Tag: pesticides

80% of Air Samples in California Farm Communities Contain Pesticides

Almost 80% of air samples collected last year in California’s four most agriculture-intensive communities contained pesticide residues, though the concentrations were “unlikely to be harmful to human health,” according to a recently released state regulatory report.

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) collected 207 air samples at stations in Oxnard, Santa Maria, Shafter and Watsonville once a week throughout 2023, finding at least one of the 40 pesticides they tested for in 163 of the samples, according to the results.

The monitoring stations detected a total of 19 different pesticides in the air samples, including the herbicide pendimethalin and the fumigant 1,3-dichloropronene (Telone), which have both been linked to cancer.

These chemicals and others detected by CDPR have also been linked to nausea, shortness of breath and eye and respiratory irritation.

Despite being banned in 34 countries, Telone is the third-most heavily used pesticide in California, and CDPR has been criticized for failing to implement regulations that adequately protect mostly Latino farmworkers from the chemical.

The samples were all collected on school grounds, raising concerns among environmental and health advocates about safety risks for children and other vulnerable community members.

“The latest air sampling results continue to show pesticides sprayed on fields drift off site and contaminate the air nearby, a serious concern for those who live, go to school or work near farm fields,” Alexis Temkin, a senior toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said in a press release.

“Some pesticides can drift several miles from fields, putting many people at risk, including farm workers and vulnerable populations like young children, pregnant people and the elderly,” said Temkin.

None of the pesticides in the 2023 air samples were detected at concentrations at or above the levels CDPR considers threatening to public health, CDPR said.

The “detections of pesticides below health protective targets do not indicate risks for people living, working or going to school near agricultural fields,” the state agency said.

Despite detecting the presence of pesticides in the majority of samples, the agency issued a press release earlier this month stating that “95% of all samples analyses had no detectable pesticides.”

The way the agency publicly reported its data misrepresented the findings and appeared intentionally misleading, critics said.

“This is deliberate disinformation intended to deceive the public,” said Jane Sellen, co-director of the Californians for Pesticide Reform. “It’s so industry-serving.”

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EPA Knows These Commonly Used Pesticides Affect Brain Development

Rodent studies given to U.S. regulators by insecticide makers close to 20 years ago revealed the chemicals could be harmful to the animals’ brain development — data worrisome for humans exposed to the popular pesticides but not properly accounted for by regulators, according to a new research report published on Oct. 1.

The analysis examined five studies that exposed pregnant rats to various types of insecticides known as neonicotinoids (commonly called neonics). The studies found that the offspring born to the exposed rats suffered shrunken brains and other problems.

Statistically significant shrinkage of brain tissue was seen in the offspring of rats exposed to high doses of five types of neonics – acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam, the paper states.

The authors said the impacts on the brain appeared similar to the effects of nicotine, which they said is known to disrupt mammalian neurological development.

The animal studies also support the possibility of a link between neonic exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the authors said.

In most cases, the companies submitting the studies did not submit data for all dosage levels, leading the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assume negative effects were only seen at the high dose, according to the study.

“We found numerous deficiencies in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s regulatory oversight and data analyses,” the authors state in the paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Toxicology.

The industry studies, which the EPA used to determine what neonic exposure levels are considered safe for humans, were not publicly available and were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

“Consistently, effects were found at the high dose and EPA did not demand data for the lower doses, therefore leaving it unclear how little of a substance it takes to actually cause adverse effects such as reduced size of certain brain regions,” said Bill Freese, the science director for the environmental advocacy group Center for Food Safety and an author of the study.

The study found that the EPA consistently made determinations about what levels of neonic exposure were “safe” for humans without enough data to support its conclusions.

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Can Gene-Editing Pesticides Pose Risk to Humans?

The biotech industry has been tinkering with the genetic material of living organisms and crops using CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) gene-editing technology, resulting in changes to taste profiles, extended shelf life and enhanced resistance to specific pathogens, but with unknown health consequences.1

These genetic modifications have, so far, been conducted within the confines of controlled laboratory environments. However, a disturbing new development is on the horizon — new pesticides designed to edit genes may soon be available, touted to be “more environmentally friendly” than chemical pesticides.2

A team of scientists recently raised concerns about the possible consequences of unleashing this product in an open environment, where it can affect not just its intended targets but also a wide range of nontarget organisms, possibly causing far-reaching ecological destruction. And leading the list of potential collateral damage are us humans.3

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Rising cancer rates in Iowa linked to agricultural chemicals like glyphosate, atrazine and chlorpyrifos

Iowa is grappling with a stark and troubling reality: the state has recently been identified as having the fastest-growing cancer rates in the nation. This alarming increase in cancer rates has prompted a closer examination of environmental factors contributing to this troubling trend. A 2024 report by the Iowa Department of Public Health reveals that cancer rates in rural areas of the state, where pesticide use is more intensive, are significantly higher compared to urban regions. The study highlights that communities with heavy agricultural activity have seen a rise in cases of leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer.

