<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/27/australian-food-is-grown-with-dangerous-chemicals-banned-in-other-countries>
"At the height of the mouse plague in Australia last year, the floors of farm
sheds were alive with mice.
Like a heaving grey carpet, the rodents scuttled around wheat silos, infested
machinery and ran through people’s homes. Farmers across the state of New South
Wales used shovels to clean up the carcasses each morning as they battled to
control the outbreak with available poisons.
As desperation rose, then-deputy premier of New South Wales, John Barilaro,
called for an immediate solution: authorise widespread outdoor use of the
highly toxic second generation rodenticide, bromadiolone, known as “napalm for
mice”.
Around the world, bromadiolone is heavily restricted to mainly indoor use,
usually by professionals, because of the risk of mass deaths to native wildlife
such as eagles, owls, falcons and other animals who eat mice.
It was typical of the approach to pesticides in Australia, where more than 70
chemicals no longer in use in Europe because of their toxicity to humans,
animals and the environment are still in routine use.
In a rare show of strength, the regulator refused emergency approval. But that
was not the end of the matter: a more considered review of rodenticide use is
now under way with a decision expected by the end of next year."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
