Monsanto, has resulted in the widespread perception that the chemical is ‘safe’. Registration processes continue to allow its use without raising concerns about its safety even as new data identifying adverse effects emerge. This review dispels this myth of ‘safety’ and highlights the urgent need to re-examine the authorization of products containing glyphosate. A full chemical profile is presented, along with the regulatory status of products containing glyphosate in many countries and information on viable alternatives. Glyphosate is included in PAN International’s “List of Highly Hazardous Pesticides” (1) targeted for global phaseout. The global network is calling for the herbicide to be replaced by agroecological approaches to weed management in diversified cropping systems and non-crop situations. Glyphosate is sprayed on numerous crops and plantations, including about 80% of genetically engineered, or GE crops, as well as a pre-harvest desiccant, which results in high food residues. It is also widely used in home gardens and public places including roadsides, and semi-natural and natural habitats. Due to its widespread use residues are now detected in different types of foods, drinking water, wine and beer; and even in non-food products derived from GM cotton. The extent of human exposure is confirmed by the presence of glyphosate in human urine wherever it has been tested, principally in Europe and North America; it has also been found in breast milk in the USA. The 2015 classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen resulted in widespread concern about its continued use, especially pre-harvest and in public places. As a result, national bans and restrictions, and voluntary action by local authorities and retailers to curb use are rising dramatically. Sri Lanka was the first country to ban it completely, although the ban has recently been relaxed to allow use in tea plantations; Italy has banned pre-harvest use, and all use in public places and those frequented by children and the elderly; France is phasing out the use of pesticides in towns and public areas; and the European Union has extended approval for glyphosate for only 18 months instead of the usual 15 years. The research and evidence detailed in the review released today provides valuable scientific evidence for all communities wanting to follow these leads. Environmental impacts detailed in the monograph are no less concerning, and include adverse effects on ecosystem functioning, pollination services, biological controls, soil fertility and crop health. Residues are widespread in the environment, including in rainwater, surface and ground waters, and the marine environment. Glyphosate can persist in some soils for up to 3 years; and there is some evidence of bioaccumulation. Resistance to glyphosate is now recorded in 35 weed species and in 27 countries, mostly caused by the repeated use of glyphosate in GE crops, no-till agriculture, and amenity use. The monograph also contains a useful section on alternative weed management and provides information on a wide variety of non-chemical approaches to weed management in various situations. Keith Tyrell, Director, PAN-UK: “This new study from PAN International’s team of scientists clearly shows that glyphosate can cause a multitude of health and environmental problems. Our regulator’s need to wake up and ban this chemical now.” Dr Meriel Watts, PAN New Zealand: “The time has come for global recognition of the widespread harm caused to people and the environment from the constant use of glyphosate. For too long regulators have ignored the mounting evidence of damage, hiding behind unpublished studies by Monsanto, which not surprisingly paint a picture of a benign chemical startlingly at odds with reality.” Fernando Bejarano, PAN Mexico (RAPAM) "The intrinsic hazards of glyphosate and their use in tolerant transgenic crops are unacceptable if we want to achieve a sustainable food system, so we need a global phase out and a shift in policies promoting instead agroecological alternatives for weed control and crop rotation in diversified crop systems." Dr. Peter Clausing, PAN Germany: “In 2017 the European Chemicals Agency has to decide whether it accepts the compelling evidence for glyphosate’s carcinogenicity and declares it a carcinogen. This would be an overdue acknowledgement of the reality.” Dr. Emily Marquez, staff scientist, PAN North America: “The glyphosate mess illustrates the problems with industrial agriculture. Farmers are again trapped on a pesticide treadmill, as widespread adoption of Monsanto’s genetically engineered “Roundup-Ready” crops resulted in glyphosate-resistant superweeds. And yet again, human health impacts of the chemical come to light after years of widespread use. It’s time to shift away from this failing cycle of chemical reliance.” Jayakumar Chelaton, PAN India “Every month we get a new story of how glyphosate is harming people in the farms and off farms in rural India. It is clearly damaging people and planet.” Sarojeni V. Rengam, PAN Asia and the Pacific “Glyphosate is a highly hazardous pesticide. There are other ecosystem based non-chemical alternatives that do not require the use of such hazardous herbicides. We therefore urge Monsanto and other agrochemical corporations to stop the production and marketing of glyphosate in order to ensure the health of people and the environment.” Dr Angeliki Lyssimachou, PAN Europe “This remarkable compilation of scientific studies reveals that glyphosate-based pesticides -despite what their manufactures’ claim- are far from ‘safe’. Hundreds of non-industry funded studies show that these products are gradually poisoning our people, our environment and its ecosystems. Regulators must stop playing blind and take action to ban all uses of glyphosate.” The full Monograph review can be accessed here. For more information please contact: Dr Meriel Watts, PAN New Zealand: +64-21-1807830; merielwatts@xtra.co.nz Keith Tyrell, PAN-UK: +44 (0) 7588706224: keith@pan-uk.org Paul Towers, PAN North America: 915-216-1082, paul@panna.org Dr. Peter Clausing, PAN Germany: +49 (0) 176-7801 2705, peter.clausing@pan-germany.org C. Jayakumar, PAN India jayakumar.c@gmail.com Recent Posts Booklets on Highly Hazardous Pesticides and Weedicides in India released 5 December 2024 National Symposium Demands Ban of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in India 5 December 2024 Village leaders in Yavatmal commits to stop using pesticides and advance non chemical farming practices 3 December 2024 TWO-DAY TOT WORKSHOP AND SURVEY REPORT PRESENTATION 6 September 2024 Stakeholder’s Consultation Workshop 6 September 2024 TagsAdverse Effects of Herbicides Agroecology AnupamVarma Commitee Report Banned Pesticides BAN Pesticides BRS COPs 2017 Corporate Accountability Draft Banning of Insecticides Order 2020 Draft Banning of Pesticides Order 2016 Drone Spraying Fact Finding Mission Glufosinate Glyphosate Herbicides HHP HHPs Highly Hazardous Pesticides India India Pesticide Ban India Pesticide Risk MAPPP Occupational Poisoning Paraquat Paraquat Retailing India Paraquat Use is India Pesticide Legislation-India Pesticide Management Bill 2020 Pesticide Poisoning in Yavatmal Pesticide Poisonong Pesticide Posioning Pesticide Regulation Pesticide Regulation India Pesticides Phasing out HHPs PMB2020 Regulation Restriction On use of Glyphosate order 2020 Roundup Safe Farming Safe Food Syngenta UN HRC Special Rapporteur on the right to food Victims of Pesticide Poisoning Webinar Yavatmal poisoning
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