According to CSGlobe, the Dutch Parliament decided that the sale of glyphosate-based herbicides to private parties will be prohibited as of late 2015. That means that anyone who presently sprays RoundUp on their gardens and lawns will have to find another form of pest control, as glyphosate is the main ingredient in RoundUp.
If you’re not yet aware, this chemical has been directly linked to an assortment of severe health concerns, including birth defects, nervous system damage, kidney failure, and various forms of cancer. While there has not been any conclusive evidence it causes these in humans, convincing animal studies have caused the WHO organization to recently label glyphosate as “probably carcinogen” - leading to bans like the one passed in the Netherlands.
Joining Russia, Mexico, and a list of other countries seeking to do away with the ‘likely’ cancer-causing concotion, the Netherlands has allayed many fears of concerned citizens by passing this initiative.
Bollenboos and the Party for Animals were the groups to launch an initiative to create a notification center, where citizens had the opportunity to express issues that concerned them. Many residents of the Netherlands shared their concerns about the use of glyphosate, and the astonishing number of people who opposed it prompted Esther Ouwehand and Gerard Schouw, two members of the Dutch Parliament, to submit a motion that would ban glyphosate from the country. Ultimately, with the support of several political parties, the motion was approved.
While the Dutch Lower House had sought to ban glyphosate from non-agricultural use several years ago, Monsanto’s influence overrode that motion at the time. But *fingers crossed* many are sure the decision made last September will be a permanent one.
As was predicted last year, this move would inspire other countries to follow suit - and they have!
While progress is slow in the United States, at least GMO labeling efforts are being made and consumer awareness is growing on the daily. But Brazil, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Madeira, New Zealand, Peru, South Australia, Russia, France, and Switzerland have all at present banned glyphosate - so it’s only a matter of time before change is introduced elsewhere!
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Article posted by Amanda Froelich