Not that we needed any more proof, but this story from Listverse is a good example of what I'm talking about!
American Cyanamid Co.
In the four years between 1996 and 2000, companies in the US exported a little over a billion pounds of chemical pesticides to third-world countries. That’s not really a big deal, but this is: Most of those pesticides were banned in the US because they were known carcinogens—but through a loophole, it’s still legal to manufacture and export them, as long as they’re not being used in the country.
As a result, over 350 million agricultural workers in areas like Africa and Central America are put in contact with these chemicals, only, through another loophole, they’re not told about the small fact that without the proper gear they have a very good chance of dying. So you end up with a situation like this plantation in Costa Rica that was sold a pesticide called Counter by American Cyanamid Co.
A quick fact about Counter: The chemical in it is an organophosphate—that’s what they used to make nerve gas before WWII. Counter is only approved for handling if you’re wearing gloves, a face mask, and eye protection. The uninformed Costa Rican farmers, on the other hand, worked shirtless and spread the pesticide with their bare hands. Some of them even used full bags of Counter as pillows at night. After a few days, the workers were literally vomiting blood and foaming at the mouth from the toxins that had worked into their bodies.
And it’s still happening everyday. Companies like American Cyanamid and Chevron Chemical Co. export about 10 million pounds of these chemicals out of the country each month—to areas that provide approximately a quarter of the produce sold in America, freshly dusted with illegal pesticides.
It's really sad that some companies put the quest for profit far above human lives. You have to wonder how these folks sleep at night, ya know?
Coffee out on the patio this morning. Anyone want a bear claw?
13 comments:
American Cyanamid Co. used to have a plant near here, I think they closed it down to move it overseas.
The evil done for the almighty dollar.
Better make mine a strong coffee.
That's why everyone should have a garden. If you have to buy from the store, wash, wash, wash the produce.
27 degrees here with a coating of ice over everything. Bear claws!!!
Gosh, save me two!
So who in all their greed thinks it is okay to manufacture and sell these types of products. They should be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail. Style snowed in here so coffee outside sounds good to me.
They seem to sleep very well in their fancy homes.
I knew that I was growing a garden for more that than just good taste, now I know why.
Disgusting is about the only word that comes to mind. Bear claw sounds great.
As a farmer who has one employee I have sat through countless training sessions of Personal Protection and handling chemicals.
Not only that, but I've talked to old guys who tell stories of people who died from the early days of handling chemicals in the US.
Lots of chemicals we handle are dangerous. Not all organophospates are banned but they are in a restricted class and you have to take precautions.
While I appreciate the anger towards the company that sold the chemicals, the blame falls squarely with the employer of these workers.
The problem was as the article says, "The uninformed Cosa Rican farmers,"
Unless they material was sold in a plain brown wrapper and the company said you could eat it, the person/persons who hired and supervised those workers and/or if there is someone who sold the chemical without stressing the need for protection is guilty.
People deal with dangerous chemicals all the time. That is why personal protection devices were invented. Gasoline will kill you if you bathe in it. Grain dust will kill you if you don't wear a respirator.
Used the bag for a pillow?
Those chemicals are nasty stuff. No gloves, no respirator, Wow!
I wish there was more info in this article:
I went back and re-read it.
"only, through another loophole, they’re not told about the small fact that without the proper gear they have a very good chance of dying. So you end up with a situation like this plantation in Costa Rica that was sold a pesticide called Counter by American Cyanamid Co."
Why would they not explain about personal protection devices? Just because the chemicals are banned in the US doesn't mean they are any more or less toxic than the nasty chemicals that are legal. It is all about the regulation and in many instances the long term carry over of the chemical.
Short term personal protection information should be given/explained.
It doesn't make sense that the Chemical company would try to purposely kill workers, they want to sell more chemicals, people won't use their product if their neighbors fall over dead after using it!
Be assured they sleep fine, Hermit, just as so many do who are in control of humanity. Keep investigating! There are us who have empathy then there are they who have no soul.
Start here and continue watching lists of so many exposing videos of what has and is happening but which a majority of society knows not of and furthermore don't want to know. We live in a 'helluva' world. I research continuously, read continuously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZvjtDvorKk
book - "The Trance Formation of America" is the basis of this video.
Our control is the goal and they have succeeded!
How can they live with themselves? I'm not a saint but this is just too much to take.
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