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- Pesticide company's legal bid to keep toxic secrets
- 2002
- Biotech blunder results in GM trial chaos
- British fruit growers suffering from supermarket rules
- Chemical presence in your Christmas presents?
- Consumers reject GM honey
- Cumbrian farmers back local food solutions
- Draft European environmental liability law slammed
- Doorstep Recycling Bill briefing
- Dreaming of a lindane free Christmas
- Euro MPs back GM labelling
- Euro MPs back GM labels
- GM crop scare hits US
- GM crop trials undermined by new US evidence
- GM crops may fan rural conflict
- GM debate descends into farce
- GM labelling: Krebs vs Meacher
- GM safety checks inadequate says Royal Society
- GM seed tests not convincing
- GM separation distances must be 5km
- GM-free Britain campaign launched
- Government adviser calls for GM caution
- Government announces final GM trial sites
- Government announces more GM trial sites
- Government approach to GM reporting is illegal
- Government gets poor marks for school fruit scheme
- Government GM consultation just a PR offensive - Minister
- Government must not ignore public over GM crop commercialisation
- Government plays down pesticide risks
- Government survey shows mounting green concerns
- Government to suppress GM debate
- Government to suppress GM debate
- Government watchdog gives stark warning over GM weeds
- Government's wildlife advisers slam EU GM seed proposals
- Halt GM crops - International review of farming announced
- Illegal pesticides found in lettuces
- Inquiry fails to find cause of gm crop contamination
- It's time to target organics
- Latest pesticide results bad news for children
- Leaked report shows government scrambling to change GM law
- Mass trolley action against GM pollution
- More action needed for sustainable farming future
- Morphogenics: US biotech industry out of control?
- New pesticide cocktail report admits concerns
- New research questions GM food safety
- New residue data shows need for pesticide action
- Opportunity knocked
- Organic action plan welcomed
- Organic targets rally gallery
- Pesticide companies should pay for better testing
- Pesticide company's legal bid to keep toxic secrets
- Pesticide safety advice for children to be withdrawn
- Pesticide tax needed to tackle pollution
- Pesticides banned in baby food - but still in fruit and vegetables
- Pesticides still in food
- Public backs farmers against supermarkets
- Reckless GM trials under attack
- Report only first step towards greener farming
- Retailers must reduce pesticide levels in babies' and children's food
- Ruddock sponsors Recycling Bill
- Science: Tony gets low marks
- Scientists clash over GM safety
- Scorn poured on GM breakfast cereal
- Somerfield's pesticide record
- Spending review: enough new money for farming?
- Supermarket power threatens countryside
- Supermarkets fail British apple growers
- Tesco decision ignores small shops
- Toxic cocktail in fruit and vegetables
- Trade war looms in EU/US GM label row
- UK opposed EU GM labelling rules
- Unilever boss weak on GM history
- US threatens public's right to choose on GM foods
- Zambian GM food aid decision highlights global problems
Pesticide company's legal bid to keep toxic secrets 15 May 2002
Campaigners dressed in chemical suits and pollution masks and carrying chemical spray packs marked top secret were outside the High Court protesting against chemical company Aventis' attempt to keep safety data on one of its pesticides secret.
The High Court in London was hearing a legal bid from the biotech industry to stop the Government releasing pesticide safety data to Friends of the Earth about the dangers posed by the weed killer glufosinate ammonium.
The judicial review is being brought jointly by biotech company Aventis, and pesticides industry trade association, the Crop Protection Association. The case was brought after Friends of the Earth asked the UK Government in 2000 for safety information relating to the weedkiller glufosinate ammonium which had been supplied by Aventis to back its application for the chemical to be sprayed on winter trials of its GM oilseed rape. Use of the chemical had previously been banned during winter months because Government advisors were worried about its potential to wash from the soil in heavier winter rains.
The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs agreed to release the information to Friends of the Earth in 2001 under the Environmental Information Regulations at which point Aventis and the Crop Protection Association instigated legal action to prevent it doing so.
"People have a right to know about the possible effects of chemicals being sprayed on their food and used in their homes. But the chemical industry doesn't believe in openness and has gone to the courts to try and force the Government to keep the safety data secret. Forcing companies to come clean about the impacts of the products they make will be good for democracy, good for our health and good for the environment," said Friends of the Earth's legal adviser Phil Michaels.
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