Chemical Controversies
Pesticides are substances that prevent, destroy, repel, or reduce the severity of pests. Pests are living things that occur where they are not wanted or that cause damage to humans, crops, or animals. Pests can be insects, rodents, unwanted plants, bacteria, viruses, or different types of fungus. Pesticides can vary in how toxic they are to humans and the environment. Some are persistent in the environment, animals, and birds, lasting for years; others break down soon after they are released. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants licenses, or registrations, to pesticides that it has found do not pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment; it has registered at least 865 pesticides, which are used in thousands of pesticide products.
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How does the science of Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ stand up more than 50 years later?
Carson’s detractors accuse her of misrepresenting the science. Wrong: Carson wrote that pesticides and herbicides disorder ecosystems because they kill ...
Scientists worry EU’s neonicotinoid ban could lead to increase in spraying of other insecticides
Dr Bill Parker, Director of Research, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), said: “While this decision is not unexpected given ...
Insect-resistant GMO corn could help fend off fall armyworm invasion in Ghana, scientists say
Mr Eric Amaning Okoree, Chief Executive Officer, National Biosafety Authority (NBA) says genetically modified (GM) crops have a high potential ...
Delving into the GMO traits that cut back pesticide impacts globally
This is the second in a three-part series making the case that the development of the biotech traits for insect ...
EU health commissioner: Neonicotinoid, glyphosate decisions show European regulations consistent, science-based
No one can blame the European Commission of being in the hands of industry lobbies, as in both the glyphosate ...
Organic foods have less pesticide residue—but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re healthier
The available evidence supports consumers’ belief that organic food production and consumption result in lower pesticide exposure, are more environmentally ...
UK National Farmers Union: Neonicotinoid ban could compromise crop protection
The NFU has called the decision to ban the use of neonicotinoids to all outdoor crops as a "regrettable decision ...
Let’s recognize Roundup Ready and Bt crops as major contributions to sustainable farming
This is the first in a three-part series making the case that the development of biotech traits for insect resistance ...
EU approves total ban on neonicotinoid insecticides due to bee health concerns
The European Union will ban the world’s most widely used insecticides from all fields due to the serious danger they ...
Why do farmers use GMOs and pesticides?
Chemicals changed the course of agriculture. They became available. Then they became affordable. And then they started to keep their ...
Can ‘gene drives’ for crop pests work in the real world?
The spotted wing fruit fly is one of the world’s major crop destroyers. Scientifically known as Drosophila suzukii, this peppercorn-size insect ...
Monsanto launches product that deactivates dicamba herbicide in spraying equipment
Monsanto Co is launching the first product that deactivates a controversial weed killer inside spraying equipment after it is used, ...
Viewpoint: Pesticide soaked strawberries? Why you shouldn’t pay attention to Environmental Working Group’s ‘fear-mongering’
It’s springtime which means it is time for the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to send the media into a frenzy ...
How synthetic biology can help world meet UN sustainable development goals
The agenda of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenges the synthetic biology community—and the life sciences as a whole—to develop transformative ...
Viewpoint: Friends of the Earth ignores organic pesticides harmful to bees
Friends of the Earth Canada is calling on Ontario Minister of the Environment Chris Ballard to investigate the sale of ...
California court rejects challenge of state’s decision to label glyphosate herbicide as possible carcinogen
A state appeals court on [April 19] backed California’s listing of the widely used herbicide glyphosate as a possible cause ...
‘Kenya’s silver bullet’? How GMO insect resistant Bt corn could help farmers fight fall armyworm outbreak
Genetically modified maize, Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) could be Kenya’s silver bullet in the fight against Fall Armyworm which has so ...
Plant ‘vaccines’, CRISPR gene editing could increase crop yields and reduce pesticide use
When European researchers recently announced a new technique that could potentially replace chemical pesticides with a natural “vaccine” for crops, ...
Video: How GMO bananas could help Ugandan farmers overcome bacterial wilt disease
Uganda's political system holds the key to helping farmers who are struggling with the devastating banana bacterial wilt disease. Read ...
Regenerative agriculture: Can ‘carbon farming’ help battle climate change by improving soil health?
[Regenerative agriculture's] guiding principle is not just to farm sustainably — that implies mere maintenance of what might, after all, ...
Public health breakthrough: US and Indian scientists work together on genetic solutions to food toxins
Genetically engineered peanuts that are immune to aflatoxin contamination, which is associated with an increased risk of liver cancer, would ...
First gene drive developed for crop pest targets invasive fruit fly that damages berries
Biologists at the University of California San Diego have developed a method of manipulating the genes of an agricultural pest ...
Germany planning ‘massive restrictions’ on glyphosate herbicide use in agriculture
German Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner on [April 17] said she was finalizing a draft regulation to end use of the ...
Viewpoint: Organic Consumers Association promotes conspiracy theory blaming farm pesticides for school shootings
A crackpot named E. G. Vallianatos has written a blog post that links pesticides to school shootings. He says, "[Pesticides] may have ...
Video: Genetic Literacy Project founder Jon Entine on GMOs and ‘chemophobia’
In this episode of The Dissenter, Ricardo Lopes interviews Genetic Literacy Project founder Jon Entine about bioengineering, GMOs and "chemophobia." Ricardo ...
Agricultural tech startup Indigo uses microbes to improve crops
In humans, a healthy microbiome—the universe of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that lives inside all of us—is increasingly recognized as critical ...
Not just pesticides: Honeybee health impacted by habitat loss, nutrition, pathogens and more
Around 2006, beekeepers and scientists started talking about something called colony collapse disorder. CCD at that time was a new phenomenon; suddenly whole hives of ...
