Chemical Herbicides – Are they For You? (Part Two)

Reader Contribution by Bruce Mcelmurray
article image

When I started this study on chemical herbicides – especially 2, 4D Amine 2, and blog my layman’s report I should clarify that I am not trying to paint chemical companies as the evil empire.  This industry provides  many of the essential lifestyle benefits we currently enjoy.   I’m well acquainted with the virtues and utility of  this industry and we all rely on them to one extent or another.  What I hope to point out is that some chemicals should only be handled by professionals and that the average homesteader should not be able to buy a toxic product as freely as we do.  Lets face it, no one even takes the time to read the multiple page ultra fine print booklet put on the product so they are not used  properly in most cases. 

That being said, the question remains what is 2,4-D Amine 4, or any other 2,4-D product for that matter.  It is most widely used as a world wide broad leaf herbicide and has been in use for over 50 years.  2,4-D comes as either a salt, amine, or ester.  Each has slightly different properties but the results are equal as it kills the target plant by causing rapid cell division and abnormal growth.  The major  problem with this product is that many independent scientific studies have produced different results.  Some say no long term effect has been demonstrated in animals or humans.  Others reports  say something quite differently.  Therefore this chemical compound has been the focus of controversy for as many years as it has been in existence. 2,4-D made up about 50% of Agent Orange widely used in Viet Nam.

The report furnished to me by the EPA reflects that there are suggestions that it may be linked to certain cancers, or that it may or may not have long term effects.  I would personally think that any chemical that had been widely used and studied for over 50 years would be more definitive.  The Material Safety Data Sheet uses terms like – limited evidence for carcinogenicity in humans.  Eye irritation in rabbits is corrosive and causes irreversible eye damage.  Its target organs are the skin, central nervous system, liver and kidneys.  It is toxic to aquatic invertebrates.  In my opinion I would hope that in  half a century its full toxic properties would be more widely understood and not speculated, suggested, implied or contradicted.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368