For months there has been extensive research and findings on hormone altering chemicals.  Whether we are talking about Bisphenol-A, phthalates, or any other endocrine disrupting chemical, they are all dangerous and they are all affecting our children, and more than that, our male children.

Canada has been a leader in banning these chemicals from being used in products.  But one such ban is causing legal issues that I think no one was quite expecting.  

Quebec has placed a ban on a common pesticide, 2,4-D, made by Dow Chemical.  In response, Dow is suing Quebec under the North American Free Trade Agreement and asking for millions of dollars in damages, according to Miller-McCune.  Dow claims that “the ban lacks scientific support and amounts to an “expropriation” of its business in the province (several Dow products contain 2,4-D).”

There are many legal complications to this case.  For example, at one time, every country found no proof of harm being caused by these chemicals and do those studies count as equally as the current studies which are conclusively finding the opposite to be true.  And, then there is another dilemma, does NAFTA override what a country’s elected officials vote on.  

This is a case that will determine future rules, regulations, and authority amongst countries to determine what is right for its people.  Its criticality is immeasurable.

This is the first time I am hearing about this toxin, but I feel it warrants a lot of attention.

A few years back, the NRDC petitioned the EPA and asked them to place a ban on Carbaryl, a pesticide used in everything from flea collars to apple orchards. It is also seen as a major factor in the depletion of our bees. The EPA, after being forced by a lawsuit, finally responded with an adamant “nope”.

You can find the entire article on the NRDC blog, HERE.

Some information about Carbaryl:

Carbaryl, trade name ‘Sevin’, is a broad-spectrum insecticide used on pets, lawns, and gardens as well as agriculture crops that include apples, pecans, grapes, alfalfa, oranges, and corn. About 3.9 million pounds of carbaryl are used annually in the U.S., with about half for agriculture and half for non-agriculture uses.

Carbaryl is classified by EPA as a likely carcinogen, and according to EPA’s own fact sheets, “carbaryl can cause cholinesterase inhibition in humans; that is, it can overstimulate the nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and at high exposures, respiratory paralysis, and death.”

From my experience in studying chemicals, etc., is that when an organization like the NRDC says something is bad, it is usually bad. I would look at all your pet and garden products and remove them from your home. I would also make a special effort to buy organic produce, so you can avoid the poisoning from pesticides.

In what is being billed as a first-in-the-nation initiative, 13 hospitals in Maryland, including Johns Hopkins, will stop using chemical pesticides in order to eliminate any risk of toxic exposure to their staffs and patients, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Go HERE for the full article. Inside there is a link to a better way to eliminate pasts from the home.