tagged w/ DOW Chemical
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Earlier this year, the administration of the outgoing Peruvian President slipped in a decree that opened the door for GM seeds. But the subsequent outcry forced not only the resignation of the Agriculture Minister who'd introduced the decree, but also a 10-year ban on GMOs. But that ban wasn't signed into law by the outgoing Administration, so in November the new Peruvian Congress overwhelmingly approved the ban once again. Now the new law has been published in the Official Gazette with the support of the new Peruvian President, a known opponent of GMOs.
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Peru Approves Moratorium on GM Crops
THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE
Dear Friends and colleagues,
Below is an unofficial translation of a news article on the topic published in Spanish. For more news on the moratorium, see:
http://www.portafolio.co/internacional/peru-prohibio-las-semillas-transgenicas-su-territorio
http://elcomercio.pe/politica/1345718/noticia-peru-libre-transgenicos-proximos-diez-anos"
With best wishes,
Third World Network
131 Jalan Macalister,
10400 Penang,
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
Website: www.biosafety-info.net and www.twnside.org.sg
To subscribe to other TWN information lists:www.twnnews.net
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Peru approves law banning GM production for 10 years
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and Congress have heard the cries of Peruvian farmers and have banned GMOs for ten years.
The effects of GM foods on people who consume them and on their crops have generated enormous controversy. In this light Peru has taken an important step to protect their local food producers, establishing a moratorium on income and production of genetically modified organisms. This law, which was approved on November 4, was published on December 9 in the Official Gazette.
The president of Peru, Ollanta Humala said that it came to this decision after hearing "the cries of agricultural organizations and civil society to take this important step in the defense of our biodiversity."
Living modified organisms (LMOs) for research are excluded from the norm, including those used as pharmaceuticals and veterinary as governed by specific rules.
Also the LMO or its derivatives for food imported for direct human and animal, or for processing, said the rule would fall in this first group of processed foods such as dairy meal, which have been manufactured using GMOs.
Congressman Jaime Delgado, who was the driver of the rule, said in a statement that the law establishes the moratorium in response to the need to avoid irreparable damage to the country's biodiversity and to achieve a prior environmental land.
The National Convention of Peruvian Agriculture (Conveagro) also welcomed the enactment of the law and that Humala has taken the decision "without yielding to pressure from powerful groups." In a statement, Humala said he "heard the cries of agricultural organizations and civil society to take this important step in the defense of our biodiversity."
The president of Conveagro, Lucila Quintana, said: "Now we have to tap the potential of Peru's diverse agriculture, food and tourism, as part of a national biosafety work and ensure agricultural production to achieve food security. "Earlier this year, the administration of the outgoing Peruvian President slipped in a... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," talks about what she learned about job creation as governor of Michigan. What she learned was that Republican ideals of cutting taxes just don't work, and shares a wrenching story about a one-company town that lost a massive manufacturing plant because the company shipped the jobs off to Mexico. "The War Room," which will focus on politics and the run-up to the 2012 president election, premieres in January on Current TV, and will air weeknights at 9/8c.Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," talks about what she learned... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," answers your questions from Facebook and Twitter. This week, she tackles a big question from a disappointed Obama supporter who is wondering how she and her friends can back the president for another term. Granholm also discusses the president's ability to demonstrate leadership on energy policy. "The War Room with Jennifer Granholm" premieres in January on Current TV.Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," answers your questions from... more
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The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Thursday came out in open against Dow Chemical's sponsorship of the 2012 London Olympics and has decided to lodge its protest to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
At its general body meeting in New Delhi, the IOA decided that it would seek the removal of Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide, responsible for the thousands of deaths during the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. However, the issue of boycotting the event did not even come up for discussion.
Acting IOA president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the IOA will convey the sentiments of Indians to IOC chief Jacques Rogge and London Games Organising Committee chief Sebastian Coe.
"It is IOA's considered opinion that the sponsorship by Dow Chemical is against the spirit of the Olympic ideals. Olympic Games showcase the best of human endeavour, sporting spirit and camaraderie, and to have Dow Chemical even as one of the sponsors negates all these lofty values," said Malhotra.
"IOA's views not only reflect the concerns of the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy but the feelings of millions of people all over the world and it is not a partisan demand.
