The petition
Thank you for coming to sign this petition.
:-)
Take a minute to read why we are so concerned.
You are welcome to call 5432798 for any other details.
After reading the information below you would like to read more on the subject, there are some very good links on the right that will take you to some more information.
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WARNING!
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ENDOSULFAN (Trade name: THIODAN)
“is a highly toxic, environmental pollutant which causes long term harm to humans and wildlife. It is widely considered to be a Persistent Organic Pollutant. It is recognised by the UNEP to be a Persistent Toxic Substance.” (Pesticide Action Network International)
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Tauranga City Council proposes to spray Blake Park’s 5 sports fields with this hazardous chemical within the next few weeks (to kill the worms that may muddy the surface of the playing fields with their castings (poos)!
There is evidence of widespread human, environmental and food chain contamination around the world from this chemical. As well as the risk of acute toxicity, it is also an endocrine disruptor, causing reproductive and developmental damage in both animals and humans threatening reproductive capacity and increasing the risk of breast cancer. Endosulfan is known to interfere with hormonal mechanisms at very low concentrations and presents a threat of chronic illness and death in humans. In laboratory studies, endosulfan damages red blood cells, thyroid, kidneys, liver, muscles and the developing foetus. Some have shown it to be hepatotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic, a tumour promoter and to inhibit immune function. Behavioural and neurological changes have been observed. All of these at very low levels of exposure. Recent research suggests an increase in autism results from exposure during pregnancy.
It may be contributing to the increase in testicular and prostate cancer, an increase in defects in male sex organs, and increased incidence of breast cancer which has been observed in the last 50 years.
Not only does endosulfan kill off worms but it also kills soil micro-organisms, insects, bees, birds, fish. It is bioaccumulative. i.e. it is a threat not only to humans but also to the long term viability of animal populations. The German Federal Environment Agency says, " Endosulfan is very toxic for nearly all kinds of organisms".
Campaigns have been going on worldwide for several years to ban endosulfan completely. It is effectively banned in all the European Union countries as well as severely restricted or banned in many other countries (totalling over 30). The UN took steps this year to restrict the international trade of endosulfan.
Tauranga City Council is out of step with the rest of the world.
To find all the answers will take decades and cost many millions of dollars, by which time it may well be too late to prevent large-scale illness in the human population, and destruction of many other species.
BY SIGNING THIS PETITION we believe that, with the very big question over the safety of this highly toxic organochlorine pesticide, the Tauranga City Council should immediately abandon its use of endosulfan, adopt a “prudent avoidance” precautionary policy and use the safe available sustainable and ecological alternatives instead.
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