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Loading...Agent Orange Still Used In the U.S.
Agent Orange, or 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid), used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War, is nasty. It is linked to cancer, cell damage, severe hormonal disruption, reproductive problems and birth defects. Invented during World War Two, 2,4-D is one of the oldest legally available pesticides on the market. Unfortunately, 46 million pounds of it are still used every year in the U.S. It is in weed-and-feed products, plus used for agricultural purposes. 2,4-D is detected in drinking water and as a contaminant in surface water and groundwater. It is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a hazardous air pollutant and by the state of California as a toxic air contaminant.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit in federal court against the EPA on February 23 for failing to respond to a 2008 petition to cancel all registrations of 2,4-D. In other words, to ban all uses of 2,4-D. There is an urgency for the EPA to respond favorably to the petition. Dow Agrosciences petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 2,4-D resistant genetically engineered crops to be deregulated. As the NRDC states in a press release, “This will put thousands more Americans at unnecessary risk.”
I am reminded of the lyrics to an Anti-Flag (a political punk band) song: “Radiation, Agent Orange tested on us souls, guinea pigs for western corporations.” Yes, the American people have become one big experiment so corporations like Dow can make big bucks.
I am sure by now that you want to do something. There are several things you can do to both protect yourself from exposure, and let your voice be heard. 2,4-D lingers in soil for over a month after being applied. Our pets and our shoes can track it in, which means babies and toddlers who crawl on carpets are particularly vulnerable to indoor exposure. An NRDC blog post lists what we can do to help protect ourselves from exposure to 2,4-D:
- Avoid using any weed control products that contain 2,4-D, including ‘weed and feed’ products with this chemical. Check the labels, and look for words like “2,4,-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid” or “diethanolamine salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.”
- Keep your carpets uncontaminated by having a ‘shoes off’ policy in your home, and vacuuming the carpets at least weekly with a HEPA vacuum cleaner. If you have a toddler, wash their hands frequently; if you have a dog, wipe their paws when they have been playing in an area that might have been treated with chemicals.
- Check with your child’s school and with your town, to make sure 2,4-D isn’t used on local athletic fields, playgrounds and parks.
Here is what you can do to let your opinion about 2,4-D be known. The USDA is accepting public comments through April. Let your voice be heard by signing the Care2 petition, Demand USDA NOT Approve Dow’s 2,4-D Resistant GE Corn.
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Read more: agent orange, epa, lawsuit, petition
Photo credits: Flickr user, yellowkatfauna
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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Recent Comments from Causes
Hilarious! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for saving this sweet little thing.
I see Frank S is proven to be the daily idiot, Bill C confuses RAPE with sexual orientation and claiming…
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A reminder for late readers that the article is factually in error, in that 2,4-D is NOT AGENT ORANGE.
WHY?????????????????????????????????????? This is simply absurd...............and should scare the **** right out of us.
And Australia... they love to mix it up to concoct the most deadly poisons, it is too backward for words!
it should have been banned long ago, where has common sense gone?
Judging from the responses here, few if any but one bothered to determine the factual accuracy of this story, a task that is accomplished by way of a simple on-line search for "Agent Orange."
If one wants his opponents to be true to the facts, then he must do the same.
No doubt there are some who now believe that the writer was being deliberately deceitful, and dismiss what are the real dangers inherent in the use of 2,4-D.
Actually THIS ARTICLE IS WRONG.
2,4, 5 - T = A herbicide which was the illegal constituent of 'Agent Orange' & is banned.
2,4-D = What is legal and always has been legal to use. ( not that I'm condoning it )
Using a ratio of 50 : 50 or 1/2 & 1/2 of both of the above chemicals in the same barrels, which were painted with orange stripes - created the infamous Agent Orange.
PLEASE visit:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
WHY DON'T WE EVER LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES!
How about simply not using ANY 'weed products'? I don't ever use any herbicides, pesticides, have never hired a 'bug man', and never will. I last used Raid about 25 years ago.
Thanks
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