WHY ARE PESTICIDES OF CONCERN?

PESTICIDES AND HUMAN HEALTH

Studies link pesticides to a wide range of acute and chronic illnesses. Acute, or short-term, pesticide injuries often are misdiagnosed as they mimic symptoms of other illnesses. Acute symptoms may include:

• Blurred vision and eye irritation
• Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
• Breathing problems
• Headache and muscle pain
• Fatigue

Low-dose, long-term exposures to pesticides may also lead to chronic diseases. These include cancers, neurological and behavioral disorders, reproductive dysfunction, developmental disabilities, immune system disorders, and asthma and other respiratory diseases. Existing research links pesticides to illnesses that may not be apparent until years after exposure. Pesticides are linked to Parkinson’s and Lewy Body disease, both of which are becoming more prevalent in our senior citizen population. They are also implicated as causing or promoting Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, brain tumors, lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and soft-tissue sarcomas. Nearly 100 pesticides in use today are classified by the EPA as probable or likely human cancer-causing chemicals, and nearly 90 pesticides are classified as possible or suggestive human cancer-causing chemicals.

For further information on pesticides and human health, download MPN’s resource guide: Pesticides: The Risks, Prevention and Healthier Choices or purchase a hard copy on-line.

PESTICIDES, PETS and WILDLIFE

Pesticides also impact the health of pets, birds, and fish. Many flea and tick products, for example, contain pesticides that may cause cancer or other health problems for pets.

PESTICIDES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

The Chesapeake Bay’s waterways are in peril. While a large part of this concern is attributable to nutrient overload, chemical toxins may place additional strains on this region’s most important aquatic species and sources of income. Pesticides, or their degradates, are found throughout the Chesapeake waterways. Pesticide concentrations exceed national water quality benchmarks for aquatic life and wildlife that eat them. These toxic chemicals that contaminate the Chesapeake waterways may have adverse impacts on the environment, aquatic life and pose potential hazards to human health.