Free Extinction Level Event by Jose Pino Johansson Page B

signs. If there is
any slight indication that whatever we find in those earthworms is
indeed carcinogenic, we’re going to have a major media problem on
our hands. Let’s hope that that’s not the case. Ahh, finally. The
ingredients list. Some ingredients listed on the website
included Isopropylamine glyphosate salt, water, glyphosate organic
acids, isopropylamine, polyoxyethylene alkalymine, and FD& C
Blue No. 1. But those are for older products, such as Super
Concentrate or PowerMax. Mike keeps surfing.
     
    Mark comes up to Mike as he’s typing. “Hey, LA says
that they are sending all the information they have to your e-mail.
Also, they are sending their own team here”. Mike stops his typing,
looking up at Mark nondescriptly. “I thought we were alone on this
one. I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Lets
assume it’s a good thing and that we can use the help. So the files
are on my-email?” “Yes. They will of course be copied to John at
Stockton. But we’ll have them here within a few minutes”. “Mark,
did you tell them I need a list of SuperPower’s active
ingredients?” “Yes, that should be included in the file. Any new
herbicide or pesticide is listed in our database before it goes
into the market”. “Don’t forget, we should also look at the
inactive ingredients. They are just as notorious for causing
problems, and you know that”. Mike gives Mark a quick friendly
glare before grimacing, “Yes, don’t think that I’ve forgotten those
previous episodes with Cleanup. Remember when those French
researchers claimed that Cleanup’s inert ingredients were harmful
to human cells 5 ? I believe they said
that even diluted concentrations of the inert ingredients had toxic
effects on embryonic and umbilical cord cells. That was a hell of a
case”.
     
    “It was true though”, replied Mark astutely from his
laptop. The researchers, from the University of Caen, stated that
polyethoxylated tallowamine, or POEA, is more harmful to humans
than the herbicide itself. Frankly, I doubt that any active
ingredient in SuperPower will be causing the earthworms to die. It
must be one of the inert chemicals”. “We shouldn’t simply assume
that. All of the ingredients will have to be tested” “I know that.
Cleanup’s primary active ingredient has always been Glyphosate. But
even Glyphosate, with all its many critics, has been tested
repeatedly by MalSanto itself, the USDA, the EPA, just about
everyone. The EPA classifies Glyphosate as a group E chemical,
trust me – we already know it's not carcinogenic”.
     
    “Carcinogenic for you, or the worms?”, replies Mike.
“Besides, you forgot the other aspects of that case. There have
been incidences of cancer and birth defects in Argentina allegedly
due to Glyphosate. Specifically people living near areas that were
crop-dusted. In addition, there were links reported between
glyphosate and genetic abnormalities in amphibians. Honestly, we
have no idea what the new versions of these chemicals will do to
individual species. And don’t forget, MalSanto, Dupont, all these
corporations make money by creating new ones every month”. Laurie
walks into the back of the van, giving each man a cursory glance,
“guys, what are we up to? Discussing active and inert agents?”.
Mark shifts in his seat to face her. “Look Laurie, it's like this.
We have a hunch that SuperPower is responsible for this right? The
thing is- every single active ingredient in every Groundup product
that comes out is tested repeatedly. Tested for defects, genetic
abnormalities, mutations, anything that it could produce that would
interfere with other organisms and the environment. We already know
that those chemicals are safe. We should focus on the inert
chemicals”. Mark finishes his sentence, and Mike immediately steps
in. “Well, the point is, everything including the active
ingredients should be tested. The decision is final. And in any
case, the LA office