Deadly Poison Kills Frogs, Threatens Human Health

From: Defenders of Wildlife
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:02 PM

Help Save Frogs from a Deadly Poison

Urge U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to ban endosulfan's use and sale in the U.S.
https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1487&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr011=w359otsnc1.ap
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Endosulfan is lethal to threatened northern leopard frogs and also dangerous for farm workers and others who are exposed to it.

Endosulfan's Deadly Impact

* Fatal to frogs and other amphibians
* Kills birds
* Threatens farmworkers

The northern leopard frog may be smaller than a cup of tea, but this tiny amphibian is in big trouble. Once prevalent throughout
North America, threatened northern leopard frogs are put at an even greater risk by endosulfan -- a deadly pesticide that's been
banned in at least sixty countries, but not in the U.S.

Help protect northern leopard frogs and human health. Urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take endosulfan off the
market.

The EPA is only accepting comments on a proposed endosulfan ban until this Monday (June 29th), so please take action today.

Endosulfan is a neurotoxic organochlorine pesticide -- similar to DDT and other insecticides that have been banned in the U.S. for
decades. It has a wide range of environmental and health risks to birds and other wildlife, but threatened northern leopard frogs
are especially vulnerable to its effects.

In one recent scientific study, a low dose of endosulfan was enough to kill 84% of leopard frog tadpoles that came in contact with
it. According to the study's lead author, Rick Relyea, "Endosulfan appears to be about 1,000-times more lethal to amphibians than
other pesticides that we have examined." [1]

Endosulfan is banned across the European Union and in many other countries. However, the companies that make this deadly poison have
managed to keep their dangerous product on American shelves.

It is time for U.S. authorities to put human health and the safety of our environment ahead of profits for the chemical companies!
Please take action now.

Frogs aren't the only ones threatened by endosulfan's continued use. This deadly poison also poses human health risks --
particularly for the farm workers who apply the poison to tomatoes, tobacco, apples and other crops.

Endosulfan can cause many adverse health effects. At low doses, endosulfan exposure has been linked to hormone system disruption,
autism, Parkinson's disease and other birth defects. At higher levels, endosulfan can cause headaches, vomiting, convulsions and --
in extreme cases -- unconsciousness and even death.

Endosulfan's risks to our health and our wildlife are unacceptable. Please urge the EPA to get endosulfan off our shelves today.
https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1487&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr011=w359otsnc1.ap
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Thanks in advance for making a difference on this vital issue. With your help, we can send a loud, strong message to the EPA that
our frogs, our health and our environment are worth protecting.

Sincerely,
Caroline Kennedy, Defenders of Wildlife
Senior Director of Field Conservation
Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. We only have a few days to make our voices heard on this issue. Please take action right now to protect our frogs and our
health by getting this deadly poison off the shelves.

Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and
plants in their natural communities.

Defenders of Wildlife can be contacted at:
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036