U.S. scientist pulled into pesticide debate
Wouldn't use them on his own lawn, he says
By JOHN MINER,
FREE PRESS
HEALTH REPORTER
A renowned U.S. scientist — who has documented fertility and sex changes, including decreasing penis size, due to environmental contamination — says he wouldn’t apply pesticides on his own lawn. Delivering a special series of lectures this week at the University of Western Ontario, Louis Guillette has been drawn into London’s lawn-care debate during question periods and talk show interviews. “The use of these compounds just for cosmetic reasons, just because you don’t want to make dandelion wine from your yard or whatever, I think is inappropriate,” said Guillete, who is associate dean for research at the University of Florida. Based on his own scientific investigations, Guillette said there is enough evidence that pesticides put children, wildlife and the ecosystem at risk. “Just because you can go buy them at the local stores doesn’t meant that is appropriate use,” he said. A zoologist, Guillette has spent the last decade studying the influence of environmental contaminants on the fetal development and reproductive systems of wildlife and humans. He doesn’t support a total pesticide ban, saying pesticide use is proper for public health and probably in agriculture. But when people can reduce their exposure, they should, he said. “Our livers are designed to detoxify and they are designed probably to handle hundreds of chemcials. The problem is they are not designed to handle tens of thousands of chemcials.” For the full story, read Saturday’s London Free Press on the web or in print.
http://www.lfpress.com/
Informant: Jagannath Chatterjee
By JOHN MINER,
FREE PRESS
HEALTH REPORTER
A renowned U.S. scientist — who has documented fertility and sex changes, including decreasing penis size, due to environmental contamination — says he wouldn’t apply pesticides on his own lawn. Delivering a special series of lectures this week at the University of Western Ontario, Louis Guillette has been drawn into London’s lawn-care debate during question periods and talk show interviews. “The use of these compounds just for cosmetic reasons, just because you don’t want to make dandelion wine from your yard or whatever, I think is inappropriate,” said Guillete, who is associate dean for research at the University of Florida. Based on his own scientific investigations, Guillette said there is enough evidence that pesticides put children, wildlife and the ecosystem at risk. “Just because you can go buy them at the local stores doesn’t meant that is appropriate use,” he said. A zoologist, Guillette has spent the last decade studying the influence of environmental contaminants on the fetal development and reproductive systems of wildlife and humans. He doesn’t support a total pesticide ban, saying pesticide use is proper for public health and probably in agriculture. But when people can reduce their exposure, they should, he said. “Our livers are designed to detoxify and they are designed probably to handle hundreds of chemcials. The problem is they are not designed to handle tens of thousands of chemcials.” For the full story, read Saturday’s London Free Press on the web or in print.
http://www.lfpress.com/
Informant: Jagannath Chatterjee
rudkla - 30. Apr, 18:09
