Today, 7月 7, 2017, was a historic day for our movement. It is the day that the California EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Agency (OEHHA) officially listed glyphosate on the Prop 65 list warning list as a carcinogen. The implications are huge. Within a year, all companies with ten employees or more who manufacture products that expose humans to glyphosate will need to label that product with a warning such as “This product may contain a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.”
This is huge news for health advocates and regulators in other states and countries around the world who want more evidence to transition away from using glyphosate and toxic chemicals.
Now that glyphosate is on the Prop 65 carcinogen list, activists and city officials have increased support for discontinuing or banning the use of glyphosate, all around the world. With 1 out of 2 males and 1 out of 3 females expected to get cancer in America today, and the health care costs skyrocketing beyond our government resources, it makes no sense to continue to spray a carcinogenic chemical on our food crops, playgrounds, sidewalks, parks, and back yards. None.
With this new listing, it has not been determined that all products that contain glyphosate will have to be labeled, however, that decision will be left to the companies who manufacture the products based on assessments of exposure and citizens who chose to hold them accountable. OEHHA will first need to set an NSRL (The No Significant Risk Level ) such as the proposed 1100 micrograms per day. If a company (with more than 10 employees) makes a product that contains glyphosate levels that exceed the NSRL exposure they will have to label their products sold in California. There are issues with the assessment, however, for instance, it was set for a 150-pound adult, and does not take into consideration a fetus or baby, or the cumulative effect during the day to other products as well such as backyard spraying or other foods or beverages. It also does not take into consideration the bioaccumulation of the chemical into the bone marrow and organs.
Manufacturers can be held to account for the bioaccumulation and labeling, however, by citizens, universities, or scientists who do their own testing and file a complaint. If the company is then found to be violating the law, they can be fined up t
o $2,500 per day, per product. A lawyer is not necessary.
Glyphosate listing on OEHHA website.
Glyphosate has been shown to accumulate in the body of animals, in the bone marrow, and organs. Glyphosate impacts every organ, every bodily function, and every living being.
Testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the FDA, and other nonprofits show levels of glyphosate from 1- 12,000 ppb and 1.67ppm of glyphosate in thousands of food products. Wheat, oats, red lentils, and garbanzo beans were the highest. Preliminary screening of beer, wine, milk, and orange juice show levels up to 26 -181 ppb of glyphosate. It only takes 1 ppT of glyphosate to
stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells and
0.1 ppb to destroy the gut bacteria, the stronghold of the immune system.
Many food manufacturers, especially those who sell wheat, beans, legumes, sugar, soy, corn, grains like barley, oats, eggs, meat, and dairy products may very well have a label on their food product in California that warns the consumer that it contains a chemical known to cause cancer.
As awful as it is, this is a dream come true for our movement. Consumers will see the truth. They will be able to make an informed decision. Short of removing the product from the market, it couldn’t get any better.
We wish to thank all of our supporters for their tremendous efforts...calling, emailing, donating, sharing with your family and friends even when it is uncomfortable to do so, speaking in front of the city council, school boards, Parks and Rec, and representatives. Our collective efforts, the 9,000+ comments (the most in recorded history given to OEHHA) spoke loudly and clearly to our public officials that they have our support to do their jobs, be courageous, and stand up to corporations by legally listing glyphosate on the Prop 65 list.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead
With Gratitude,
Zen and MAATeam
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So, never mind. Lol!