16
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 16, 2025) A Chinese study reports for the first time an association between gestational anemia (GA), pesticide exposure, and the potentially protective effects of gut microbes. While the report is a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed, it establishes important connections eminently worthy of deeper investigation and suggests that the balance of gut microbes may be a highly effective way to reduce or prevent GA. This is a prospective study of women enrolled in 2017 and 2018 in the Mother and Child Microbiome Cohort, ongoing at a Nanjing hospital. The 731 women were over 18, without diabetes or gestational hypertension (which can affect gestational anemia). The researchers collected blood samples to analyze red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and levels of pesticides. They analyzed stool samples for gut bacteria composition. GA is extremely common. Pregnancy increases maternal blood volume by up to 50 percent, which produces obvious challenges to the mother. There is a strong gradient between the developing and developed countries: According to the World Health Organization, 35.5 percent of pregnant women globally had anemia in 2023. In Mali, 62.1 percent suffered from it. In the . . .
Posted in Atrazine, Chlorpyrifos, clomazone, gestational anemia, Microbiome, pyrimethanil, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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15
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2025) The United Nations’ Conference of Parties (COP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), originally adopted by 128 countries in 2001, voted to move the highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, linked to brain damage in children, to Annex A (Elimination) with exemptions on a range of crops, control for ticks for cattle, and wood preservation, according to the POPs Review Committee. The exemptions drew criticism from groups seeking to eliminate chlorpyrifos without exemptions, as had been originally proposed. In the world of pesticide restrictions, this POPs classification marks a step forward in the international regulation of chlorpyrifos, as the U.S. sits on the sidelines. The long effort to ban this one hazardous pesticide, as important as the action is, serves as a reminder of the limitations of a whack-a-mole approach to chemical regulation of the thousands of toxic products poisoning people and the planet, filled with compromises to public health and the environment—while alternative practices and materials are available to meet productivity, profitability, and quality of life goals. According to Down to Earth, the 18 specific crop and use exemptions include the following: Barley (termites), Cabbage (diamondback . . .
Posted in Chlorpyrifos, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), International, Uncategorized, United Nations by: Beyond Pesticides
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14
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 14, 2025) Research by the Rodale Institute, Ohio State University, and Tennessee State University, published in Soil Science of America Journal, documents that organic grain cropping systems contain higher concentrations of total nitrogen and soil organic carbon, exceeding those found in conventional, chemical-intensive systems. This study is an extension of the Rodale Institute’s Farming System Trial (FST), a 40-year-long field study with the overarching goal of “[a]ddress[ing] the barriers to the adoption of organic farming by farmers across the country.†As communities across the country express concerns over the economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs on imported goods, organic advocates continue to call for investment in organic agriculture as a form of economic development. Previous economic analysis by Pennsylvania State University, published in the research report Economic impact of organic agriculture hotspots in the United States, finds that the domestic development of organic certified processing facilities, wholesalers, brokers, producers, and other aspects of the supply chain together could create highly sought after economic development in disinvested areas across the nation; areas that may have been historically battered by free trade agreements like the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and may be interested in promoting local . . .
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, biofertilizers, Regenerative, soil health, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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13
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2025) A study in Environmental Pollution examines ecological and health risks in farmland soil with pesticide contamination. “Although agricultural soil pesticide residues have long threatened the environment, a relatively complete system for evaluating their health and ecological risks has not yet been developed,†the authors state. In addressing this research gap, the study finds that “more than ten pesticides were detected in 98.62% of the soil samples, which changed the soil environment†and threatens the health of the soil microbiome. The authors continue, “This study investigated the correlation between pesticide residue risks and soil ecological security and human health, revealed the response characteristics of soil microbial communities under pesticide stress, and identified microbes strongly related to pesticide ecological risks.†Pesticides, as the authors emphasize, “inevitably pollute agricultural soil, affect the ecological environment, and pose a threat to human health.†(See studies here, here, and here.) With this in mind, they assess 50 selected pesticides in 145 soil samples from agricultural land in Zhejiang Province, China and calculate the associated risks to ecosystems and public health. In describing the importance of this research, the authors explain: “Pesticides are prone to leakage . . .
