"Pesticides are not 'safe.' They are produced
specifically because they are toxic to something."(1)
-U.S. EPA, Citizen's Guide to Pesticides, 1987
By Larry Cook
We all know that chemical pesticides and herbicides kill bugs and weeds that can prevent our food from growing. But would you go into your kitchen, pull out some RAID from under the sink, spray it on your carrots or green beans, and give it to your child or their friends? Of course not. So why eat foods from farms sprayed with insecticide?
Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides accumulate in our bodies'
fatty tissue, nervous system and other cells. Our body can probably
handle a pesticide once in a while, but over time, continuous
intake of these poisonous chemicals build up in our bodies and
lead to disease, and children are the most susceptible of all
to these poisons.
You may think it's necessary to use pesticides to keep bugs from
eating plants, but that's not quite true. For healthy soil makes
plants resilient to bug infestations. Farms that use synthetic
chemical pesticides and fertilizers don't have healthy soils,
indicated by a lack of live worms and other bio-activity,2 (as
opposed to organic farming, which does).
The information on the harmful effects of synthetic chemical pesticides
and herbicides is staggering. Unfortunately, it is not broadcast
in the media and never reaches most people. So it's up to each
of us to learn about it on our own.
Take a look at these statistics:
More than 70,000 synthetic chemicals are used and more than 1,000
new chemicals are introduced every year, the vast majority of
which have not been adequately tested for human safety.3
More than 4.7 billion pounds of poisonous pesticides and herbicides
are sprayed on our food crops every year.4
Each year, American farmers use more than forty million tons of
synthetic chemical fertilizers on croplands.5
Agrichemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, accumulate
in our fat, and weaken our immune systems by suppressing our white
blood cellsthe T helper cells and B cells that produce antibodies.
6
In 1996, global sales of pesticides topped 30 billion dollars.7
In 1962 Rachel Carson wrote a book entitled Silent Spring, about
chemicals in our environment and on our food. The public outcry
that followed forced the banning of the very lethal pesticide
DDT8 and caused revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our
land, water and air.
At the time, the world-famous Mayo Clinic admitted hundreds of
patients who had severe diseases of the blood organs, such as
leukemia. Rachel Carson quoted Dr. Malcolm Hargraves saying, "The
vast majority of patients suffering from the blood dyscrasais
and lymphoid diseases have a significant history of exposure to
the various hydrocarbons which in turn includes most of the pesticides
of today. A careful medical history will almost invariably establish
such a relationship." In fact, his team found that almost
without exception these patients had a history of exposure to
chemicals and sprays that contain DDT, chlordane, benzene, lindane
and petroleum distillates.9
Today, it's actually much worse. Remember Agent Orange, the toxic
spray used by our military in Vietnam to destroy forests, which
caused all kinds of health problems for our veterans and birth
defects for their children? Two of the toxic chemicals found in
Agent Orange, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T are sprayed on land used to grow
feed for livestock10 . 2,4,5-T contains dioxin, one of the most
toxic chemicals in the world (far more than DDT.)
Dioxin causes cancer, birth defects, miscarriages and death in
lab animals at even 1 part per trillion and will kill an animal
almost immediately. Environmental Protection Agency's Dr. Dianne
Courtney called dioxin, "by far the most toxic chemical known
to mankind."11 Yet dioxin is legal.
Children are at very great risk. Here's some information from
the Environmental Working Group:
"Ten Years After Alar [a pesticide for apples featured on
"60 Minutes" that ultimately led to it being banned],
apples still need a cleanup. An apple a day exposes your child
to more than 30 pesticides over a year. [That's] an average of
four [pesticides] per apple, with six or eight not uncommon. In
1996, the most recent year for which USDA has tested apple samples,
government labs detected a total of 39 different pesticide residues
on 530 samples. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of the apple samples
tested were positive for pesticide residues. Pesticidescan damage
the human brain and nervous system, disrupt hormones, and cause
cancer.
"More than a million preschoolers consume at least 15 pesticides
a day in food, according to our latest study of government data.
