Re: Byssinosis from GM cotton?

Gordon Couger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> "Brian Sandle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
          
 "More
>>    subtly, cotton dust generated from processing of BXN (Trademark)
>>    cotton bolls - a major cause of the occupational lung disease
>>    known as byssinosis - will be contaminated with residues of
>>    bromoxynil and DBHA. The resulting toxicity of cotton dust by
>>    this novel of contamination and any accompanying illness may be
>>    exacerbated by toxins in the dust. Neither the Occupational
>>    Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) nor the EPA appear to
>>    have weighed this possibility in making their safety
>>    determinations."
[...]
> Cotton is pure cellulose it has no proteins or enzymes from the plant. None
> of the metabolites end up in fabric other than things made from motes the
> short fiber that are 20% short cotton fiber and 80% gin trash and dirt. This
> is made in to real low grade padding and non woven products. And almost all
> motes go in the gin trash because synthetics are too cheap and ginning motes
> too dirty to make it profitable.

Even in China?

But thanks for the explanation. Then it looks like `raw' cotton workers 
may have different toxin exposure to the people and children working with 
cloth, mostly in USA.

Now I can remember some cotton towels I had some 20 years ago which had a 
bad smell. But they didn't hurt my lungs. I am thinking that soaking them 
a bit might have even worsened the problem. Would that be the cotton 
itself breaking down relating to the dye process, and soaking aiding it? 
The instruction on these T-shirts was not to soak them. No reason given, I 
though it would be for colour loss, important for deeper coloured ones.

Recent news has stated how Monsanto are embarassed by this: many GM crop
fields are now plagued by weeds resistant to Roundup herbicide. That means
extra doses of Roundup and other herbicides are being applied.  Does any
of it stay in the cotton lint, and on to the spun thread?

If the lint of Bt cotton does not contain Bt I wonder if insects will 
adapt to eating mainly the lint, thereby escaping too much toxin. Does a 
wood borer get energy from cellulose?