Monsanto and PCBs

blamanj writes: "While this story isn't about the gadgetry that typically appeals to /.ers, it's worth a look. The Washington Post has acquired documents showing how a Monsanto Corp. PCB plant polluted a small town in Alabama with full knowledge of what it was doing. Their own tests showed that when fish were placed into a local stream, "Their skin would literally slough off." They showed no concern for the residents, only about potential expensive regulations or bad publicity. Why is this relevant? Well, Monsanto is currently one of biggest proponents of GM (genetically modified) foods." Very thorough investigative article about how a corporation reacts when a profitable business line is threatened, or a cautionary tale about wonder technologies, take your pick.

Comments

Re:Monsanto akin to evil corporations from the mov

[streetlawyer]

These are all excellent and serious points, and much more important than the fabricated controversy over "terminator genes".

Corporations, how about the military?

[f00zbll]

How in the world is the government supposed to enforce laws about polution reguarding the environment when the military dumps tons of explosives, jet fuel and other PCB's into our oceans, lakes and land. Our military is doing a great job right now, but you know the corporations are the first to use the same excuse.

I'm married to an x-environmental researcher who worked on ways to clean PCB's. I practically took half her classes during grad school, since I would discuss everything she read, at lunches and dinners.

I don't know actual numbers of how much chemicals are dumped by the military, but it is not small. The current legislation from my limited understanding only requires the military set aside part of their funding for research into cleaning. No actual cleaning is required! Most of the political structure in the military continuously fund research and never implement the procedures. Corporations aren't stupid, they use the same exact trick to avoid real action. Mobile refineries in southern california have used the excuse it's too expensive to retrofit their facilities because it is cheaper to pay the fine.

A close friend is a contractor who used to clean up toxic dumps. Often we would have coffee and talk about how corrupt and messed up the EPA is. For those who know, the EPA for the most part goes after gas stations, because that's the only businesses that can't afford big shot lawyers. Until our social values place human life before convienance and price, I doubt any of this will change.

Re:Where do guys like you come from?

[Reality Master 101]

Do you even realize the multi-million dollar P.R. bullshit you're parroting?

Do you realize the tin-foil hat ravings you're parroting?

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. So far, the ravers have shown that they had very little scientific understanding of the processes that they claim. Show me a peer reviewed study that shows harmful effects of aspartame. You can't, because they don't exist. All we have are some pseudo-scientific bullshit that is just plain wrong.

By the way, did you know that you have Sodium Chloride every day? And the components of that are Sodium and Chlorine, both highly poisonous? GOOD GOD imagine what would happen if they ever broke down! Alert the media!

Next time, I'll alert you to the dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide.