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Pesticides Updates Archive 2008
January - April
24 April 2009
USA: Toxic pesticide residue risk from
flea and tick collars
Some flea and tick collars leave highly toxic pesticide residues
that can remain on an animals fur weeks after the collar has been
applied according to the Natural Resources Defence Council in
America. This poses a particular risk to children whose bodies
are still developing and are more at risk from ingesting the chemicals
after stroking an animal. The residues were shown to contain the
neurotoxins and known carcinogens propoxur and tetrachlorvinphos
and, in some cases at levels up to 1000 times higher than the
acceptable levels recommended by the Environmental Protection
Agency.
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news story
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report (pdf)
18 April 2009
USA: Pesticides linked to Parkinsons
disease in humans
People who have lived close to fields where the pesticides maneb
or paraquat where sprayed are, on average, 75% more likely to
develop Parkinsons disease according to a study published in the
latest issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
The study examined over 300 individuals who lived near to fields
where the pesticides had been sprayed and compared them with a
similar sized control group. It found not only were these individuals
significantly more likely to develop the disease than the control
group but also that exposure to either maneb or paraquat made
them twice as likely to develop the early-onset form of the disease
with this rising to four times as likely if they were exposed
to both pesticides.
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news story
16 April 2009
ARGENTINA: The herbicide glyphosate may
cause birth defects
An Argentinian study on amphibian embryos has shown that exposure
to glyphosate results in brain, intestinal and heart defects.
Scientists say the results are comparable to what would happen
in a human embryo and are cause for concern in Argentina where
glyphosate is used on genetically modified soy, Argentinas main
crop. Farmers use 180 to 200 million litres of glyphosate a year.
Researchers found defects occurred on exposure to glyphosate lower
doses lower than those used in pesticide treatments.
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news story
9 April 2009
AUSTRALIA: Dangerous levels of herbicides
found in Great Barrier Reef
The Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research has found
dangerous levels of herbicides such as diuron, atrazine and ametryn
present in the wet season run-off of the catchment area to the
Great Barrier Reef. In a four year study the Centre has found
levels of these pesticides often exceeded Australian freshwater
guidelines for species protection.
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news story
7 April 2009
USA: Pesticides may be responsible for
brain cancer in children
Children of parents who use pesticides in the home are twice as
likely to develop brain cancer than children who live in pesticide
free homes, with herbicide use causing a particularly increased
risk, according to a recent study published in Environmental
Health Perspectives. The research was carried out on over
800 fathers and 500 mothers in four states on the Atlantic Coast
of the USA and showed the risk of cancer development in children
of fathers who washed immediately after pesticide exposure or
wore protective clothing was much lower than for those with fathers
who never or only rarely took precautions.
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news story
1 April 2009
Herbicide imazethapyr may cause cancer
A study of more than 20 000 pesticide workers reported in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that exposure
to imazethapyr greatly increases the likelihood of developing
certain cancers. Workers exposed to the highest levels of imazethapyr
were twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than those not
exposed to the herbicide at all and, in addition, had a 78% increased
chance of developing colon cancer.
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news story
30 March 2009
UK: Pesticides leaks pose big risks
A recent leak of the pesticide Fenpropimorph into the River Lark
in England killing hundreds of crayfish has prompted the Environment
Agency (EA) to highlight the risks involved in pesticide use,
and the importance of locating pesticide handling areas in suitable
locations. The source of the leak was shown to be via a surface
water drain close to where farm sprayers were being filled with
Fenpropimorph. The EA has stated it is very hard to remove contaminants
such as pesticides from groundwater which is a vital consideration
when two-thirds of the UK's drinking water is taken from groundwater
supplies.
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news story
29 March 2009
KENYA: Pesticide used to poison lions
Livestock herders in Kenya are poisoning large numbers of lions.
It is suspected the pesticide furadan is being used as the poison.
Furadan is a pesticide designed for use on crops but it is cheap,
widely available and highly toxic and is commonly used to kill
animals.
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news story
27 March 2009
USA: Pesticides linked to birth defects
Recent research published in Acta Paediatrica has highlighted
that babies conceived in spring and early summer are more likely
to be born with a birth defect such as spina bifida, Down Syndrome
or a cleft palate, than those conceived at other times of the
year. The increase in birth defects coincides with an increase
in groundwater pesticide levels due to the spring/summer planting
season.
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news story
24 March 2009
USA: Prenatal DDT exposure may promote
obesity in women
A study published in this months issue of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine has shown prenatal exposure to the
now banned insecticide DDT may result in obesity in women in later
life. The daughters of 250 women who ate fish from Lake Michigan
during pregnancy in the early 1970s were tested for DDE exposure.
DDE is a breakdown product of DDT, an insecticide commonly used
in the area at the time. The study found women with intermediate
levels of DDE in their bodies gained an average of 13 pounds of
excess weight. Women with higher levels of DDE gained more than
20 pounds of excess weight. Although DDT is now banned traces
of this insecticide is still found in fish species.