Posted in Agriculture, Bifenthrin, Biodiversity, Cancer, Chlorpyrifos, Ecosystem Services, Imidacloprid, indoxacarb, Microbiome, Pesticide Mixtures, soil health by: Beyond Pesticides
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12
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 12, 2025) A growing body of evidence demonstrates the environmental, health, climate, and economic benefits of organic agriculture. With the weakening of pesticide regulation, public health and environmental advocates say that the organic alternative takes on more importance. In this context, Beyond Pesticides and allies are calling on Members of Congress to support a bipartisan wave of legislation aimed at improving the U.S. food system and, specifically, a series of bills that support organic agriculture, including the Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI), S.1385, the New Producer Economic Security Act, S.1237, (previously Increasing Land, Security, and Opportunities Act (LASO), H.R.3955, in 2023-24), the newly-introduced Organic Imports Verification Act (OIVA), S.1398, and the newly-reintroduced Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) [bill number not assigned at the time of publication]. In April, Senators John Fetterman (PA-D) and Sen. Adam Schiff (CA-D), reintroduced OSRI, S.1385, to ensure “organics research is prioritized at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and [increased] funding for research agencies and universities, [as well as ] provid[ing] much needed support to the organic farming industry.†The bill is cosponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden . . .
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Congress, Take Action, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) by: Beyond Pesticides
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09
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 9, 2025) Research in Advances in Modern Agriculture showcases how pesticide residues can threaten the health of soil nematodes and cause phytotoxic effects in cucumber plants. In assessing both the sprayed vegetables and the organisms within the soil, the authors find a negative correlation between pesticide exposure and soil nematode populations that is proportional to the application rates of the chemicals, as well as alterations in plant development. These impacts highlight potential wider effects on crop productivity, biodiversity, and human health. “Nematodes, which are microscopic worms inhabiting the soil, are vital contributors to soil vitality and the cycling of nutrients,†the authors share. “Nonetheless, the non-selective and widespread application of pesticides can negatively impact these organisms, leading to potential detriments in soil quality and plant vitality.†“Pesticide residues have the propensity to be absorbed and progressively accumulate as they traverse from soil to plants and subsequently to humans,†the researchers state. They continue, “The specific characteristics of the pesticide and its interactions with the body across different levels dictate whether it will be excreted without causing significant harm or if it will accumulate, potentially leading to enduring subclinical and clinical ramifications.†. . .
Posted in Agriculture, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Diazinon, Ecosystem Services, Endosulfan, Malathion, methoxychlor, Microbiome, Pesticide Residues, soil health, Soil microbiome by: Beyond Pesticides
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08
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, assesses the impacts on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with subacute and chronic exposure to thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and finds genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in tissue structure, among other threats to organ function and overall fish health. “The study focused on biochemical markers, genetic damage, pesticide residue levels in fish flesh, and histopathological changes in fish exposed to different concentrations of thiamethoxam,†the authors state. The threats do not end there; human health is also at risk from the consumption of these contaminated fish. “Unfortunately, neonicotinoids, rapidly washed into surface water from agricultural areas, pose a significant threat to environmental water quality and can harm non-target species, particularly aquatic organisms,†the researchers state. The accumulation of these chemicals leads to “ultimately harming both aquatic ecosystems and human health,†they say. In particular, the study highlights that prolonged exposure to high doses of thiamethoxam can cause “significant negative effects on fish health,†the authors note. They continue: “This exposure led to increased levels of urea and ALT [alanine aminotransferase] in the blood, indicating potential damage to the kidneys and liver. Additionally, . . .
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, fish, Kidney failure, Liver Damage, neonicotinoids, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, Thiamethoxam, Water by: Beyond Pesticides
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07
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 7, 2025) Researchers at the University of Caxias do Sul (Brazil) identify 29 peer-reviewed scientific studies with statistically significant findings that tie pesticide use to cancer diagnoses. The literature review is published in Saúde Debate. This collection of clinical trials, as well as epidemiologic, case-control, and experimental studies—from the United States, Brazil, India, France, Egypt, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Italy, and Spain—add to the hundreds of peer-reviewed independent analyses connecting synthetic chemical dependency in food production and land management with mounting public health concerns. Advocates continue to call for holistic solutions that move away from toxic inputs that disproportionately harm the communities responsible for the food on dinner tables, and instead cultivate microbial diversity in soil, rather than prophylactically spray for the sake of pest control. Beyond Pesticides values the importance of scientific integrity and open access to data to inform decision makers on how to adopt healthier practices for their communities. Reliable information for good governance is critical, which is a driving factor in the ongoing compilation of thousands of peer-reviewed literature compiled and curated in the Pesticide-Induced Disease Database and Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management. Background . . .
