The Organic Pages Online , OTA's searchable online directory. May 7 and 8. Research at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg found that bacteria thrived in some formulations of synthetic pesticides diluted with water. Calling for a systematic overhaul of manufacturing and industrial agriculture, the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations because this conversion costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies. Groundwater contamination is already widespread, from high levels of pesticides in wells in California's San Joaquin Valley to excessive nitrates in groundwater in 4 northern Chinese provinces.
Water recycles extremely slowly underground, too slowly to flush out or dilute toxic chemicals.
Water that enters an aquifer remains there for an average of 1,400 years, compared to only 16 days for rivers. Thus Londoners, for example, may be drinking water that fell as rain as long ago as the last Ice Age. Foods analyzed included nine fresh fruits and vegetables, six processed fruits and vegetables, oats, and corn syrup. PDP has analyzed 40 different commodities through 2000, and is testing nectarines, tomato paste, rice, beef, poultry, and sweet cherries in 2001. An epidemiological study by Paul Lichtenstein, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, indicates that environmental factors, such as chemical pollutants and unhealthy lifestyles, have a greater impact on the likelihood of contracting cancer than hereditary genetic factors.