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De:
Luiz Meira <luizmeira@aleph.com.br>
Data: Sex Mar 5, 1999 1:39
am
Assunto: [gen-ocidio] Poluicao das aguas
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Aí pessoal,
Deixo esta em inglês pois apresenta argumentos detalhados.
[]s
MichaelP escreveu:
> London TIMES March 5 1999
>
> WATER companies are demanding a moratorium on the commercial planting of
> genetically modified crops amid fears that chemicals used on them may
> pollute rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
>
> The water industry fears that widespread planting of herbicide-tolerant
> crops, such as oil seed rape and sugar beet, might lead to problems in
> meeting the strict legal limits on the levels of individual weed and
> pest-killing chemicals in drinking water. The companies are concerned that
> they may face multimillion-pound bills to put in herbicide removal
> technologies at water treatment works.
>
> A spokesman for Water UK, the industry's body, said: "We have genuine
> concerns about the widespread use of crops which rely on just two
> chemicals, so we favour a go-slow, a moratorium. We need time to find the
> answers. We need several years." An industry team of environmental and
> scientific experts is to meet for the first time this month, to
> investigate the possible effect on drinking water. English Nature, the
> Government's wildlife advisers, has called for a three to five-year
> moratorium.
>
> At present farmers use a wide range of different herbicides to control
> weeds. Peter Beaumont, of the Pesticides Trust in London, estimates that
> between 60 and 70 are used in British agriculture. But genetically
> engineered crops such as oil seed rape, maize and sugar beet, which are
> being prepared for commercial planting, work in conjunction with just two.
> These are glyphosate, marketed by Monsanto under the brand name Round Up,
> and glufosinate, marketed under the trade name of Liberty by AgrEvo.
>
> The European Drinking Water Directive sets the limit for individual
> pesticides or herbicides in drinking water of 0.1 microgrammes per litre,
> or less than one part per billion. Total pesticide and herbicide levels
> must not be above 0.5 microgrammes per litre.
>
> The latest report by the Government's Drinking Water Inspectorate says
> that in 1997, three million tests were carried out on tap water and that
> 99.75 per cent met the standards even in the big agricultural heartlands
> of East Anglia and Lincolnshire. Water companies have invested #1 billion
> in treatment and at least one company, Wessex Water, paid farmers to
> switch to organic agriculture to reduce chemical sprays. The sheer range
> of herbicides available has also helped to keep individual chemicals
> within the limits.
>
> Water companies are worried that widespread planting of gene-altered crops
> and their reliance on two weedkillers could lead to an increase in
> breaches. Pamela Taylor, chief executive of Water UK, said there were
> other concerns including the impact of wastes from animals eating the
> gene-altered crops. The industry is disappointed that it has not won the
> right to be told where such crops are being planted so it can monitor
> their impact.
>
> John Fowell, chief toxicologist at the Water Research Centre in
> Henley-on-Thames, believes that gene-altered crops could be a boon to the
> environment. Seed companies say that farmers will need to use fewer
> sprays. He added: "This needs to be strictly monitored. If there is
> concern, it centres on breakdown products of these herbicides building up
> in ground water."
>
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><> Luiz Roberto Salvatori Meira ><> Equilíbrio Alimentar
<>< http://www.aleph.com.br/~luizmeira/me.htm
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