Posted in 2,4-D, Cancer, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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06
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 6, 2025) A study in Ecology Letters finds “severe degradation of ecosystem functioning in the form of loss of organic matter consumption and dramatic shifts in primary productivity,†the researchers state, after performing an experiment with “36 naturally established freshwater ecosystems exposed to increasing field-realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid.†Aquatic communities contribute to overall biodiversity and are crucial in maintaining healthy ecosystems; without them, the entire food web and vital ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, water filtration, and climate regulation, are threatened. As the authors reference, there is a current unprecedented decline in biodiversity that can be attributed to anthropogenic impacts. A multitude of studies connect pesticides, and more specifically neonicotinoid insecticides, to impacts on aquatic ecosystems. (See studies here and here.) “Since the community of organisms locally present is responsible for the functioning of the local ecosystems,†the researchers begin, “this begs the question: do neonicotinoid-induced shifts in community composition result in a degradation of ecosystem functioning?†Previous research finds that neonicotinoids can “impede several freshwater ecosystem processes such as organic matter (‘OM’) decomposition, primary production or biomass transfer to neighbouring ecosystems,†the authors say. (See studies here, . . .
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), European Union, neonicotinoids, thiacloprid by: Beyond Pesticides
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05
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 5, 2025) With North Dakota on April 24 being the first state to enact chemical industry legislation that blocks poisoning victims from suing manufacturers for their failure to warn about their products’ hazards, a national fight over accountability and compensation has escalated. Legislation to quash lawsuits against chemical manufacturers because of their “failure to warn†about the hazards of their pesticide products is being pushed through state legislatures. Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at the National Agriculture Law Center. The litigation is also an important check on the chemical industry in a national climate of deregulation and the Trump Administration’s dismantling of environmental and public health programs. “Failure-to-warn” is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff’s injury,†says Ms. Rollins. [See below for action steps . . .
Posted in Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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02
May
* This article was cross-posted with permission from the Ecological Landscape Alliance, which was originally published on April 30, 2025. A link will be shared once it is made available. (Beyond Pesticides, May 2, 2025) With the current existential health, biodiversity, and climate threats, organic land management is a bright spot for the sustainable future envisioned by Beyond Pesticides. Founded in 1981, Beyond Pesticides began tracking the science of pesticide hazards and questioning dependency on toxic, fossil fuel-based pesticides as unnecessary to achieving effective land management, both in agricultural and nonagricultural contexts. The organization, which grew out of a series of site visits and field hearings to document the limitations of labor standards necessary to protect farmworkers, was created to bring together environmentalists, public health practitioners, farmers, land managers, farmworkers, and consumers. Nearly a decade before its founding and less than 20 years after the publication of Silent Spring, many important laws governing clean air, water, food safety, and pesticides had been adopted. However, these statutes’ focus on mitigating risks of harm to health and the environment has fallen short, according to Beyond Pesticides. Instead, the organization pursues a precautionary approach that is . . .
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Children, Climate, Climate Change, Disease/Health Effects, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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01
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 1, 2025) Pesticides by themselves are a grave threat to global health. As is global warming. As is antibiotic resistance. Each of these problems has to be analyzed in its own silo to reveal the mechanisms driving its dynamics. But eventually, it must be acknowledged that they actually converge. A common soil arthropod has clearly illustrated how this convergence creates synergistic effects: warming increases pesticide toxicity; pesticide toxicity triggers antibiotic resistance; antibiotic resistance spreads through horizontal gene transfer (movement through the environment to people) and predation. The consequences, not yet fully understood, are nevertheless emerging from accumulating research. A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials by scientists at six Chinese universities and research centers examines the convergence in springtails (Folsomia candida)—tiny insect-like animals that live in soils worldwide and are commonly used as laboratory subjects. The researchers exposed springtails to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid at three concentrations and three temperatures. In addition to measuring the springtails’ direct mortality, the researchers also investigated the microbes in the animals’ guts, checking for expression of genes involved in antibiotic resistance. The evidence is unequivocal: imidacloprid exposure at a soil temperature consistent with . . .