Some 324,000 kids age 5 and under exceed federal safety standards
every day for just one neurotoxic12 insecticide, methyl parathion.
Methyl parathion is the most toxic organophosphate insecticide
approved for use on food. It's so toxic that EPA's "daily"
safe dose for the compound is 0.000025 milligrams per kilogram
of human body weight. A 154-pound person would exceed the EPA
"daily" dose by eating less than two one-millionths
of a gram of the chemical (.002 milligrams). Some apples and peaches
are so contaminated with methyl parathion that a kid can exceed
the government's safe daily limits with just two bites. A 154
pound adult eating such an apple would ingest only half of the
current safe daily dose, whereas it would put a 44 pound child
67 percent over his or her "safe" limit."13
Organophosphate pesticides inhibit the enzyme acettlcholinesterase,
a key molecule required to permit the regeneration of acetylcholine
at neuromuscular junctions and thereby control nerve to muscle
transmission. Many organophosphorus compounds damage nerves directly
and these conditions are largely irreversible. Animal studies
show organophosphorus compounds damage the central nervous system.
Neurological poisoning may take months or years to show up. Concentrated
organophosphorus compounds are used to produce nerve gas, and
a few drops will kill in a very short time.14 Some poisoning symptoms
include stomach and intestinal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and
pinpoint pupils. These pesticides change chemically as they age,
becoming even more toxic.
Philip J. Landrigna, pediatrician and chair of the of the National
Academy of Sciences Committee, spoke about the risks of agrichemicals
on children. He said, "There should be a presumption of greater
toxicity to infants and children. In such cases, the National
Academy of Sciences panel called for exposure standards ten times
more stringent than would normally be applied."15
Environmentalist and researcher, Lewis Regenstein's, tell us in
his book, How to Survive in America the Poisoned, that "Despite
the overwhelming evidence that pesticides cause cancer and are
extremely dangerous to humans and the environment, almost none
of these chemicals has ever been 'banned' by the government in
the true sense of the word."16 Most chemicals that have been
banned, have only been banned in the United States and are shipped
abroad, to countries like Mexico who ship their produce back to
the U.S.17
Two dozen pesticides and herbicides used today are endocrine-disrupting.18
In late 1995, a multidisciplinary group of international experts19
gathered in Erice, Sicily for a work session on "Environmental
Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals20 : Neural, Endocrine and Behavioral
Effects." The committee wrote: "Thyroid hormones are
essential for normal brain function throughout life. Interference
with thyroid hormone function during development leads to abnormalities
in brain and behavioral development. The eventual results of moderate
to severe alterations of thyroid hormone concentrations, particularly
during fetal life, are motor dysfunction of varying severity including
cerebral palsy, mental retardation, learning disability, attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder, hydrocephalus, seizures and other
permanent neurological abnormalities. Similarly, exposure to man-made
chemicals during early development can impair motor function,
spatial perception, learning, memory, auditory development, fine
motor coordination, balance, and attentional processes; in severe
cases, mental retardation may result. Because certain PCBs &
dioxins are known to impair normal thyroid function, we suspect
that they contribute to learning disabilities, including attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder & other neurological abnormalities."21
We need to be concerned about our foods doused with pesticides,
herbicides and other chemicals. But what about farm workers who
harvest the food? What happens to their health is a sign. The
December 1997 edition of Indian Express Newspaper tells the story:
"In California's onion fields, farm workers, including children,
are exposed to Methyl Parathion, a potent nerve toxin. Among Florida's
strawberry fields they encounter Captan, a probable human carcinogen.
In Midwestern cucumber patches they face Endosulfan, a chemical
that may cause a host of health problems because of its similarity
to human hormones. An unreleased US Department of Labor survey
shows that 123,000 children [between] the ages of 14 and 17 work
in America's fields.