"We in fact are making IOC aware of the feelings of the people who have suffered due to that tragedy. It is not only the Indians who are protesting this sponsorship; there has been an outcry against this world over from various NGOs and other bodies. It is no longer a local issue."
There has been a huge outcry in India over Dow's involvement with the Games. Olympians and the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy have demanded either Dow's sponsorship be withdrawn or India boycott the event.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ioa-to-lodge-protest-over-london-olympic-sponsor-dow/1/164530.html
More at the linkThe Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Thursday came out in open against Dow... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," answers your questions from Facebook and Twitter. This week, she goes deeper into last week's response to a question about term limits, saying the real problem is politicians who are bought. She also reveals a bit about what viewers can expect from her show, which premieres next month on Current TV, and shares which Republican president she most admires.Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," answers your questions from... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," offers her predictions on the 2012 election, and discusses how President Obama can attempt to recapture the excitement that surrounded his 2008 run for office.Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," offers her predictions on the... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," says she can bring the benefit of experience to "help the viewers see behind the curtain -- what's really happening in this race for president." She says her familiarity and relationships with many of the players in Washington and in the GOP primary will bring viewers a fresh angle.Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," says she can bring the benefit of... more
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The verdict as well as closing remarks will be given December 6, 3:30 PM Bangalore India time. That should be around 5AM standard EST here for anyone interested in seeing justice done. I wll report on any other information I get about this.
I hope this is only a first step to bringing accountability to these purveyors of global toxicity and death.The verdict as well as closing remarks will be given December 6, 3:30 PM Bangalore... more
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Dow Chemical acquired Union Carbide as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2001. They are therefore responsible for the clean up of the former Union Carbide Factory site in Bhopal, India. The area around the factory is densely populated and continues to be heavily contaminated by chemicals and toxins produced by the factory which Dow, despite their evident responsibility, have thus far refused to clean up.
The situation in Bhopal is a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe that continues to affect tens of thousands of people today. For further information see www.bhopal.org
The organisers of the Olympic Games claim that they are committed to organising a sustainable and environmentally friendly event. It is therefore completely unacceptable for Dow Chemical to be sold rights to print their logo all over the the fabric wrapping of the olympic stadium.
More at the link
Please sign this petition for all who have been victims of these environmental crimes.Dow Chemical acquired Union Carbide as a wholly owned subsidiary in 2001. They are... more
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Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," says her intense curiosity and her experience will allow her to ask the questions that matter to real people. She says that having received the kinds of talking points that politicians bring to talk shows, she can call them on "the B.S." "I don't want this show to be about talking points," she says, adding that people "want to hear the truth."Jennifer Granholm, host of "The War Room," says her intense curiosity and... more
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Olympic organisers are under growing pressure to reconsider a lucrative sponsorship deal that was awarded to a controversial US chemicals firm which has "failed to address one of the worst corporate-related human rights disasters of the 20th century".
Amnesty International will today demand that Lord Coe publicly reveal how the deal with the Dow Chemical Company (Dow), which gives it "exclusive marketing rights" to the main stadium, complies with London 2012's ethical code.
Dow is the 100 per cent owner of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), the company responsible for the 1984 gas disaster in Bhopal, India, which is thought to have killed 10,000 in its immediate aftermath and 15,000 since.
The company's name will be emblazoned on the £7m artwork "wrap" around the main stadium, guaranteeing months of exposure. Dow and UCC are defendants in a public-interest litigation case in an Indian state court for clean-up of the factory site. They have refused to comply with an application by an Indian Ministry request of 1bn rupees (£12.3m at today's exchange rate) as an advance for clean-up costs.
Health and human rights groups in Bhopal continue to report high rates of congenital deformities and cancers among families who are forced to use contaminated groundwater sources.
More than 10 independent scientific studies show dangerous levels of chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride in water supplies. Earlier this month, The Independent witnessed children as young as eight filling sacks with contaminated soil from the factory landfill to use for building material in their homes.
MPs want the Government to intervene in the controversial deal, which threatens to overshadow the image of the London Games. Critics say Lord Coe must explain Locog's admission that the deal was struck after Dow provided "a full briefing" about Bhopal. The Bhopal Medical Appeal accuses Olympics organisers of "playing dumb over universal legal principles".