Posted in Agriculture, Antibiotic Resistance, Climate, Climate Change, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Imidacloprid, Resistance, synergistic effects, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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30
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 30, 2025) A literature review published in Ecosystem Services by researchers at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center identifies the ecological and soil health benefits of regenerative organic agriculture (ROAg). In comparison to chemical-intensive farming, ROAg increases soil organic content by 22 percent, soil total nitrogen by 28 percent, and soil microbial biomass carbon by 133 percent, according to the research. While further long-term comparative research is needed to compare regenerative organic with conventional, chemical-intensive systems, as well as more precisely quantifiable benefits of regenerative organic farming on soil health, researchers were able to determine that regenerative organic agriculture “has significant positive impacts on soil health and ecosystem service delivery.â€Â As U.S. farmers contend with the future of unpredictable supply chains, there is an increasing interest in the organic agricultural sector to minimize superficial costs while maximizing the utility of existing resources. The density and diversity of microbial life in the soil is one such resource that requires regenerative organic principles, including the commonly held belief that soil microbial life must be fed to break down organic matter for plant nutrition, rather than bypassing the soil . . .
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Climate, Climate Change, Regenerative, soil health, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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29
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2025) A study in Environment International finds pesticide-induced alterations in the gut microbiota of a farmland raptor species. In collecting blood and cloacal samples from Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings, the authors “shed light on an overlooked collateral effect of pesticides, i.e., a general modification of gut bacterial assemblages,†which can lead to an imbalance of microorganisms (dysbiosis) and the promotion of potential pathogens, as well as negatively impact the health of birds of prey. “Additionally, our findings support the ‘One Health‘ framework, stressing the interconnectedness of wildlife, ecosystem, and human health, particularly in pesticide-affected agricultural areas,†the researchers share. “The gut microbiota is crucial for host health and can be impacted by various environmental disruptions, yet the effects of multiple pesticide exposures on farmland organisms’ microbiomes remain largely unexplored,†the authors state. In the study, they “assessed microbiota changes in a wild apex predator exposed to multiple pesticides in agricultural landscapes,†which “provides evidence of pesticide impacts on wildlife gut microbiota, highlighting links between pesticide exposure and changes in microbiota composition,†the researchers note. The Montagu’s harrier, as an apex predator, serves as a ‘bio-sentinel’ or bioindicator species for assessing . . .
Posted in Acetochlor, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Birds, Chlorpyrifos, Gut Dysbiosis, Microbiome, Pesticide Mixtures, Quinoxyfen, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. by: Beyond Pesticides
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28
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 28, 2025) Despite the rising number of households without adequate access to food (18 million or 13.5% of households, or over 45 million people in 2023, including children, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service), government programs to support local food systems are being dismantled by the Trump Administration. For several years, farmers, schools, and food distributors have been working together to provide fresh, local food in schools and food pantries across the nation, thanks to two programs at USDA—the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program. >> Tell your U.S. Representative and Senators to make the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program permanent through the Farm Bill. USDA has canceled the two programs that gave states, tribal governments, schools, and food banks money to buy local food from farmers. The LFS program awards money to states to buy local foods for schools and childcare institutions, and the LFPA program provides funding for state, tribal, and territorial governments to buy food produced within the state or within 400 . . .
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Children/Schools, National Politics, Take Action, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) by: Beyond Pesticides
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25
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2025) A novel study in Chemosphere finds impacts on male fertility in a bee species (Osmia bicornis) with exposure to sulfoxaflor, a systemic sulfoximine insecticide with similar mechanisms to neonicotinoids. “For the first time, we demonstrate that short-term chronic, field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide reduced pre-copulatory display (36%) and sounds (27%) [courtship behaviors], increased the number of copulations (+110%) and the mating duration (+166%), while finally reducing sperm quantity (25%) and mating success (43%),†the researchers report. They continue, “Our research raises considerable concern on the impact of field-realistic, low sublethal pesticide levels on the fertility and reproductive success of pollinators.†Mating behaviors and the ability to successfully reproduce determines the survival of species. As the authors state: “Mating disorders may therefore contribute to the recent decline in insect and pollinators’ health worldwide. While the impact of pesticides on pollinators is widely considered as a driving factor for reducing pollinators’ health, their effect on mating behaviour and male fertility remains widely overlooked.†The red mason bee (O. bicornis) can “provide essential pollination service for both crops and wild plants sustaining food production and biodiversity while serving as a bioindicator of . . .
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Clothianidin, fenbuconazole, men's health, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Mixtures, Pollinators, Reproductive Health, Sulfoxaflor, Thiamethoxam by: Beyond Pesticides
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24
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 24, 2025) As the congressionally created National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) of organic stakeholders meets this week to receive comments from the public on the semi-annual review of standards and allowed and prohibited substances in production and processing, multiple members of Congress are moving to shore up the organic sector for farmers and consumers. (See testimony here.) The current 119th Congress has brought a wave of bipartisan legislation aimed at improving the U.S. food system, including organic standards and programs. Organic advocates are pleased to see the introduction of a series of bills supporting organic, including the reintroduction of the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act, S.1385, the New Producer Economic Security Act, S.1237, (previously Increasing Land, Security, and Opportunities (LASO) Act, H.R.3955, in 2023-24), and the newly-introduced Organic Imports Verification Act (OIVA), S.1398, among others. OIVA, introduced by Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tim Scott (R-SC), is intended to improve consumer confidence in imported organic goods with support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule. (See a joint press release by Senators Ricketts and Smith here.) Amid federal funding freezes and cuts . . .
