Concerns over paraquat thanks to brave scientist
OWING to the brave decision of a scientist who has gone public, we know that Syngenta is still manufacturing for export the weedkiller, paraquat, which is banned for use in this country.
Paraquat poisoning has led to the deaths, according to one estimate, of ‘tens of thousands’ in poor Asian farming communities.
Paraquat is extremely toxic and leads to death from multiple organ failure over days.
Jon Heylings, who worked for the Swiss-owned firm for 28 years, has raised concerns about the addition of an emetic agent added to the weed-killer as a safeguard. It is deigned to cause vomiting from those who accidentally consume paraquat.
However, Heylings has claimed that the amount is probably ‘well below an effective dose’ and too low to trigger vomiting.
The US Food and Agriculture Organisation findings on this issue are to be published soon.
Greenpeace has called for a complete ban on the weed-killer.
Law firms in the United States have contacted Heylings with a view to launching civil suits.
You could be better?
SO a retired English teacher, Mr Woolley, knows more than scientists and the government on fighting the pandemic.
His claim that 126,000 people would not have died if Boris
Johnson had not been in charge is fantasy! How can he justify this statement? Mr Woolley is full of accusations on how he could do better - I wonder how?
Stop your whingeing
SO we now have the greener-thangreen Stephen Dorril joining the Boris-bashing, remoaning left whingers.
Will they ever realise that the majority of voters gave us Brexit and the Conservative party an 80-seat majority in Parliament? It’s called democracy, get used to it. In the meantime, give us a rest from your whingeing.
House not in order
SO Peter Everest, the manager of Kingsgate, has updated us this week on the plans for a cinema and restaurants in the three floors occupied by House of Fraser – the anchor store for Kingsgate.
Kirklees Council have loaned Kingsgate £7 million of public money to finance the scheme. How rude then, that neither Peter Everest nor the council have informed the public what is going to happen to the House of Fraser, in my opinion the best store in town.
Town centres are changing fast and need to move away from purely retail but to swap our best store for a cinema is a step too far.
I am delighted B&M Bargains have invested nearly a £1 million in the old M&S shop, but we also need some stores that will make people think twice about visiting Leeds and Manchester.