Support for restriction of radioactivity in production of food

You probably do not wish that radioactive fertilizers are used and radioactivity spreads in production of food. The amounts of radioactivity in phosphate ores vary considerably and no directive exists for limiting the radioactivity accepted in fertilizers. Our attempt is to urge the European Union to issue a directive to restrict radioactivity in fertilizers by setting a limit to the amount of radioactivity accepted. We hope that you can support this initiative, below is a model letter of support to be sent to the commissioners and the letter we sent to them, with addresses. If you send a letter of support to the commissioners, please inform us and if you have some other ideas of supporting the case, please let us know. Sincerely, Marjatta Näätänen [mailto:marjattaDOTnaatanenAThelsinkiDOTfi marjatta DOT naatanen AT helsinki DOT fi]

Suggestion for support letter
"Name of the organization or group and nationality" supports the attached initiative signed by over 500 persons, who urge the European Union to issue a directive to restrict radioactivity in fertilizers by setting a limit to the amount of radioactivity accepted. The amounts of radioactivity in phosphate ores vary considerably. Below are some figures from Finland, by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), a Finnish governmental authority regulating the nuclear industry. These figures were published in the STUK´s final report on 31 May 2010, on the radiological status of the Sokli mine planned by Norwegian partly state-owned company Yara.

Uranium 238  Thorium 232 U-238 Bq/kg  Th-232 Bq/kg Finland, Siilinjärvi      10            10 Finland, Sokli            100-1,000     200-1,700 Finland Sokli (niobium ore)1,000        4,000

The following letter was sent November 18, 2014 to European Commission, Brussels to the commissioners:
 * Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, [mailto:Phil.Hogan@ec.europa.eu Phil.Hogan@ec.europa.eu]
 * Vera Jourova, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, [mailto:Vera.Jourova@ec.europa.eu Vera.Jourova@ec.europa.eu]
 * Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, [mailto:Karmenu.Vella@ec.europa.eu Karmenu.Vella@ec.europa.eu]

and forwarded Dec. 4 to
 * Arias Canete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, [mailto:Arias.Canete@ec.europa.eu Arias.Canete@ec.europa.eu]

We, the undersigned wish to bring to your attention that Yara, a partly state-owned Norwegian company, is planning a huge mining project to produce fertiliser in Sokli, far in the Finnish part of Lapland. The ore to be mined contains radioactivity, so the fertiliser would spread radioactivity onto our fields and into the food chain. What's more, it would contaminate the still pristine Kemijoki river and ultimately flow into the Baltic Sea.

There is no European Directive to regulate radioactivity in fertilisers. We are bewildered by this gap in European legislation and appeal to you, Mr Commissioner, to urgently create a Directive to stop radioactivity in fertilisers.

The letter had over 500 signatures. Here are some of the added comments:

Here in Germany all fertilisers tested (according to a German documentary), unless organic had Uranium in. And therefor all of our food, unless organic, also has uranium in it and is radioactive. No more spreading radioactivity on the agriculture fields of the world. Even more radiation in our food? Me and my family are totally against this fertilizer MADNESS! Please do your uttermost to stop it! Mr. Commissioner, Please do not put the interests of a private company ahead of the interests of our environment. Finland says STOP to Yara from Norway (unbelievable!) No fertilizers that are radioactive. Very dangerous for people, animals and the nature. This is our country. We want a healthy life. Our duty is to SAVE the nature not to destroy it. Save indigenous people and their culture at Kemin-Sompio area. Mr. Commissioner, please do not allow another destructive project in the Finnish wilderness. We have Talvivaara mining company's tailings and spills poisoning our lakes on a large scale already and to create yet another large mining project in the middle of national parks is unreasonable! If you let us take care of our ground water reserves Finland could be THE WATER reserve for so many nations when the fresh water crises arrive. Thank you for reading this message.

Sokli is on a watershed, surrounded by national parks and nature reserves. It is a place were reindeers come to give birth to their offspring year after year. On one hand we have the clean nature values essential for future generations - on the other economic gain of one company to mine fertilizers that are radioactive and should not be used for food production. A directive to stop radioactive fertilizers is urgently needed.

Thank you everyone, who are signing this petition! It is very important to us, the local people, who would be affected by the mine. And also, it is really important to get regulations on radioactivity on fertilizers - we want to eat non-radioactive food.


 * http://www.thepetitionsite.com/917/843/424/tell-the-eu-we-need-a-directive-to-stop-radioactivity-in-fertilisers/