There are thousands more under 14 who go uncounted. Children as
young as 4 years were found to be working on fields. Mothers who
can't afford day care carry infants into the fields. In Ohio this
summer, 6-year-old Ramiro Silva and his sister picked pesticide-dusted
cucumbers and ate them unwashed for lunch. Alejandra Renteria,
also 6, sometimes refused to wear rubber gloves22 because they
were too big and clumsy for her. 'My arms get itchy sometimes,
but I like to work,' Ramiro said. Itchy irritations are common
in pesticide exposure."23
Studies show that farmers who are exposed to pesticides and herbicides
tend to have elevated risks of leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers.
According to a 1997 study by the International Labor Organization,
up to 14 percent of all occupational injuries in the agricultural
sector and 10 percent of all fatal injuries can be attributed
to pesticides.
About half of the illnesses reported in the state of California
are associated with agricultural work. And approximately 1,000
cases of agricultural pesticide poisonings are reported in the
state annually. Analysts believe this figure is low, estimating
that up to 80 percent of all incidents may go unreported. Studies
also show that chemicals used in pesticides interfere with hormones,
disrupting the normal growth and development of mammals, birds,
reptiles, amphibians and humans. Disturbing evidence includes
reduced sperm counts in humans, nervous system and immune system
disorders in wildlife and humans; increased birth defects and
impaired sexual development in animals.
In 1977, 35 workers in a pesticide plant in Occidental, Calif.
were found to be sterile due to exposure to the pesticide DBCP.
At least 2,000 more workers who applied the pesticide on banana
plantations in Central America were also sterilized.24 In 1978,
California banned the pesticide and a year later the federal government
banned all interstate use of DBCP. Nevertheless, DBCP manufacturers
Dow Chemical and Shell Oil continue to sell it overseas.25
Research shows there is a link between pesticides and herbicides,
and most all diseases and cancers.26 Why then, is the information
not broadcast by the media, the government or even universities?
The answer, of course, has to do with money.
There are eight major players in the pesticide industry: Dow,
Du Pont, Monsanto, Imperial Chemical Industries, Novartis, Rhone
Poulenc, Bayer, Hoechst. These companies produce toxic pesticides,
along with pharmaceuticals, genetic food seed and industrial chemicals.27
These companies fund political campaigns, universities and heavy
advertisement in the media.
Twelve of the leading chemical companies contributed more than
$7 million from 1979-1995 to congressional campaigns. From 1979-1994,
Monsanto and Dow gave $42.5 million to foundations and universities
for pesticide research. From 1989 to 1993, 74 percent of 43 studies
on four chemicals funded by industry or corporations indicated
that the chemical was safe. In contrast, only 27 percent of 118
studies funded by non-industry scientists showed favorable results.
And in California, only 2.6 percent of the state Department of
Pesticide Regulation (DPR) budget is allocated to research into
alternatives.28
These large corporations also have a major influence on the media
by funding newspaper and magazine articles, radio shows and television
programs via advertisement. The media may report on alternative
solutions, but it always goes to experts who have been funded
by the chemical giants and who ultimately dismiss alternative
solutions. And that is why you will never hear about the poison
on your plate.
If you want your children, and yourself, to avoid toxic and persistent
pesticides and herbicides, eat organically grown foods. Organic
foods are grown without toxic and persistent chemicals. You can
find organic foods at natural food stores and stores that carry
natural products. Our children's mental and physical health, and
yours too, is worth the little extra money you must spend to eat
higher quality organic food.
Related Articles:
A shopper's guide to pesticides in conventional produce
_____________________
Footnotes
1 Pesticide Watch, http://www.pesticidewatch.org/Html/PestProblem/PestProblem.htm
2 Lecture in Washington State on Bainbridge Island 1998 by Howard
Lyman, former rancher/farmer, and author of "Mad Cowboy."
Mr. Lyman used to use synthetic pesticides on his farm/ranch and
discovered later how poisonous they were, how the worms vanished
from his soil and how the soil died. Now he devotes his time to
exposing this information to the public this and other health
concerns that pertain to diet.
