Poisoned fairways
Sep 15th, 2003 by bornfamous
Poisoned fairways are among the big winners in Bush’s proposed rollback of pesticide restrictions. The politically untouchable golf industry, where dangerous chemicals are par for the course.
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By Jake Tapper
Methyl bromide gas is some pretty nasty stuff.
The toxic pesticide has a habit of affecting non-target organisms as well as the pests it seeks. Human exposure to too much of it can lead to death, central nervous or respiratory system failure, and permanent disabilities; pregnant women exposed to it risk fetal defects.
Moreover, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, “methyl bromide contributes significantly to the destruction of earth’s stratospheric ozone layer” and for that reason, on Nov. 28, 2000, the U.S. government agreed to a 70 percent reduction of its use this year, with a complete ban to kick in by 2005.