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news story
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report
20 March 2009
Fourth annual Semaine Sans Pesticides
begins
Today sees the start of the fourth annual Semaine Sans Pesticides
(Week Without Pesticides) in Europe. It will run until 30th March
with organisations across France organising hundreds of events
warning the public of the dangers of pesticides and providing
education about alternatives. Elsewhere across Europe activities
are being arranged in England, Italy, Belgium, Slovakia, Slovenia
and Macedonia. The first Semaine Sans Pesticides was held in France
in 2006.
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Semaine Sans Pesticides website
19 March 2009
USA: Pets at risk from flea and tick
shampoos
An investigation in America into flea and tick shampoos containing
pyrethrins and pyrethoids, the pesticides also found in other
household pesticide products, has highlighted some animals have
suffered seizures, vomiting and skin damage after application.
Some animals have even died following their use. It is currently
unknown to what degree these products can be toxic to pets.
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news story
13 March 2009
USA: Treatment for termites linked to
diabetes
Four recently published studies have revealed that insecticides
present in fat deposits may be a risk factor in developing diabetes.
The studies show the insecticides that had the greatest association
with diabetes were all found in technical chlordane, a substance
used to treat termite infestations until it was banned in 1988.
Chlordane levels remain high in the air of treated homes 30 years
and beyond after treatment. In addition to diabetes chlordane
exposure has been linked to cancers and chronic diseases as well
as headaches, lethargy and respiratory infections.
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news story
6 March 2009
PHILIPPINES: Temporary ban placed on
endosulfan
An immediate temporary ban has been ordered on the use, distribution
and importation of endosulfan due to public safety concerns. The
ban has been imposed after concerns following the capsizing of
a ferry containing a consignment of endosulfan last year.
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news story
3 March 2009
USA: Combining pesticides can prove deadly
Scientists have discovered some combinations of common agricultural
pesticides can prove deadly to salmon as the chemicals accumulate
in water. The study also showed the pesticides to be harmful at
lower levels of exposure when combined than when present individually
indicating the current practice of testing pesticides one at a
time for fish mortality needs to be reviewed.
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news story
26 February 2009
USA: Pesticide exposure linked to increased
risk of Parkinson's disease in certain individuals
A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives has shown pesticide use can increase the risk of developing Parkinson's
disease for individuals carrying certain genes. The study reported
that people who have high occupational or residential exposure
to pesticides and carry certain genes were 300 to over 400 percent
more likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
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news story
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report
24 February 2009
SAUDI ARABIA: Two children die after
inhaling pesticide fumes
Two Danish children have died and their parents are in intensive
care inafter inhaling pesticide fumes coming from a house next
door to where they were sleeping in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The
house had been sprayed with aluminium phosphide, a pesticide classified
as dangerous and only permitted for agricultural use.
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news story
12 February 2009
USA: DDT exposure can cause seizures
in sea lions
Developmental exposure to DDT has been shown to increase the frequency
and intensity of epileptic seizures in California sea lions according
to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. The study has shown DDT interacts with domoic acid, a neurotoxin
produced by algal blooms, to cause enhanced seizures and may cause
similar affects in humans.
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news story
30 January 2009
Termite insecticide shown to be powerful
greenhouse gas
A study published in Environmental Science and Technology journal has shown sulfuryl fluoride, an insecticide used to remove
termite infestations, persists in the atmosphere for at least
30-40 years and possibly up to 100 years. This is vastly higher
than previous estimates of as low as five years and is a big cause
for concern given sulfuryl fluoride is 4000 times more efficient
at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
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news story
21 January 2009
IRELAND: Pesticide residues may cause
long term health effects
The Irish Organic Growers Association has warned consumers may
suffer long term heath effects due to pesticide residues in food.
The warning comes after official figures from the Department of
Agriculture have shown 2008 pesticide MRLs have been exceeded
for cabbage, chinese cabbage, turnip and parsley. Chinese cabbage
was shown to contain 124 times the legal MRL chlorothalonil. The
organic growers association is concerned about the issues of a
cocktail effect caused by consuming small amounts beneath the
MRL over a lifetime.
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news story
20 January 2009
BOLIVIA: Eleven die after exposure to
pesticide
Eleven people have died after spending the night in a lodge also
used as a pesticide depot in La Paz, Bolivia. They were killed
in their sleep due to chemical exposure after it is believed one
of the eleven, a child, removed the lid from one of the pesticide
bottles stored in the lodge.
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news story
15 January 2009
USA: Pesticides effect womens fertility
Women who work or live near areas where pesticides are used take
significantly longer to conceive than those in pesticide free
environments according to a study published in Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The study examined
pregnant women in California and found women who reported occupational
exposure to pesticides were 30% less likely to conceive in any
given month than those without occupational exposure.
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news story
13 January 2009
European Paliament votes to tighten pesticide
control
MEPs have voted in favour of tightening rules on pesticides in
Europe. As well as a ban cancer causing chemicals the draft legislation
will prohibit or severely restrict the use of pesticides near
schools, parks or hospitals. It will also ban aerial crop-spraying.
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news story
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