Iowa’s cancerous frontier dominated by glyphosate, atrazine, nitrates, chlorpyrifos

Iowa has seen a dramatic rise in cancer diagnoses, with 486 new cases per 100,000 people in 2024, surpassing the national average of 444 cases per 100,000. The estimated number of new cancer cases this year stands at 21,000, with approximately 6,100 deaths expected. This surge in cancer rates is particularly concerning given that Iowa’s cancer incidence now outpaces other states facing their own unique health challenges, such as industrial pollution, smoking and high obesity rates.

The state, known for its expansive agricultural landscape, relies heavily on pesticides to protect crops and maximize yields. The state’s agriculture sector uses a variety of chemical treatments, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The most commonly used pesticides in Iowa include glyphosate, atrazine and chlorpyrifos.

Glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide, is used extensively in the cultivation of corn and soybeans. Glyphosate disrupts the shikimate pathway of gut microbes and has been linked to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

Atrazine, another herbicide, is frequently applied to control weeds in cornfields. Atrazine has been associated with endocrine disruption, which may increase the risk of certain cancers. Studies have found atrazine is responsible for alterations in the HPG axis, damaging reproductive function. It also has estrogenic effects, leading to  aromatase activation, including inhibition of PDE4 and altered hormone secretion — precursors to breast cancer.

Chlorpyrifos, an insecticide, is employed to combat pests in a variety of crops. Chlorpyrifos, although banned for residential use, is still permitted in agriculture and has been linked to developmental and cancer risks.

Nitrates, which are key ingredient in fertilizers used across Iowa, are linked to colorectal cancer.

In addition to herbicides, insecticides and fertilizer, radon — a naturally occurring radioactive gas — also poses a significant risk. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is particularly problematic in Iowa, where levels are six times higher than the national average. Radon can seep into homes undetected, further exacerbating health risks for residents.

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69 Biomarkers of Pesticides, Pollutants Found in Hair Analyses of French Children

Using mass spectrometry techniques, researchers in Luxembourg and France detected 69 biomarkers of pollutants and pesticides — 12 of which are banned — in hair samples from over 200 French children.

This study, published in Environment International, is the first to target over 150 biomarkers in a single hair sample, which “represents the most comprehensive assessment of chemical exposome in humans,” the authors say.

All children in the study were 3.5 years old and recruited from the Étude Longitudinale Française depuis l’Enfance (ELFE), French Longitudinal Study since Childhood, cohort in the country of France, a major pesticide consumer in Europe.

The ELFE survey is a joint project between the French Institute for Demographic Studies and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research, which provides the first comprehensive national scientific investigation of children in France by following them from birth to adulthood.

Through analysis of hair samples from children in the ELFE cohort, this study evaluates pesticide exposure and compares it with prenatal exposure data from their mothers while also, according to the scientists, “investigat[ing] the roles of children’s biological sex and geographical differences as possible determinants of exposure.”

Exposure to pesticides during early childhood poses significant health risks. In assessing 32 chemical families through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 222 hair samples, exposure markers can be identified in children from the ELFE cohort.

Biomarkers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are “measurable substances or characteristics in the human body that can be used to monitor the presence of a chemical in the body, biological responses or adverse health effects.”

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Pesticides Designed to ‘Edit’ the Genes of Plants, Animals, Insects — and Humans?

We’re used to gene editing being something that’s done in controlled and contained conditions in the lab, with just the final product being unleashed in the environment.

But coming down the pipeline are pesticides designed to “edit” the genes of organisms out of doors, in the uncontrolled conditions of the open environment.

Applied by spraying, irrigation, or soil pellets, these outdoor-use genetic pesticides are claimed to be more environmentally friendly than chemical pesticides.

The problem is that these genetic pesticides could also “edit” the genes of what scientists call non-target organisms — i.e., people, animals and insects in the environment could become collateral damage.

“Editing” these organisms’ genes means silencing or disrupting their normal functioning.

And the deregulation of gene editing that is occurring and being aggressively promoted around the globe means that these products could be used in open fields with no prior risk assessment, traceability, or monitoring.

Sounding the alarm about this “Wild West” scenario is a new study by an international team of scientists.

The study, based on computer predictive modeling, found that exposure to a CRISPR/Cas gene-editing pesticide could unintentionally alter the genes of a wide assortment of non-target organisms, with potentially serious or even fatal consequences.

And leading the list of potential victims of unintended gene editing are humans.

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Government scientist investigating mystery brain disease ‘banned’ from researching outbreak – stoking fears of a cover-up

A top scientist who advises the Canadian Government said he was blocked from studying a freak outbreak of a mysterious and deadly brain illness in young adults and teenagers. 

