JUST as he always did, Sam Vella went out to spray his market garden with herbicide yesterday morning but only a few minutes later he was dead and his daughter was in hospital after ingesting the toxic fumes. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-act/toxic-spray-weed-fumes-kill-gardener/story-e6freuzi-1225853834599
Scientists pinpoint how very low concentrations of the herbicide and other chemicals in Roundup formulations kill human cells, strengthening the case for phasing them out, and banning all further releases of Roundup-tolerant GM crops http://current.com/146im4c
IN WHAT he says is the biggest challenge of his career and potentially the most important project in the nation’s history, the former governor-general Michael Jeffery is launching a national campaign to restore Australia’s degraded landscape. http://www.smh.com.au/national/push-for-maverick-techniques-to-restore-landscape-20090911-fkqi.html
Local doctor Alison Bleaney was concerned about rare cancers among her patients. Marine ecologist Marcus Scammell had been called in to investigate oyster mortality and deformities. At the same time, the Tasmanian Devil facial tumour disease was first found in the same small pocket of NE Tasmania. Was a connection remotely possible and was there
ONLY one in every 100 of the 50,000 industrial, agricultural and veterinary chemicals available for use in Australia today has ever been tested for its potential danger to people’s health and the environment. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/21/1192940905013.html
A POISON which Australians commonly apply in powder on their pets and dust or spray in their gardens to control fleas, ticks, caterpillars and aphids is still freely available in Sydney shops even though the pesticides watchdog banned it this year over concerns it can endanger human health. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/banned-chemical-on-shelves-despite-fears-it-can-harm-health/2007/10/21/1192940905073.html