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Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified. As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in 24 countries and world-wide production was growing at a rate of more than 50% per year.[1]
Though organic cotton has less environmental impact than conventional cotton, it costs more to produce. Side-effects of conventional production that are avoided in organic growing methods include:
- High levels of agrochemicals are used in the production of non-organic, conventional cotton. Cotton production uses more chemicals per unit area than any other crop and accounts in total for 16% of the world's pesticides.[2]
- The chemicals used in the processing of cotton pollute the air and surface waters.
- Residual chemicals may irritate consumers' skin.
Naturally colored cotton has also been grown successfully with organic methods.[3]
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Organic Cotton and the Environment
Organic agriculture protects the health of people and the planet by reducing the overall exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences, from asthma to cancer. Because organic agriculture doesn't use toxic and persistent pesticides, choosing organic products is an easy way to help protect yourself.
Acreage estimates for the 2006 U.S. cotton crop show approximately 5,971 acres (24.16 km2) of certified organic cotton were planted in the United States and in 2007, farmers planted 7,473 acres (30.24 km2). Internationally, Turkey and the United States are the largest organic cotton producers.
Demand is being driven by apparel and textile companies that are expanding their 100% organic cotton program and developing programs that blend small percentages of organic cotton with their conventional cotton products.
Here are some reasons why organic cotton production is important to the long-term health of the planet.
- Cotton uses approximately 25% of the world's insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants.). (Allan Woodburn)
- Approximately 10% of all pesticides sold for use in U. S. agriculture were applied to cotton in 1997, the most recent year for which such data is publicly available. (ACPA)
- Fifty-five million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on the 12,800,000 acres (52,000 km2) of conventional cotton grown in the U.S. in 2003 (4.3 pounds/ acre), ranking cotton third behind corn and soybeans in total amount of pesticides sprayed. (USDA)
- Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton in 2000 (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. (USDA)
- The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, and trifluralin). (EPA)
- In 1999, a work crew re-entered a cotton field about five hours after it was treated with tribufos and sodium chlorate (re-entry should have been prohibited for 24 hours). Seven workers subsequently sought medical treatment and five have had ongoing health problems. (California DPR)
Regional
Organic cotton is currently being grown successfully in many countries; the largest producers (as of 2007) are Turkey, India and China.[1]
Organic cotton production in Africa takes place in at least 8 countries. The earliest producer (1990) was the SEKEM organization in Egypt; the farmers involved later convinced the Egyptian government to convert 400,000 hectares of conventional cotton production to integrated methods,[5] achieving a 90% reduction in the use of synthetic pesticides in Egypt and a 30% increase in yields.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b Organic Trade Association
- ^ "Picking Cotton Carefully", Institute of Science in Society (March 2007).
- ^ Dickerson et al. "Naturally colored cotton" CATI 990901
- ^ Corganic Cotton and the Environment
- ^ Organic cotton projects in Africa
- ^ CSR case study
External links
- Wear Organic from Pesticide Action Network UK
- Organic cotton at the Open Directory Project
- Sustainable Cotton Project
- Organic Exchange
- Information on Organic Cotton Clothing
- Organic Cotton Clothing for Infants
- The conventional textile industry
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- This page was last modified on 1 October 2008, at 14:27.
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