Blog Categories: Europe

Food & Water Watch urges ban on arsenic in chicken feed; kicks off education campaign in Maryland

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chicken has become ubiquitous in the American diet, with consumption tripling since the 1940s. Yet most people have no idea the meat they’re eating could be contaminated with one of the most well-known poisons in the world, according to a new report by consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch.

Poison-Free Poultry: Why Arsenic Doesn’t Belong on Chicken Feed exposes the dangerous, widespread use of arsenic in the poultry industry and calls on Congress and the FDA to take action to update antiquated rules and protect consumers. In tandem, Food & Water Watch begins a campaign in Maryland to educate consumers and demand legislative action to end the use of arsenic in chicken production.

“The FDA approved this drug when FDR was president. Since then, the science has shown it’s a dangerous, unnecessary contaminant to our food supply,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. “Europe does not use arsenic, and it’s time for the U.S. to step up and ban the drug as well.”

The U.S. poultry industry has used drugs containing arsenic, a known poison, to control the common intestinal disease, coccidiosis, since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1944. Despite the average American’s annual chicken consumption tripling from less than 20 pounds in the 1940s to nearly 60 pounds in 2008, the FDA hasn’t revised its allowed levels for arsenic residues in poultry since 1951.

Additionally, new studies show that arsenic residues may be higher in chicken meat than previously known. USDA data suggests that the typical American is eating between 2.13 and 8.07 micrograms of total arsenic per day through consumption of chicken meat.

The report compiles extensive research showing that chronic arsenic exposure increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological deficits and other health problems.

Direct exposure to arsenic through chicken meat is not the only risk associated with the unchecked use of arsenic in livestock production. The arsenic that doesn’t stay behind in poultry makes its way into poultry waste – leading to contamination of soil, water and crops.

The report cites research that estimates that 2 million pounds of the arsenic-based drug roxarsone is fed to chickens each year, contaminating much of the estimated 26 to 51 billion pounds of poultry waste produced. Most of that waste, about 90 percent, is then spread across fields as fertilizer, which provides a direct pathway for arsenic to contaminate soil, water and crops. Furthermore, bacteria in chicken litter can convert the arsenic in the waste to more dangerous forms than those originally used in feed.

“The science shows the use of arsenic in chicken feed is dangerous and that you can raise chickens without it, “ said Hauter. “The FDA needs to stand up to the big chicken companies and make public health a priority.”

The report outlines the shared responsibility by the FDA, USDA and EPA for fixing a fragmented, antiquated system to regulate arsenic. Two pieces of legislation are currently under consideration: Representative Steve Israel (D-NY) introduced the “Poison-Free Poultry Act” in Congress in 2009 and in 2010, a bill to prohibit the use of arsenic in animal feed was introduced in the Maryland State Legislature.

The report highlights the heightened potential for exposure to arsenic found on the Delmarva Peninsula, which includes Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia.

The report concludes with recommendations for the FDA, USDA and EPA to mitigate the damage already caused by arsenic use in livestock feed and calls for a ban on future use of arsenic for livestock production.

Get more information on the Maryland campaign.

The full report can be downloaded here.

Contact: Anna Ghosh, Food & Water Watch: 415-293-9905, aghosh(at)fwwatch(dot)org.

Brussels – Food & Water Europe released a report today outlining why the genetically engineered (GE) salmon currently being considered by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a human food will not alleviate global hunger.

GE Salmon Will Not Feed the World outlines several reasons why this transgenic fish is likely to be more expensive to produce than perceived, as well as problematic for the environment, fishing communities and consumers. The report was released a day after Scottish MP Rob Gibson motioned to petition the Scottish Government to monitor the FDA’s approval process, noting that escapees are likely to occur through time and could easily reach the shores of Scotland, “altering forever the genetic integrity of wild Atlantic salmon and of quality Scottish farmed salmon.”

“The company producing this experimental fish, AquaBounty, is the only one who will be profiting from it, despite misleading claims that this product could be a means to feed growing populations around the world,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Europe.

Since GE salmon can require large amounts of food, display deformities and likely have higher oxygen demands, they can be costly to produce. These projected costs, combined with the various potential human health and ecological concerns associated with GE fish, will not likely add up to a more financially advantageous product for growers or consumers.

Furthermore, farmed salmon in general may not be as nutritious or safe as wild salmon. They contain on average 35 percent fewer omega-3 fatty acids – which are important for human health, but not produced by the body. Also, farmed salmon often contain higher levels of contaminants in their fat (which they can have more of than wild salmon), including 10 times the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). GE salmon are also known to have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, which has been associated with increased risk of certain types of cancer.

