Adherence to the precautionary principle* demands that the introduction of a new product or process whose ultimate effects are disputed or unknown should be resisted.
Health Regulation
COLOR CODING | |
---|---|
Green | Ranked first for statistic |
Red | Ranked last for statistic |
Yellow | Change in Progress |
GMO labeling | Major GMO labeling exceptions | Neonicotinoids | Altrazine | BPA ban | PCBs | rBST | Methyl Bromide use | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | mandatory | processed products | in review | allowed | no ban | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | 8.7 |
Canada | optional | no GMO policy | plan to phase out | allowed | BPA bottles | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | 3.0 |
Denmark | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | all baby food contact products | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | -1.5* |
France | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | all food products | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | -1.5 * |
Germany | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | BPA bottles | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | -1.5* |
Italy | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | BPA bottles | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | -1.5* |
Japan | mandatory | processed products | in review | no ban | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | 0 | |
Netherlands | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | BPA bottles | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | -1.5* |
Norway | mandatory | in review | Not allowed | BPA bottles | absolute ban | absolute ban | 0 | |
Sweden | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | all baby food contact products | allowed in closed systems | absolute ban | – |
United Kingdom | mandatory | meat, animal products | EU ban | Not allowed | BPA bottles | absolute ban | absolute ban | -1.5* |
United States | optional | no GMO policy | in review | allowed | all baby food contact products | allowed in closed systems | unrestricted, labeling not required | -33.1 |
SOURCES
GMO labeling: JustLabelIt.org
Major GMO labeling exceptions: International Food Policy Research Institute, 2007
Neonicotinoids:
Atrazine
*no recent sources could be found to indicate status of atrazine in Japan
BPA ban
PCBs: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) Inventory Guidance, 2016
“The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 1 requires Parties to eliminate the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in equipment by 2025 and to ensure the environmentally sound waste management of liquids containing PCB and equipment contaminated with PCB by 2028.”
United Kingdom
rBST:
European Union countries
United States
Methyl Bromide: UNEP Ozone Secretariat, 2022
Consumption in tonnes of annual ozone depletion potential.
“Negative values for a given year imply that quantities destroyed or quantities exported for the year exceeded the sum of production and imports, implying that the destroyed or exported quantities came from stockpiles.”
All data from 2022 except for United States (2021).
*Members of the European Union do not report their individual consumption; that is reported in aggregated form for all the member states.
NOTES
“International trade of GMO-related agricultural products” Vargas M. Xanat, Ke Jiang, George A. Barnett, Han W. Park
March 2018.
Examines trade patterns and economic implications of international trade of genetically modified food products over a 27-year period with data from the United Nations.
“Genetically Modified Labeling Policies: Moving Forward or Backward?” Barbara J. P. Borges, Olivia M. N. Arantes, Antonio A. R. Fernandes, James R. Broach and Patricia M. B. Fernandes
November 27, 2018.
The GMO regulatory system needs revision in the US and other developed countries to rely on a solely scientifically-informed process. It is suggested that country GMF labeling should closely follow the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) guidelines and should discourage misinformation as much as possible since public opinion from misinformation on GMOs puts pressure on how policies are served.
“Combatting Monsanto” Joseph Zacune
March 2012.
“This report provides snapshots of frontline struggles against Monsanto and other biotech corporations pushing genetically modified (GM) crops. It shows that small-holder and organic farmers, local communities and social movements around the world are resisting and rejecting Monsanto, and the agro-industrial model that it represents. There is intense opposition to this powerful transnational company, which peddles its GM products seemingly without regard for the associated social and environmental costs.”
“European Court of Justice Orders EU Regulators to Publicly Release Secret Industry Glyphosate Studies”
Sustainable Pulse
March 7, 2019.
“The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ordered the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to release all of the secret carcinogenicity and toxicity pesticide industry studies on glyphosate to the general public, in a huge legal victory for public health protection.”
“Worse Than Lead?”
Jamie Lincoln Kitman
August 15, 2018.
The presence of flame retardants, often containing bromide and very toxic, has exploded in the last 40 years, as attributed by the same industry that promoted leaded gasoline. As of March of 2018, 16 states in the US are considering legislation to ban certain flame retardants.
“Canada’s suspect move to phase out neonicotinoids to ‘protect bees’ sets stage for US regulatory battle”
Jon Entine
October 3, 2018.
Page updated on 8/24/2023.