ASHEVILLE-MAY2021-WEB

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Point of View Undisclosed Ingredients in ‘Roundup’ Are Lethal to Bumblebees, Study Finds By Jenna McGuire, Common Dreams Commonly used herbicides across the U.S. contain highly toxic undisclosed "inert" ingredients that are lethal to bumblebees, according to a new study published last month in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The study reviewed several herbicide products and found that most contained glyphosate, an ingredient best recognized from Roundup products and the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. and worldwide. While the devastating impacts of glyphosate on bee populations are more broadly recognized, the toxicity levels of inert ingredients are less understood because they are not subjected to the same mandatory testing by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Pesticides are manufactured and sold as formulations that contain a mixture of compounds, including one or more active ingredients and, potentially, many inert ingredients," explained the Center for Food Safety in a statement. "The inert ingredients are added to pesticides to aid in mixing and to enhance the products' ability to stick to plant leaves, among other purposes." The study found that these inert substances can be highly toxic and even block bees' breathing capacity, essentially causing them to drown. While researchers found that some of the combinations of inert ingredients had no negative impacts on the bees, one of the herbicide formulations killed 96% of the bees within 24 hours. According to the abstract of the study: Bees exhibited 94% mortality with Roundup® Ready‐To‐Use® and 30% mortality with Roundup® ProActive®, over 24 hr. Weedol® did not cause significant mortality, demonstrating that the active ingredient, glyphosate, is not the cause of the mortality. The 96% mortality caused by Roundup® No Glyphosate supports this conclusion. "This important new study exposes a fatal flaw in how pesticide products are regulated here in the U.S.," said Jess Tyler, a staff scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Now the question is, will the Biden administration fix this problem, or will it allow the EPA to continue its past practice of ignoring the real-world harms of pesticides?" According to the Center for Food Safety, there are currently 1,102 registered formulations that contain the active ingredient glyphosate, each with a proprietary mixture of inert ingredients. In 2017, the group filed a legal petition calling for the EPA to force companies to provide safety data on pesticide formulations that include inert ingredients. "The EPA must begin requiring tests of every pesticide formulation for bee toxicity, divulge the identity of 'secret' formulation additives so scientists can study them, and prohibit application of Roundup herbicides to flowering plants when bees might be present and killed," said Bill Freese, science director at the Center for Food Safety. "Our legal petition gave the EPA a blueprint for acting on this issue of whole formulations. Now they need to take that blueprint and turn it into action, before it's too late for pollinators." Roundup — also linked to cancer in humans — was originally produced by agrochemical giant Monsanto, which was acquired by the German pharmaceutical and biotech company Bayer in 2018. The merger of the two companies was condemned by environmentalists and food safety groups who warned it would cultivate–and become—the greatest purveyor of genetically modified seeds and toxic pesticides in the world. ED NOTE: And as for humans, why are U.S. regulators dragging their feet and not listening? Cancer may only be part of the story. Studies over the past decade suggest that glyphosate — the active ingredient in Roundup — pollutes water sources, hangs around in soil far longer than previously suspected, and routinely taints human food supplies. In both the U.S. and Europe, the supposedly safe limits for human ingestion are based on long-outdated science. Research also points to serious adverse consequences for the environment, and there are indications glyphosate can cause disease in mammals even several generations removed from the initial exposure. It’s way past time for government regulators to take action. Follow the money. Austria became the first EU country to ban glyphosate in July 2019. Germany announced in that it will begin phasing out the controversial weed killer by 2024. Other countries that have some degree of legislation around glyphosate include: · Malawi · Thailand · Vietnam · Sri Lanka · Oman · Kuwait · United Arab Emirates · Bahrain · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Bermuda PLEASE BE SURE YOUR PET HAS A MICROCHIP AND ALWAYS WEARS AN ID TAG WITH CURRENT INFORMATION! · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Bermuda · Austria · Belgium · Czech Republic · Denmark · France · Italy · The Netherlands · Australia PAGE 4 • CRITTER MAGAZINE • MAY 2021
SISTER KITTEN ANIMAL RESCUE PO Box 1872 Maggie Valley, NC 28751 · (828) 400-0223 SisterKitten.org · email: adopt@sisterkitten.org MARSIELLE SARA PHOEBE COSTNER Sister Kitten Animal Rescue (SKAR) was founded in 2019. We work to improve animal lives and the public’s perceptions of animals, with a focus on supporting community cats and “outdoor” dogs in WNC. We rescue and re-home abandoned and neglected animals, provide trap-neuter-return (TNR) as well as support, education and assistance to community cat caregivers. We maintain animals in foster care for adoption, provide veterinary care for sick animals, and promote community animal welfare. We respond to weather-related emergencies in the Southeast by assisting with animal rescue and relief efforts. We’re committed to proactive, respectful neighbor relations and positive collaboration with other local animal rescue and animal control agencies. NO MILKWEED, NO MONARCHS! Submit a comment on the Environmental Action website at tinyurl.com/xa63vmrk CRITTER MAGAZINE • MAY 2021 • PAGE 5
Page 1 and 2: CELEBRATING OVER FREE - TAKE ONE MA
Page 3: IN THIS ISSUE MAY 2021 How to Help
Page 7 and 8: RESCUE PROFILE: Sister Kitten Anima
Page 9 and 10: Is Your Cat Jealous of A New Puppy?
Page 11 and 12: We’re in the middle of what exper
Page 13 and 14: 14 Forever Friend Lane - Off Brevar
Page 15 and 16: American Humane Association, celebr
Page 17 and 18: Saving Haywood County’s Adoptable
Page 19 and 20: 989 Little Mountain Road Columbus,
Page 21 and 22: As U.S. Troops Leave Afghanistan, R
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