These worrying food safety issues are compounded by the environmental damage GE salmon would add to the already unsustainable salmon farming industry. The small, wild fish used in salmon feed are a major food source for marine mammals, birds and larger fish as well as low-income, food insecure populations around the world. In 2006, the aquaculture sector alone consumed nearly 90 percent of small prey fish captured worldwide. GE salmon may require about five times the amount of feed as a non-altered salmon to grow faster. This will further exacerbate the decline of available wild fish for marine wildlife and people in countries that need it most. If fish are not used in feed, it is entirely likely that the fish would be fed on industrial soya—which is associated with serious environmental and human rights impacts as well. Escapes of GE salmon into the wild could also threaten wild salmon, by competing for food, habitat and mates.

“GE salmon is an inefficient way to produce food that comes with more costs than benefits,” says Hauter. “We should be concerned about protecting consumers and our wild fish populations rather than pushing forward to approve this potentially dangerous product.”

Read the report.

Food & Water Europe is a program of Food & Water Watch, Inc., a non-profit consumer NGO based in Washington, D.C., working to ensure clean water and safe food in Europe and around the world. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Contact: Eve Mitchell, +44 (0)7962 437 128 or +44 (0)1381 610 740, emitchell(at)fweurope.org
Gabriella Zanzanaini, +32 (0)488 409 662, gzanzanaini(at)fweurope.org

Statement by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Europe

Brussels — “The EU today surprised and angered consumers with a half-hearted ‘ban’ on cloning in the EU that failed to extend the ban to imported products from clones, and food from clone offspring.

“The Commission has completely dodged the real issues and placed the EU in a completely hypocritical situation. They acknowledged the ethical minefield posed by cloning, yet apparently feel it is ok to profit from it as long as it happens outside the EU. It is an ethically indefensible policy.

“What’s worse, we have seen no indication that the Commission has in any way dealt with the overwhelming public rejection of food from cloning and consumers’ fundamental right to know what they are eating. We ask the Commission again: When will the food from clones and their offspring carry a proper label?

“We will continue to urge the Parliament to reject this measure and press for a complete ban on all foods from clones and their offspring. Anything less perpetuates the horrendous suffering cloning brings and does EU consumers a huge disservice.”

Read our updated fact sheet.

Food & Water Europe is a program of Food & Water Watch, Inc., a non-profit consumer NGO based in Washington, D.C., working to ensure clean water and safe food in Europe and around the world. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Contact: Eve Mitchell, +44 (0)1381 610 740, emitchell(at)fweurope.org or Gabriella Zanzanaini, +32 (0)488 409 662, gzanzanaini(at)fweurope.org

Lire ce communiqué de presse en français.

Paris – Le soi-disant «modèle français» de gestion de l’eau privée n’a pas seulement échoué en France, mais aux États-Unis aussi, selon l’ONG pour la défense des consommateurs Food & Water Europe. En conjonction avec la première mondiale du film documentaire Water Makes Money, le groupe publie aujourd’hui un rapport sur les nombreux échecs et problèmes de service de Veolia Environnement infligés à de nombreuses communautés nord-américaines et aux consommateurs.

“Le palmarès de Veolia aux Etats-Unis est catastrophique,” a déclaré Wenonah Hauter, directrice exécutive de Food & Water Europe. “Néanmoins, la grave crise financière rend les communautés plus vulnérable aux efforts de Veolia à développer leur entreprise. Il est important que les communautés possèdent l’ensemble des faits avant que leurs réseaux d’eau soient ciblés.

Le rapport se focalise sur 10 villes ayant eu des problèmes sérieux suite à la signature de contrat avec l’entreprise, y compris:

