Waterblogged

Candles from Waterblogged.info's gala invitation-only celebration of Atrazine's 50th anniversary!

Everyone’s favorite herbicide (except for the EU) has, according to its Swiss producer Syngenta, been used safely by farmers for 50 years. Obvious cause for celebration, at least for Syngenta, which has no doubt enjoyed huge profits from its sales over those five decades.

The chemical giant has invited us to share their joy by placing a festive banner ad atop an online New York Time‘s story about atrazine*. The article, part of a series on toxic substances in drinking water, basically questions the science that “proves” that the weed-killer is safe for human consumption in minute quantities.

Our most recent post, Hooray for the EPA!,  demonstrates that the amusingly named Environmental Protection Agency couldn’t agree more with Syngenta: When the levels of atrazine in the drinking water of several midwestern communities exceeded the legal limits, the EPA ignored it completely and failed to notify the affected populations, even though the agency is required by law to do so.

*Why this ad placement is considered ethical is beyond the ken (not to mention the barbie) of the puzzled peeps at Waterblogged.info.

Also celebrating her fiftieth this year.