More than 200 New Brunswick residents have bizarrely developed a dementia-like disorder that causes vivid hallucinations, an inability to talk and write, memory lapses and even physical paralysis.

While the disease has baffled doctors, local health officials put the outbreak down to misdiagnosis, concluding that most patients in fact suffered common illnesses like dementia and cancer. 

Now, damning evidence has come to light that suggests health chiefs may have purposefully blocked investigations into other potential causes — namely, exposure to toxic pesticides. 

In leaked emails sent between Dr Michael Coulthart, a microbiologist, and members of Canada’s public health agency (PHAC), Dr Coulthart said he was ‘essentially cut off’ from being involved in the research.

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Study Finds 80 Percent Americans Exposed to Fertility-Lowering Chemicals in Cheerios, Quaker Oats

According to a recent study, four in five Americans tested positive for an agricultural chemical found in several wheat and oat products, including brands like Cheerios and Quaker Oats.

The peer-reviewed study, published in the JESEE journal on Feb. 15, looked at urine samples from American citizens to determine their exposure to chlormequat chloride—a plant growth chemical. Exposure to the chemical can result in lower fertility and harm developing fetuses even at doses below acceptable levels set by regulators. Researchers detected chlormequat in 80 percent of urine samples collected between 2017 and 2023, with “a significant increase in concentrations for samples from 2023.”

The chemical was detected in “92 percent of oat-based foods purchased in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios,” said the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which conducted the study.

Out of 25 conventional oat products tested, 23 had “detectable levels” of chlormequat. One in eight organic oat products had the chemical, while two in nine wheat products had low concentrations of chlormequat.

Researchers collected 96 urine samples, out of which 77 showed the presence of chlormequat. The numbers suggest that the subjects likely underwent “continuous exposure” to the chemical since chlormequat leaves the body about 24 hours after ingestion.

The frequency of the chemical in samples was observed to rise with time. In 2017, 69 percent of samples had chlormequat, which jumped to 74 percent in 2018-2022 and then to 90 percent in 2023.

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Yet Another Study Links Lower Sperm Count with Pesticides

A new review of existing studies on insecticides has found “sufficient evidence” that exposure to high levels of insecticides is associated with lower sperm concentration in men. The review focused on organophosphate (OP) and N-methyl carbamate (NMC) insecticides. The researchers said their systematic review and meta-analysis are the most comprehensive on this topic to date.

The paper, “Adult Organophosphate and Carbamate Insecticide Exposure and Sperm Concentration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Epidemiological Evidence,” was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. It sought to answer the question, “What is the association between adult exposure to OP and NMC insecticides and sperm concentration?”

The researchers concluded that “the strength of evidence of an association between higher adult OP and NMC insecticide exposure and lower sperm concentration is sufficient enough to warrant concern, particularly in light of observed downward trends in semen quality.”

Although the paper acknowledges numerous factors that impact sperm concentration, such as age, nutrition, and lifestyle, they also point the finger at “reproductive toxicants in the environment,” particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

“Reproductive toxicants are ubiquitous in the environment, and usually go unnoticed until unintended adverse effects are observed,” they write. “Pesticides are a prime example in that pesticides have known endocrine disrupting and reproductive effects but continue to be manufactured and widely applied, resulting in occupational and environmental exposures.”

Regarding occupational exposures, the review noted that workers exposed to toxins in the course of their job “generally experience higher exposures than the general population.” However, they also noted that because of widespread exposure to the chemicals in the environment, “even a small magnitude of effect could have consequential impacts on sperm concentration at a population level.”

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Study Shows Pesticide Companies Hid Developmental Neurotoxicity Data From EU Regulators

A recently published study reveals that pesticide companies have failed to disclose data related to brain toxicity. What does this mean for toxicity data in other fields of research?

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey acknowledged that at least 45% of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of the chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. This is, unfortunately, just the latest in a string of similar admissions relating to water quality which have come to light in recent years.

As more Americans grapple with the reality that we are swimming in a soup of toxins and radiation, Europeans are becoming aware of the lack of transparency involving studies of pesticides, and potentially other toxins.

A study published in early June found that some studies of pesticides relating to developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) were submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but not to regulatory bodies within the European Union. It took between 14 and 21 years for EU regulators to become aware of these studies. Once they were aware of the data, they enacted new safety regulations in some cases and continue to evaluate necessary steps in others.

A DNT test typically exposes pregnant female rats to a pesticide to assess their offspring for neuropathological and behavioral changes. The tests have been useful for identifying chemicals which will cause DNT in humans.

The study was first reported on by The Guardian in collaboration with European outlets Bayerischer Rundfunk/ARD, Der Spiegel in Germany, SRF in Switzerland, and Le Monde in France. It has received little attention in the American media.

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