Re: [CH] Diazinon
Joy (hummingbird@gototalk.com)
Tue, 27 May 2003 14:06:35 -0700
diazinon is a very bad poison. It's been known to kill golfers.
Personally, I think it should be banned, and anyone who grows organically
deplores its use. I'm not sure that it would uptake into the chiles, but
my inclination, if it was in pots, would be to replace the soil.
Just googling in "dangers of diazinon" I got this.... from the
Environmental Working Group:
Diazinon is one of a class of pesticides called organophosphates (OPs),
chemicals that were originally developed by the German company I.G. Farben
as nerve gases during World World II. Even short-term exposure to diazinon
and other OPs can damage the brain and nervous system. Symptoms can range
from headaches, nausea, dizziness, and seizures to paralysis, multiple
chemical sensitivity syndrome, comas, and death in extreme cases. Pesticide
industry studies conducted on laboratory animals show that children are
more susceptible to diazinon than are adults.
After reviewing thousands of scientific studies--most of which were
generated by the pesticide industry--the EPA concluded in June 2000 that
all common household uses of diazinon are unsafe.
http://www.ewg.org/reports/diazinon/danger.html
more info is here:
http://www.ewg.org/reports/diazinon/garden_letter.html
I worked on organophosphate issues when I worked at the Environmental
Defense Fund. It's very hazardous stuff.
Organic methods are cheaper, just as effective and safer, (they may be
more labor intensive, but that's a fair exchange) to say nothing of
depriving these bloodsucking chemical companies of money. Besides, organic
veggies always taste better.
At 09:40 PM 05/27/2003 +0200, you wrote:
> > Anyone else have thoughts on this?
>
>What's the problem? I use diazinon on my plants if necessary.
>
>Tom
>