To those concerned about toxic overload of our environment: The Bureau of Land Management is proposing to spray almost a million acres per year with herbicides to kill invasive plants. This triples the agency's current herbicide use. BLM is asking for comments about this proposal. The deadline for comments is January 9. E-mail your comments to vegeis@nv.blm.gov. Address your comments to Brian Amme, project manager, BLM Nevada State Office, and mention the "Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides Programmatic EIS." Tell BLM that this is not an effective way to deal with the agency's invasive plant problem. So far BLM has refused to consider the causes of invasive plant problems. Instead, the agency is putting itself on a treadmill of pesticide use. Livestock grazing, road construction and use, use of off-road vehicles, timber harvests, and fuel reduction projects all encourage invasive weeds on BLM land. BLM needs to change the way the agency manages these activities in order to prevent invasive plant problems. BLM also needs to make a strong commitment to reducing its reliance on herbicides.

Tips for writing comments: Tell BLM that the agency must adopt strong prevention-based practices for activities (livestock grazing, road construction and use, use of off-road vehicles, timber harvests, and fuel reduction projects) that encourage invasive plants. Also tell BLM that the agency needs to make a specific measurable commitment to reducing reliance on herbicides. Personal comments are most effective. Tell BLM about activities that you've seen that encourage invasive plants on BLM land where you hike, camp, or fish. Tell the agency that it needs to manage these activities so they don't encourage the spread of weeds.

For more details, and/or please send a copy your letter by e-mail to NCAP at invasive@pesticide.org.

Thanks so much for your help. It makes a difference.

Caroline Cox Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides PO Box 1393 Eugene OR 97403


Informant: Scott Munson

14.12.2005

Vom Abstimmungsergebnis des EU-Wettbewerbsrates zur umstrittenen Brüsseler Chemikalienreform REACH zeigten sich Umwelt- und Verbraucherverbände enttäuscht. Umweltminister Gabriel nennt die neue Chemikalien- Verordnung einen guten Kompromiß zwischen Umwelt- und Verbraucherschutz und den Interessen der Industrie.

http://www.sonnenseite.com/index.php?pageID=6&news:oid=n4254&template=news_detail.html&flash=true

12.12.05

Der Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) und 18 weitere Verbände haben Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel aufgefordert, sich für eine konsequente Umsetzung der EU-Chemikalienreform REACH einzusetzen. REACH steht für Registrierung, Evaluierung und Autorisierung von Chemikalien. Vor der morgigen Abstimmung des EU-Wettbewerbsrates wendeten sich die Verbände in einem offenen Brief an die Regierungschefin. Sie erinnerten Merkel daran, dass sie in ihrer Amtszeit als Bundesumweltministerin eine Selbstverpflichtung der Industrie zur Chemikaliensicherheit ausgehandelt habe, die über die derzeit diskutierte REACH-Regelung hinausgehe.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=12495

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/dec2005/toxi-d07.shtml


Informant: Friends

30.11.2005

Greenpeace hat 658 Obst- und Gemüseproben auf Pestizidrückstände untersuchen lassen. Sie stammten aus den führenden Supermarktketten in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Das Ergebnis ist erschreckend.

http://www.sonnenseite.com/index.php?pageID=6&news:oid=n4176

Joshua Muldavin discusses this month's toxic spill into China's Songhua River. He draws attention to the largely overlooked rural populations that suffer from this type of pollution worldwide.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/120205EB.shtml

Unintentional poisonings from acetaminophen are on the rise, a new study reports. The drug is best known under the brand name Tylenol, but many consumers don't realize it is also found in widely varying doses in several hundred common cold remedies and combination pain relievers.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/112905HA.shtml