Tessa Jowell, the shadow Olympics minister, said last night: "Given the allegations which have been made about Dow's responsibilities in Bhopal it is clear that there are further pressing questions that they must answer."
Home Affairs Select Committee chair Keith Vaz has tabled an Early Day Motion condemning the decision. "If sustainability is at the heart of Locog's decision making as they claim, they need to look long and hard at their decision to do business with Dow," he said.
More at the linkOlympic organisers are under growing pressure to reconsider a lucrative sponsorship... more
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Earlier this year, I was contacted by a PR firm working for Dow Chemical to contribute a 60-second video for the Future We Create virtual conference on water sustainability the company launched yesterday. As a vocal advocate for strict regulation of toxic chemicals -- especially for food and farming -- I was surprised the company would approach me. Dow is the country's largest chemical maker, and profits handsomely from developing some of the world's most polluting products, many of which are widely used in industrial and consumer goods as well as agriculture.
In the video I submitted, which you can watch below, I stress that one of the greatest threats to clean water is chemical contaminants -- and that Dow Chemical has a long history of water pollution. The PR representative emailed to say "unfortunately we can't use your video," but that she would be happy to include me, still, if I would consider re-recording it. When we discussed what that would mean she said, no "fingerpointing"; they wanted a "positive, inclusive discussion."
I believe in inclusiveness and engagement, but I also believe we must pursue those principles within a context that is honest. To do otherwise is to participate in what is popularly called "greenwashing," painting a veneer of environmentalism on an otherwise unchanged product or practice -- a corporate strategy many of us are all too familiar with.
In this spirit, I felt it would be disingenuous to engage in a conversation about water sustainability, for a campaign paid for by Dow Chemical, without pointing out the direct relationship between Dow's core business products -- a source of its $8 billion in profit last year -- and toxins in our environment.
At the same time Dow launches this initiative, the company is actively fighting multiple lawsuits from communities who contend that their water has been polluted by the company, including from its hometown manufacturing plant in Midland, Mich. In 2007, the EPA detected the highest level of dioxin ever discovered in the country's rivers or lakes in waterways near Dow's global headquarters. Dioxin levels in some places were 1,000 times higher than the residential standard, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. A recent study found women living in Midland, as well as Saginaw and Bay counties, have significantly higher rates of breast cancer; dioxin was to blame. A class action lawsuit is pending.
"In the backyard of Dow's corporate headquarters, the company for decades through philanthropy, public relations, and politics has made the choice to push back at every regulatory level instead of addressing their dioxin contamination of 52 miles of freshwater and Lake Huron," said Michelle Hurd Riddick of the Saginaw Bay grassroots environmental organization, Lone Tree Council. "The company has mastered the art of greenwashing while poisoning a whole watershed and getting away with it."
Community members in another Midland -- Midland, Texas -- filed suit earlier this year against Dow and three other companies for contaminating groundwater there with hexavalent chromium. Barred from use in the European Union because of its toxicity, hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen. The EPA's own hazard report notes that exposure, including through contaminated drinking water, "may produce effects on the liver, kidney, [and] gastrointestinal and immune systems."
Dow also continues to drag its heels and fight regulators in order to continue production of some of its most toxic and water-polluting products.
In 2000, for instance, the EPA announced it was phasing out approval of Dow's insecticide, and potent neurotoxin, Dursban, for new home construction in the United States because the product is linked to serious illnesses and even death in children. Five years later, the chemical was still in use in U.S. homes. And in 2003, Dow settled a $2 million lawsuit with the state of New York, the largest penalty ever in a pesticide-related case, for repeatedly violating an agreement about proper advertising of Dursban and making misleading safety claims.
Dow is also a leading manufacturer of Bisphenol-A (or BPA), used in numerous consumer products such as baby bottles, children's toys, and the linings of food cans. It's a particularly dangerous chemical, with proven toxicity even in low doses, especially in utero. The National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program has found the chemical may increase the risk of certain cancers and alter brain development. The chemical, a synthetic estrogen, has also been linked to reproductive and hormonal problems. New research is showing that a vast majority of Americans is exposed to low concentrations of BPA not only through consumer products, but from surface water, too.