3 Environmental Toxins and Reproductive Health, alth/library/weekly/aa061599.htm?iam=ma;
http://womenshealth.about.com/health/womenshealth/library/weekly/aa061599.htm?iam=ma;
and Generations at Risk: How Environmental Toxins may effect Reproductive
Health in Massachusetts, http://www.igc.apc.org/psr/genrisk.html
4 Environmental Working Group, http://foodnews.org/questions.html#TOXIC
5 Chemical fertilizers have also been found to contain toxic chemicals
and poisonous heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and other industrial
waste by-products. This is because many of the synthetic chemical
manufacturers have been buying toxic industrial waste from various
companies to use in their fertilizers, which usually requires
a permit for disposal because of it's toxicity to the environment.
This was first brought to the attention of the people in Seattle
in 1997 when newspaper columnist Duff Wilson broke the story that
many chemical fertilizer companies buy toxic industrial waste
and mix it in with their chemical fertilizer. The story "Fear
in the fields: How hazardous wastes become fertilizer" ran
on Thursday, July 3, 1997. The story led to investigations and
proposed changes in state law. Later, some laws went into effect,
allowing the practice to continue, provided the toxic chemicals
were listed on the Internet so anyone could review them. Mr. Wilson
won a literary award for his story. Sources: The Seattle Times:
http://www.seattletimes.com/extra/browse/html97/fert_070397.html;
and Washington Toxins Coalition, http://www.accessone.com/~watoxics/tfm.htm
6 "Eating With Conscience, The Bioethics of Food"
Dr. Michael W. Fox, pg. 60
7 "Against the GrainBiotechnology and the Corporate
Takeover of Your Food," by Marc Lappe, Ph.D., pg. 10
8 DDT has been found in virtually every living animal on this
planet, from East to West and from North to South. It takes dozens
or hundreds of years to break down. It has been attributed to
human cancer & death of wildlife.
9 "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, pg. 227
10 Animal products accumulate these toxins in their fat, and so
the concentrated amounts are passed on to those who eat meat.
11 "Diet For A New America," - John Robbins, pg. 321
12 Neurotoxicity: Adverse effects on the structure or function
of the central and/or peripheral nervous system caused by exposure
to a toxic chemical. Symptoms of neurotoxicity include muscle
weakness, loss of sensation and motor control, tremors, cognitive
alterations and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. http://www.trufax.org/menu/chem.html
13 Environmental Working Group, http://foodnews.org/nytimes.html;
This group does an excellent job of citing their sources of information.
14 "Chemical Deception: The Toxic Threat to Health and The
Environment" by Marc Lappe, 86-87
15 "Eating With Conscience, The Bioethics of Food"
Dr. Michael W. Fox, pg. 61
16 Diet For A New America, by John Robbins, pg. 318.
17 Diet For A New America, - John Robbins, pgs 308-349.
18 World Wildlife Fund, http://www.wwfcanada.org/hormone-disruptors/issues/frameset.html
19 Medical doctors, university scholars, environmentalists, etc.
20 Endocrine Toxicity: Any adverse structural and/or functional
changes to the endocrine system (the system that controls hormones
in the body) which may result from exposure to chemicals. Endocrine
toxicity can harm human and animal reproduction and development.
http://www.trufax.org/menu/chem.html
21 http://www.pmac.net/erice.htm
22 Think about this concept for a momentwearing rubber gloves
because of the pesticides. Does this food sound safe to you?!
23 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd., http://www.indian-express.com/ie/daily/19971219/35250023.html
24 Entire paragraph: "Why Eat Organic," http://www.saveorganic.org/whyeatorganic/healthandfoodsafety.html;
Pest Management at the Crossroads, Benbrook, Consumers Union 1996;
Cancer among farmers: A review, Scand J. Work Environ Health 1985;
Our Stolen Future, Theo Colburn.
25 "Chemical Deception: The Toxic Threat to Health and The
Environment" by Marc Lappe, pg. 41
26 However, there are links to many other chemicals as well. And
of course, pesticides and herbicide exposure is not the only reason
we get disease.
27 "The Great Boycott," http://home.earthlink.net/~alto/boycott.html
28 Entire paragraph from "Pesticide Watch," http://www.pesticidewatch.org/Html/PestProblem/MythSafety.htm