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Congress, Farm Bill, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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23
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. “Given the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,†the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinson’s and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. “Hereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinson’s disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinson’s disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,†the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as “the appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of . . .
Posted in 2,4-D, Atrazine, behavioral and cognitive effects, Brain Effects, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, Dichlorvos, Dieldrin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Malathion, mancozeb, Maneb, Nervous System Effects, Oxidative Stress, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Pesticide Mixtures, Rotenone by: Beyond Pesticides
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22
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 22, 2025) While it has been widely found that farmworkers bear the brunt of agricultural pesticide exposures in fields and outbuildings, the outdoor use of chemicals contaminating living spaces is documented in an increasing number of studies. Two recent studies add to earlier findings that raise exposure and health concerns. A large European study of house dust contaminants, published in Science of the Total Environment, finds more than 1,200 anthropogenic compounds, including numerous organophosphates, the phthalate DEHP, PCBs, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. And, a recent Argentine study, “Pesticide contamination in indoor home dust: A pilot study of non-occupational exposure in Argentina,†examines contaminant levels in household dust in villages and towns distributed throughout the Pampas region, where soybeans, corn, sunflowers, and livestock, especially cattle, are raised. The study participants were not agricultural workers, but teachers, government workers, librarians, retirees, college students, doctors, lawyers, artists, and business people. The Argentine study reinforces what has been previously reported, which emphasizes findings that there is no doubt that pesticide residues accumulate in homes adjacent to agricultural fields and pastures. For example, in 2023, Beyond Pesticides reported on a study of 598 California homes . . .
Posted in Indoor Air Quality, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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21
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 21, 2025)  The first Earth Day, 55 years ago, marked the beginning of a worldwide movement to protect the Earth from threats such as oil spills, raw sewage discharged into waterways, toxic chemical dumps, rampant pesticide use, the degradation of important habitats, and wildlife loss—a movement that led to passage of crucial environmental legislation, which is now at risk. While we try to ensure that the gains of the past 55 years are not lost, we can act locally to improve our local environments. Does your community have a pesticide-free park managed with organic practices? Do you wish it did? The time to take action to protect those parks and create new ones is now. With Beyond Pesticides’ supporters, including the retailer Natural Grocers in the Midwest and west, the Beyond Pesticides’ Parks for a Sustainable Future program provides in-depth training to assist community land managers in transitioning two public green spaces to organic landscape management, while aiming to provide the knowledge and skills and experience necessary to transition all public areas in a locality to these safer and sustainable practices. Through this program, Beyond Pesticides has assisted local leaders in converting the following parks and . . .
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Children, Climate, Holidays, Parks, Parks for a Sustainable Future, soil health, Take Action, Uncategorized by: Beyond Pesticides
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18
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 18, 2025) A recent study published in Foods assesses the ability of the fungicide azoxystrobin (AZX) and naturally occurring toxins produced by certain fungi, known as mycotoxins, to display effects of cytotoxicity (cell damage). These effects were evaluated using three common mycotoxins found in food, including ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 toxin as mixtures with AZX within human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell cultures. In analyzing combinations of these compounds at sublethal concentrations, the authors find modified toxicological behavior and synergistic effects that highlight the complexities of chemical mixtures, and potential threats to liver health through dietary exposure to both toxicants and toxins, that are not adequately regulated for their interactions. While fungicides, like azoxystrobin, are intended to prevent or control fungal diseases, resistance to these pesticides can increase the presence of fungi, and subsequent mycotoxins, on crops. This scenario allows for co-exposure of fungicides and mycotoxins within food products that present a risk to consumers. These chemicals can threaten human health individually, as the researchers confirm in their study, but present a greater threat in combination. The mixture of AZX with all three mycotoxins exhibits the highest toxicity, with synergistic . . .
Posted in Agriculture, Azoxystrobin, Chemical Mixtures, European Union, Fungicides, Liver Damage, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, synergistic effects by: Beyond Pesticides
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