More at the linkEarlier this year, I was contacted by a PR firm working for Dow Chemical to contribute... more
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Republicans scrap 'compostable' utensils in House cafeterias
Republicans say 'compostable' utensils were not cost- or energy-efficient, so they bring back the foam and plastic. Green-minded Democrats protest.
Photo: The reversal on utensils is drawing the most attention the House cafeterias have received since a former Republican committee chairman in 2003 renamed the French fries "freedom fries" after France refused to support the U.S.-led war in Iraq. (Jim Young / Reuters)
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By Richard Simon, Los Angeles times
March 24, 2011, 5:39 p.m.
Reporting from Washington—
First the Republicans took over the House. Now it's the cafeterias.
Republicans say the use of "compostable" cups and utensils, a key part of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Green the Capitol initiative, was "neither cost-effective nor energy-efficient." So they brought back plastic utensils and foam cups, ditching the eco-friendly dining wares of the Democratic era.
The replacement spoons, knives, forks and cups are creating quite a stir, dividing lawmakers largely along party lines.
Democratic staffers are talking about boycotting the cafeterias, which serve about 230,000 meals a month, mostly to staff members but also to the public. The issue sprouted a Facebook page, "Stop the Styrofoam Invasion: Bring cardboard back to the House Cafeteria." Some staffers are bringing in their own mugs. Others are becoming office baristas and making their own coffee.
The controversy over cups and forks shows how quickly tensions can escalate in this hyperpartisan Congress, which returns to Washington next week to confront more weighty issues: the stalemate over the national budget and President Obama's handing of the military campaign in Libya.
Democrats see the cafeteria changes as symbolic of GOP hostility toward the environment. Republicans support initiatives that include legislation to thwart regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency budget and the repeal of a national mandate for more energy-efficient light bulbs.
"This seems like a small thing, but it sends a terrible message," said Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) of the return to foam cups.
But Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River), whose committee oversees the cafeterias, ended the $475,000-a-year composting program initiated by Pelosi after a study found it had increased energy use and barely reduced carbon emissions.
"I never thought I'd be known as 'Styrofoam Dan,' " said Lungren, who is surprised by all of the fuss.
In defense of the decision, Salley Wood, a spokeswoman for Republicans on the Committee on House Administration, said, "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find taxpayers who consider blowing a half-million dollars on a failing program a 'small thing' in this economic environment."
Democrats, who have sought to make the Capitol an example of environmental responsibility, are especially upset over the return of polystyrene, long the scourge of environmentalists who say it takes a long time to break down and pollutes the landscape.
"We all support smart cuts to federal government spending, but the use of Styrofoam is contrary to the direction of nearly every major business in our country," said Kyle Anderson, a spokesman for the committee's Democrats. (Styrofoam maker Dow Chemical says the cups aren't Styrofoam; they are made of polystyrene.)
Democrats have urged House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to reconsider.
"I can hardly wait for the lead paint," Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said in a sarcastic tweet.
"This GOP leadership has shown that the only thing they are good at is recycling bad ideas," said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill. The eco-friendly dining ware reduced the volume of materials sent to landfills by 535 tons a year.
Yet some welcome the change, saying that the old cutlery, which was made from cornstarch, would often bend, break or dissolve in hot liquids.
"Plastic ware is back in the Capitol!" lobbyist Maury Litwack cheered in a tweet. "Can't tell you how bipartisan was the anger regarding the melting forks and spoons."
But even soup brews controversy.
Daniel Weiss, chief of staff to a Democratic congressman, said he had eaten a lot of very hot soup from the cafeteria, "and I never had a spoon melt."
It's the most attention the House cafeterias have received since a former Republican committee chairman in 2003 renamed the French fries "freedom fries" after France refused to support the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
As for the cafeteria food, Republicans say they have no plans to remove organic choices.
Nor, they say, do they plan to bring back smoking in the lobby outside the House chamber, even though Boehner is a heavy smoker.
And Republicans said the end to eco-friendly utensils and cups did not close the door on improvement to Capitol kitchenware.
They are planning to experiment with washable mugs in one of the cafeterias, possibly leading to the use of real plates and utensils.
Since a lot of staffers eat at their desks, "you're going to lose silverware or you're going to have drawers full of dirty silverware," Hammill said. "Either way, that's not going to save you money."
