Re: [gardeners] intro
Annetta Green (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 28 Jun 2001 17:18:29 -0400
George,
what is the half life of DDT? How long can it sit in the ground and be a
viable poison? The research, by state scientists, is showing that the toxic
levels of the farm chemicals, most outlawed now, are what is/has been
killing the birds. They found very high levels in the soil, water and
birds. They have been trucking out the worst of the soil and are now trying
to let it flood again. I think they are also hoping that the second
flooding will dissipate even more of the chemicals to acceptable levels in
the water.
Anne in FL
zone 9b, sunset 26
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Shirley" <gshirl@bellsouth.net>
To: <gardeners@globalgarden.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: [gardeners] intro
> Most of that original marshland was turned into farmland in the twenties
and
> thirties though Anne. No controls at all until the fifties on pesticides
and
> other cides. I would still find it hard to believe that there was anything
still
> there that would kill birds after all those years. We're often to quick to
blame
> the farmer or industry when it may be something else that no one has
delved into
> deeply enough.
>
> George
>
> Annetta Green wrote:
> >
> > > > OG magazine warns against Roundup--Monsanto's claims to the
contrary, it
> > > > does wind up in the water.
> > >
> > > At the risk of sounding "anti-organic" (which I'm not), to my
knowledge
> > > Monsanto has never made any claims that Roundup cannot leach into
water
> > > supplies. The fact is that glyphosate is highly adsorbed by most
soils,
> > and
> > > typically only very small amounts, if any, leach into groundwater when
> > > properly used. Even when some makes it into water bodies, it is
further
> > > adsorbed and tightly bound to any organic matter in the water, where
it is
> > > broken down via microbes in a few weeks' time. Because it breaks down,
> > > there's no bioaccumulation (as with DDT, PCP, etc).
> > >
> > > I rarely use the stuff myself, but when I need to, such as on poison
ivy
> > as
> > > did the poster of the above quote, I dont think it's polluting the
water.
> > I
> > > don't think even Greenpeace cites glyphosate as a water pollutant
hazard.
> > >
> > > Dan Dixon
> > While not totally organic myself, I have found that we need to worry
more
> > about overuse, or use outside of the recomended limits. As with most
> > chemicals there is that chance that it will be abused. Look at the new
> > marshland that is being set up here in FL. The govt bought the farm
land
> > that, generations ago, used to be marshand and started to fill it with
> > water. Over the years there had been so many chemical and fertilizer
spills
> > that the land was toxic to the native species they wanted to attract.
The
> > bird kills we had last year were the result of that. Millions of tons
of
> > soil have been removed and the state is ready to try again. This time
they
> > are going slower and testing soil and water as the water line changes
and
> > fills in. Not sure where all the money is coming from, but some of the
> > labor is volunteer, as is some of the testing being done by local
companies
> > who want to see this work. The marsh once returned to it's former glory
> > will be a beautiful thing.
> > Anne in FL
> > zone 9b, sunset 26
>
>