They demand that the European Commission not extend the use of the pesticide glyphosate
A total of 105 organizations of civil society have sent a letter to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyento demand that it withdraw the proposal to renew glyphosate for another ten years, because, according to the entities, it may represent a high risk to human health and ecosystems.
The letter addressed to Von Der Leyen arrives on the occasion of the meeting of the Appeals Committee of the European Commission this Thursday to debate whether or not to renew the authorization of the use of glyphosate.
Furthermore, next week the Member States will agree on a Regulation on the use of pesticides that will regulate limitations on the general use of these substances.
"Spain is the EU country that uses the most pesticides"
The signatories, led by the PAN Europe organization, have highlighted new scientific evidence on the damage that this substance can causesuch as the Global Study on Glyphosate, which adds to the "long list that already exists."
Specifically, this report shows that low doses of glyphosate herbicides are associated with premature deaths from leukemia in laboratory animals.
"POOR" EVALUATION OF GLYPHOSATE
According to the director of one of the signatory initiatives 'Toxic-Free Home', Carlos de Prada, it is worth remembering that the WHO International Agency for Cancer Research has associated this substance with the development of certain tumors.
In this way, Prada has stated that it is "complicated" to understand that it is now proposed to renew its use for 10 years when In 2017 it was only renewed for five years and not 15 as initially intended due to the "growing" scientific evidence on the damage caused. "Obviously now, when that evidence is even greater, one would only expect its ban," she noted.
On the other hand, the scientific community, through the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) has also expressed its concern over "poor" evaluation of glyphosate.
In this sense, ENSSER has denounced the lack of attention to the "large amount" of scientific evidence from laboratory studies that demonstrates that this substance and its commercial formulations can cause toxicity and serious illness.
With all this, the organizations remind the EC that "glyphosate is the most used herbicide in Europewith widespread exposure in the population, including children, and is ubiquitous as a contaminant in the environment."
SPANISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU
For its part, Prada has specified that the moment "is critical" and it should not be forgotten that Spain It is the country in the EU that uses the highest amount of pesticides.
"A notable percentage of the Spanish population is exposed to residues of these substances, especially through non-organic food, and many of them are, for example, endocrine disruptors that can cause health effects at very low concentrations," he added.
Finally, this demand coincides with the delivery of the manifesto 'The Plague of Pesticides' on November 3 to the Acting Prime Minister and to the ministries of Agriculture, Health, Environment and Ecological Transition and Consumption by more than 150 agricultural, scientific and environmental organizations in which they requested that Spain (who holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU in this second half of 2023) Support the reduction of pesticides and encourage organic farming.
