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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2012 19:36:39 GMT
This has been a controversial product for a while already, and I know that there are a number of French products (usually in the biscuit aisle) that proclaim on the label "made without palm oil."
But just about all cookies contain palm oil, as well as a number of other products. It's in the news in France again, because the Senate just voted to increase the tax on palm oil by 300%. As to whether this will really happen, that will be up to the National Assembly to go along with the idea or not.
Interestingly enough, the code name of this idea is "the Nutella law" since Nutella is loaded with palm oil. The experts are quick to point out that palm oil is not really oil at all, but "grease." That already makes it sound less appetizing, doesn't it?
Do any other countries worry about palm oil?
It should be pointed out that even with a 300% increase in the tax, the price of a jar of Nutella would only go up something like 6 cents if the maker passes the increase totally to the consumer.
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Post by nycboy on Nov 12, 2012 14:12:34 GMT
Had no idea it was so destructive, I'm def going to avoid it where I can.
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Post by auntieannie on Nov 12, 2012 14:35:36 GMT
basically, if it says "vegetable oil" on a product here in the UK, you can almost safely bet it is palm oil.
Palm oil plantations destroy immense areas of rainforest every day, whether in Brazil, where it competes for ground space with soybean plantations. or in places such as Indonesia, where the space left (or rather lack thereof) for orang utangs has reached seriously worrying proportions.
There are environmental issues, as well as social issues with bound labour, etc...
I try and avoid the thing like a plague.
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Post by onlymark on Nov 12, 2012 16:08:53 GMT
However - palm oil plantations in the Amazon rainforest area could be a good thing - Yet even as Brazilian and international firms gear up for a major expansion of palm oil cultivation in the Amazon, there is a conspicuous lack of hand wringing by environmentalists. The reason: done right, oil palm could emerge as a key component in the effort to save the Amazon rainforest. e360.yale.edu/feature/in_brazil_palm_oil_plantations_could_help_preserve_amazon/2415/
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Post by auntieannie on Nov 12, 2012 19:36:29 GMT
done right, yes! doesn't happen often these days!
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