MNers, please sign and share the following petitions below to stop the deliberate and accidental poisoning of people, furbabies and wildlife through the ingestion of antifreeze.
Every year, more than 10,000 animals die from antifreeze poisoning in the UK. The active ingredient, ethylene glycol, tastes sweet and is appealing to animals and humans alike. It only takes a tiny amount to kill an animal (just one teaspoon will kill a cat) and it will cause a slow and agonising death. In other countries including America & Canada legislation has been brought about to ensure that a bittering agent is added in the production of antifreeze to make this product safe.
Antifreeze poisoning facts:
? All animals are susceptible to ethylene glycol (EG) toxicity, but it is most common in dogs and cats
? Just 30ml (two tablespoons) has been known to kill an adult human (at least 7 cases of human poisonings have made the UK news in the last 10 years)
? Following ingestion the symptoms develop quickly and follow a three step progression starting with intoxication and vomiting, before causing metabolic acidosis, cardiovascular dysfunction, seizures, and finally acute kidney failure.
? Death can occur within a few hours to a few days, and despite extensive veterinary treatments animals rarely survive. 88% will die within 25 hours.
? In 1972 Switzerland (?Swiss Poison Law?) banned the sale of Ethylene Glycol based coolants in Supermarkets, Accessory Shops, and generally across the counter to the public.
? One of the main manufacturers of antifreeze has taken steps to try and prevent poisonings occurring. Comma Oil, which supplies antifreeze to companies including Halfords, has added a bittering agent to make it unpleasant to swallow the product. The addition of this bittering agent does not cost the manufacturer much and does not in any way inhibit the product?s performance.
? One such bittering agent Denatonium Benzoate (better known as Bitrex or Aversion) has been used in Canada to prevent any future poisonings. Similar products have been used in human and animal taste behaviour modification products, such as nail biting remedies, and to prevent poisonings from toiletries, household cleaning products & pesticides.
? Many antifreeze preparations (screen wash etc) are sold without hazard labels; some do not even list the ingredients. We ask that all antifreeze preparations are in containers with clear hazard markings and a full list of ingredients.
Please therefor take the time to sign these petitions:
epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/12547 - This one is the .gov.uk one. If we get 10,000 signatures then it has to go forward to be considered.
www.petitiononline.com/petitions/EGpoison/signatures - this one, is the original bluedeath one. Please sign both if you can.
Please look at the Blue Death Campaign: www.bluedeath.org.uk/ for more information on how to contact your MP (including letter templates), suppliers of antifreeze with bitterants.