For immediate release:
March 8, 2005
 
Interviews Available:
Contact Kelly Campbell,
415-981-6205 ext. 350 or 415-518-1991 cell
kcampbell@panna.org

News Advisory
 
"Fifty-two countries have already banned lindane. Why not North America?"--Ask Environmental Health, Indigenous Peoples Advocates at “Lindane Lunch” of traditional foods contaminated by the toxic pesticide.
 
Activists from Canada, Mexico and US to Testify on March 17 before Tri-National Commission in support of elimination of the toxic pesticide lindane
 
What: Indigenous and environmental health advocates from the US, Mexico and Canada will host a “Lindane Lunch” of traditional and common foods found to be contaminated by the toxic pesticide, lindane. The advocates will then testify in support of elimination of the toxic pesticide lindane at a tri-national meeting of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The commission has set up a task force to reduce exposure to lindane, but U.S. Government foot-dragging has thus far prevented the task force from achieving a continent-wide ban.
 
The activists will outline the documented human health and environmental effects that have already caused 52 countries to ban the use of lindane, an old, bioaccumulative and neurotoxic insecticide still used for seed treatment and head lice control in the U.S. Lindane is the most abundant pesticide found in Arctic air and water, presenting a significant health problem for arctic peoples. A 2003 study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 62% of U.S. residents sampled carry the insecticide in their body, and the highest levels are found among women of childbearing age.
 
Who: advocates hosting the Lindane Lunch and testifying before the commission

• Shawna Larson, Indigenous Environmental Network, Alaska, US
• Mindahi Bastida, Consejo Regional Otomi Del Alto Lerma, Mexico
• Patricia Diaz Romo, Huicholes y Plaguicidas, Mexico
• Ann Heil, Chemical Engineer, Los Angeles, California, US
• Pam Miller, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, US
• Angela Rickman, Sierra Club, Canada
• Aaron Colangelo, Natural Resources Defense Council, US
• Kristin Schafer, Pesticide Action Network North America

Where: Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island Hotel, San Diego, California, USA.

When: Thursday, March 17, 2005

1:00 PM “Lindane Lunch” display of traditional foods and common foods contaminated by lindane with short presentation by delegates
 
2:30 PM testimony before the commission on lindane (Open to the media)
 
Photo op: lindane contaminated foods including mukluk (whale meat), arctic and great lakes fish.

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