Marshall Clarke: Atrazine could be more dangerous than article let on

To The Daily Sun,

It was disappointing that this paper chose to publish the article "Maintaining a Viable Tool Box: The benefits of atrazine for weed control" (Saturday, Oct. 15) when it clearly is a one-sided advertisement written by Brand Point, a public relations firm employed by Syngenta, the makers of atrazine.

The safety of atrazine is debatable. Although the EPA concluded in the early 2000s that no harm was caused by exposure, it is a known endocrine disrupter and can, in certain conditions, persist in the soil and groundwater. More recent studies show that it is associated with birth defects and pre-term delivery, as well as effects on amphibians and fish. These studies have led to the EPA reconsideration of its use.

Atrazine has been banned or phased out in more than 35 countries and the state of Hawaii. In the European Union, rather than seeing corn production fall, it has risen slightly. Recent economic studies show that banning atrazine would actually benefit corn growers, raising their revenues.

Your readers deserve a more balanced and informed review, rather than an industry advertisement.

Marshall Clarke

Gilmanton