• Indianapolis: En 2002, Veolia, alors nommée USFilter, a signé un contrat de 20 ans d’une valeur de 1,5 milliard $ pour fournir plus d’1 million de personnes en eau, à Indianapolis et ses alentours. Les plaintes de consommateurs ont plus que doublé durant les 10 premiers mois du contrat. Des consommateurs cherchant le statut d’action collective ont déclaré avoir été surchargés et ont poursuivi la société et la ville. L’affaire était encore en suspend en août 2010.
• Nouvelle Orléans: un incendie électrique dans l’une des usines de traitement, a entrainé des opérateurs à détourner des eaux usées brutes pendant deux heures dans le fleuve Mississippi. En 2001 et 2002, l’usine a déversé à 50 reprises des eaux usées dans le fleuve, violant régulièrement les normes de qualité d’eau et donnant lieu à des amendes s’élevant à plus de 107,000 $. Entre décembre 2000 et avril 2003, le Conseil d’Assainissement et de l’Eau a retenu plus de 2.5 millions $ des paiements de l’entreprise pour les pénaliser de leur mauvaise performance. Le directeur du Conseil a accusé l’entreprise de négliger les entretiens de routine et de ne pas maintenir des effectifs adéquats dans l’usine.
• Puerto Rico: En 2002, Porto Rico a décidé de ne pas renouveler un contrat annuel d’une valeur de 145 millions $ avec une filiale de Veolia (alors dénommée Vivendi) qui gérait les systèmes des eaux et des égouts depuis 1995. Une commission gouvernementale a révélé que la compagnie avait accumulé plus de 695 millions $ de pertes d’exploitation, 6.2 millions $ d’amendes et plus de 3,000 carences opérationnelles, administratives et d’entretien.

« Les nombreux problèmes rencontrés par les communautés, dont le mauvais entretien et une augmentation des factures illustrent pourquoi le mouvement pour la cessation de la privatisation de l’eau gagne du terrain partout dans le monde. Les gouvernements doivent assumer la responsabilité pour la fourniture de cette ressource essentielle afin de s’assurer qu’elle soit propre, abondante et abordable pour tous », note encore Hauter.

Pour lire un rapport sur Suez Environnement

Food & Water Europe est un programme de Food & Water Watch, une ONG à but non-lucratif représentant les droits des consommateurs basée à Washington, DC, qui vise à garantir une eau propre et une alimentation sûre en Europe et dans le monde. Nous luttons contre le contrôle et l’abus de nos aliments et des ressources en eau par l’industrie en donnant aux citoyens les moyens d’agir et de transformer la conscience collective autour de ce que nous mangeons et buvons.

Contact: Gabriella Zanzanaini, Food and Water Europe, Bruxelles – [email protected], +32488409662

Read this press release in French.

Paris – The so-called “French Model” of private water management has not only failed in France, but in the United States as well, according to consumer advocacy group Food & Water Europe. In conjunction with the world premiere of the documentary film Water Makes Money, the group today released a report on the numerous failures and service problems of Veolia Environnement on United States communities and consumers.

“Veolia’s U.S. track record is abysmal,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Europe. “Nevertheless, the daunting fiscal crisis is making U.S. communities vulnerable to Veolia’s efforts to expand their business. It’s important communities have the facts before their water systems are targeted.”
The report looks at 10 cities that have experienced serious problems after contracting with the company, including:

• Indianapolis: In 2002 Veolia (then USFilter) signed a 20-year, $1.5 billion contract to provide water service to more than 1 million people in and around Indianapolis. Consumer complaints more than doubled in the first 10 months of the contract. Customers seeking class-action status sued the company and the city, claiming the company overcharged them. The case was pending as of August 2010.
• New Orleans: An electrical fire at one treatment plant caused operators to divert raw sewage into the Mississippi River for two hours. During 2001 and 2002, the plant released sewage into the river a total of 50 times, often violating water quality standards and resulting in more than $107,000 in fines. Between December 2000 and April 2003, the Sewerage and Water Board withheld $2.5 million in payments from the company to penalize it for its poor performance. The board’s director accused the company of neglecting routine maintenance and failing to properly staff the plant.
• Puerto Rico: In 2002, Puerto Rico decided against renewing a $145 million annual contract with a subsidiary of Veolia (then Vivendi), which had operated the water and sewer systems since 1995. A government commission found the company had raked up $695 million in operational losses, $6.2 million in fines, and more than 3,000 operational, maintenance and administrative deficiencies.

“Numerous problems experienced by communities including poor maintenance and rising bills illustrate why the movement to stop the privatization of water is gaining momentum around the world. Governments everywhere need to take responsibility for the delivery of this essential resource to ensure that it is safe, plentiful and affordable for all,” noted Hauter.

Read more in our report.

To read a report on Suez Environnement: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/report/united-water/

Food & Water Europe is the European program of Food and Water Watch, Inc (a non-profit consumer NGO based in Washington, DC), working to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.

Contact: Gabriella Zanzanaini, Food and Water Europe, Brussels – [email protected], +32488409662