When Summer rolls around we all look forward to the fruits of the season and strawberries are high on my list of tasty Summer treats. So, when I learned recently that California is attempting to allow the use of a highly carcinogenic chemical called Methyl Iodide on strawberry crops, I immediately became concerned. I don’t like any kind of chemicals on my fruits and veggies and thusly buy organic when available, but a chemical that scientists use in the lab to actually induce cancer can’t be good for those scrumptious little red nuggets of juicy goodness.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered Methyl Iodide as a pesticide in 2007 and gave it a year to be observed and studied for potential harms to people and the environment. Then, during the end of the Bush administration’s reign, they removed those time restrictions and gave Tokyo based company, Arysta LifeScience, a virtual open door into the U.S. market. Last September the EPA agreed to re-open the investigation pending California’s study into the chemical’s impact. The Committee’s final report (PDF), which found (PDF) that “any anticipated scenario for the agricultural…use of this agent would…have a significant adverse impact on the public health,” was posted on DPR’s website on February 11, 2010.
So, what can we do? They say you can’t fight City Hall and it’s a long way to Sacramento. I’ll tell you what. Sign a petition, call the Governator, tell your local representative that we’re mad as hell that they want to poison our food.
Sign the petition at the Pesticide Action Network, North America website.
Read more about methyl iodide.
