Around the planet every year they are using 2 billion gallons of glyphosate. The country that most uses glyphosate in the world is Argentina. Sold under the name Roundup, the advertising campaign for years claimed that the product is biodegradable, but in March of last year the International Agency for Cancer Research, has classified this herbicide as probably carcinogenic to humans. Despite the danger to health has been announced, whole regions are still smoked by this herbicide, affecting people who live there.
At this link, the video reoportage in italian and spanish.
Monsanto Tribunal and People’s Assembly in The Hague addressed the issue of pesticides. Photo and video exhibition “The Human Cost of Agrotoxins”, by argentinian photographer Pablo Piovano, was displayed at Bazaar of Ideas of The Hague.
(Photo by Pablo Piovano)
As Andre Leu, president IFOAM stated: “Glyphosate is a pesticides that kills everything. Testing shows that glyphosate and its main metabolite AMPA are found in: creeks, rivers, rainfall, air and soil. In human breast milk and the placenta, in the urine of most people tested, in beer, bread and many foods, in vaccines. If you don’t eat exclusively organic food, we all have glyphosate in our bodies. Of greatest concern are children because they do not have the enzymes in their liver and metabolites that will break down glyphosate. Studies have found that there is no safe level of glyphosate in children. Regulators are using non peer reviewed science that is based on commercial data, classified as confidential. The independent science that is published proves that glyphosate is highly dangerous.”: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16JpGD5yRU6IzHD2lCJpaHGjBu36W4zX5U8PmYuEviy4/present#slide=id.p4
Witnesses from Argentina join the Monsanto Tribunal to denounce the effects of agrotoxins in Argentina
Damien Verzeñassi, Doctor and Professor public health, Argentina
“The existence of solid, consistent evidence is a basis for political decision … May I tell you that we were lied to when were told that GMO do not require chemicals, we were leid to when we were told that these chemicals were not harmful”
Damian Verzeñassi, Doctor and Professor at the National University of Medical Science of Rosario. One of his study is about the exposure assessment of pesticides in field crops and its potential impact on health in Argentina. The research was coordinated by María del Pilar Díaz and was focus on the area of Córdoba, it involved thousands of surveys, fifty general controls and a multitude of clinical examinations in adults and children. From the study emerged that the impact of exposure and contamination is not just related with those who are directly exposed to agrochemicals, but it shows highest level of damage on their children. The results show that the effects are not only relate with cancer, but also with respiratory, dermatological and genotoxic disease.
Diego Fernandez, farmer, Argentina
“Soy beans introduced 40 years ago along with massive spraying of glyphosate, 1 liter per Hectare, have radically changed Argentinian landscape. Agencies in Argentina are responsible for counseling farmers and strongly advocate for agro-Chemicals. They told him lie verbatim “Glyphosate when it hits the soil becomes inactive and leads to no damage at all”(…) It was a big mistake to give up our traditional methods. There are no more animals in our countryside and the fertility of our soil has been compromised”.
Juan Ignacio Pereyra, Argentinian Lawyer for the victims of spray.
“The entire world has to know what is going on and as soon as the law is violated by major companies, we can say that we are often powerless and that’s why we need the proof for the damage caused. It is difficult to fight as an individual. We are dealing with injustices that we cannot handle alone. I am a member of a network of lawyers and we focus on tackling environmental issues. We represent the population who suffers by the consequences of Glyphosate sprayed.”
“You always need to know who funded the study. The study doesn’t have the same value if it’s conducted by an individual compared to if it’s conducted by a company.”
“My role here is to say there is a report that offers evidence. There is a scientific report. It is human rights violation.If the lawyers don’t work together it’s going to be difficult to show whats happened. The technical tools you need to prove the violations, Monsanto has them, but not the victims! We as lawyers have the obligation to continue to research and to try and find evidence. There is damage caused, social damage, environmental damage, cultural damage, this is something that affects several generations. This shows how severe this damage is. Another problem there is a big distance geographically between the victim and the ones perpetrated and the ones committing this damage. Whenever you have chemical products that are affecting your health, sometimes there could be 20 years before you see the results.”
Maria Liz Robledo, victim of RoundUp, Argentina
“No-one listens to her there is no law and regulations for her to complain and get legal redress”
Marìa Robledo Liz’ s testimony is related with her daughter’s disease, as she was born with a malformation called esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula, which made the esophagus close. Unfortunately one year after Marìa’ s daughter, another baby was born with the same malformation in the same town, Baigorrita. Suspicious about the reason of these rare malformation began to emerge as this happen in the same little town and in less than two years. The only common aspect of these cases is the fact that close to their houses there are agrochemicals containers. –