WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Are
families around the country—and around the globe—eating
California produce grown with
toxic water from oil drilling? If they consume Halos Mandarins, POM
Wonderful pomegranate juice, Wonderful pistachios, Sunview Raisins,
Bee Sweet citrus or Sutter Home wine, they may well be. Those
companies grow some of their products in four water districts in
California's Central Valley that
buy wastewater from Chevron and other oil companies' drill sites.
Now, Food & Water Watch is announcing a campaign to ban the
practice, which threatens our food, farm workers and the
environment, with a new documentary by noted filmmaker Jon Bowermaster and a campaign video capturing
shocked reactions from people who previewed the video last week in
front of Whole Foods' headquarters in Austin, Texas.
"It's time to shine a light on the risky yet under-the-radar use
of toxic oil wastewater to grow our crops," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food &
Water Watch. "People are shocked when they hear that the food—even
organic food—that they give to their kids is grown in districts
where this is happening." Nearly 40 percent of all organic produce
grown in the U.S. comes from California.
"This practice is more deceptive than even pink slime," said
Food & Water Watch California's director, Adam Scow, referring to the controversial
industry practice of mixing heavily processed, disinfected beef
scraps into hamburger. "So-called healthy brands grown in these
districts are using toxic waste to grow crops and then labeling
them as pure goodness."
According to the state, four water districts in California (Cawelo Water District, North Kern
Water District, Jasmin Mutual Water District, and Kern-Tulare Water
District) receive up to 16 billion gallons of wastewater each
year—enough to fill 25,000 Olympic-sized pools—from oil companies
that can be used in the systems that provide water for irrigating
crops. The oilfield wastewater is minimally processed and mixed
with fresh water and sold to farmers for crop irrigation.
The crops are not routinely tested for toxic chemicals. A recent
study found that nearly 40 percent of the chemicals used by the
companies providing oil wastewater to the districts are classified
as "trade secrets" or could not otherwise be identified, and known
chemicals include several that cause cancer or reproductive harm,
such as ethylbenzene and toluene.
This use of toxic water for crop irrigation is seen as a
convenient disposal mechanism for oil companies that are running
short on places to dispose of their wastewater. "The irony of
California's biggest corporate
agribusinesses using the oil industry's waste as a source of water
is not lost on us," said Scow. "Instead of finding uses for the
industry's pollution, California
should instead be a true climate leader and transition off of
fossil fuels."
Food & Water Watch's campaign, Stop Tainting Our Produce,
demands that this oil wastewater be removed from the irrigation
supply. The organization also hopes to introduce a bill in
Sacramento that would outlaw the
practice in the state of California. So far, Food & Water Watch and
partner organizations have garnered nearly half a million
signatures from people opposed to the practice and calling for
action to stop it.
"This is the produce industry's dirty little secret, but word is
getting out," said Hauter. "Now, it's time to demand that the state
stops endangering our health with the toxic byproducts of the
noxious oil and gas industry in the state."
To learn more about the campaign or to view the
documentary and campaign video, visit
foodandwaterwatch.org/JustBanIt.
To view the documentary, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8jcRfsPCBo.
To view the campaign video, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq-vwV5fHh8.
Food & Water Watch champions healthy food and
clean water for all. We stand up to corporations that put profits
before people, and advocate for a democracy that improves people's
lives and protects our environment.
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SOURCE Food & Water Watch