Democratic staffer Ken Willis said that while he regarded the return of the foam cups as shortsighted, he welcomed the thought of eating on a non-paper plate.
"I'd be most happy with a good, old-fashioned metal fork, spoon and knife that simply gets washed," Willis said.Republicans scrap 'compostable' utensils in House cafeterias
Republicans... more
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Twenty-five years have passed since the world’s worst man-made disaster - Bhopal gas tragedy - occurred. But despite the passage of time the trauma continues for the survivors of that fateful night of Dec 2-3, 1984, when over 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) spewed out of the now defunct Union Carbide’s pesticide plant. Having borne the brunt of neurological, hormonal and mental health problems - besides the economic hardships - the survivors are now faced with the problem of deformed children being born. Shuriah Niazi reports from BhopalTwenty-five years have passed since the world’s worst man-made disaster - Bhopal... more
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In the not-so-distant future, the Middle East will be the foremost global hub for the petrochemicals industry according to Margaret Walker, global vice president for engineering solutions, technology centers and manufacturing and engineering work processes at The Dow Chemical Company.
Speaking at the Middle East Petrotech 2010 conference and exhibition last week Walker also highlighted Dow’s active participation in the growth of the region’s petrochemical industry, its successful partnerships and joint ventures in the Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Walker was leading a delegation of Dow engineering and commercial experts who delivered technical presentations and engaged with event delegates at the energy industry’s leading conference and trade exhibition held in Bahrain from May 23 to 26, 2010.
“We work very hard to earn our ‘license to operate’ and it is critical to build high safety standards and Loss Prevention Principles, to implement best-in-class environment, health and safety technologies and work processes and to train employees on process safety best practices. Last, but not least, it is important for us to work with contractors and suppliers who adhere to the highest levels of safety performance,” Walker said.
In her remarks, Walker noted that Manufacturing and Engineering (M&E) technologies and processes play an integral role in the global petrochemicals industry, and Arabian Gulf producers are quickly growing their role in downstream manufacturing. She went on to praise a number of technology centers that have been established throughout the region to focus on enhancing technologies to improve reliability, productivity and address key environment, health and safety issues.
Walker’s remarks in Bahrain praised the region’s economic growth activities. She also highlighted Dow’s continued commitment to grow its regional manufacturing footprint by collaborating with partners who are equally committed to balancing manufacturing excellence with a commitment to safety, training and career development for the region’s growing workforces.
Citing Dow’s recent M&E highlights in the Middle East as examples, she said that EQUATE, Dow and Kuwait’s PIC’s successful 15-year joint venture and one of the Middle East’s leading producers of polyethylene and ethylene glycol, is already operating at safety levels that Dow aspires to as part of its 2015 Sustainability Goals. She also noted that since 2005 Dow has worked with EQUATE to administer nearly 14 consecutive years of training, 365 days a year.In the not-so-distant future, the Middle East will be the foremost global hub for the... more
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Al Gore’s environmental organization Live Earth has taken money to raise awareness about the need for clean water from a controversial chemicals company involved in the aftermath of one of the world's worst pollution disasters.
Dow Chemical, the US firm which now owns the leaking pesticides factory responsible for thousands of deaths in Bhopal, India, sponsored Live Earth events in 150 cities this past week. The event aimed to raise money for clean water programs. Research by environmental organizations has found dangerous levels of highly toxic chemicals in rivers, lakes and other water supplies close to several other factories owned by Dow and its subsidiaries in countries including the United States, Brazil and South Africa.Al Gore’s environmental organization Live Earth has taken money to raise... more
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Food justice advocates are criticizing President Obama’s recent appointment of a top pesticide industry executive to a key trade position. The executive, Islam Siddiqui, was named the US Trade Representative’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator in a spate of recent appointments. Siddiqui is a former vice president and lobbyist at CropLife America, a group of the major industrial players in the pesticide industry, including Syngenta, Monsanto and Dow Chemical. A coalition of over eighty environmental, family farm and consumer advocacy organizations had campaigned against his nomination.Food justice advocates are criticizing President Obama’s recent appointment of a... more
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Groundwater near the site of the world's worst chemical industrial accident is still toxic and poisoning residents a quarter of a century later.Groundwater near the site of the world's worst chemical industrial accident is... more
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