19
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 19, 2025) While still the exception rather than the norm, a growing movement of Christmas tree farmers across the United States is demonstrating that organically managed systems can also be applied when choosing a tree during this holiday season. Health and environmental advocates across the country are calling for a transition away from toxic pesticide dependency during the holiday season. Beyond Pesticides maintains a webpage, Christmas Trees and Pesticides, and Center for Biological Diversity and Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a “special review of pesticides used on Christmas trees.” The groups sent a letter on December 4, the day the National Christmas Tree was lit at the White House, specifically citing the need to review the pesticides chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, dimethoate, bifenthrin, chlorothalonil, glyphosate, hexazinone, imidacloprid, simazine, and 2,4-D, among others. Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, with Christmas trees grown on Christmas tree farms being brought into homes as part of the celebration. On average, Americans purchase 25 to 30 million Christmas trees annually, according to the National Christmas Tree Association; however, certified organic […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Abamectin, Azadirachtin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpyrifos, clopyralid, Department of Health and Human Services, Diflubenzuron, Dimethoate, dinotefuron, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), esfenvalerate, flupyradifurone, Fungicides, Glyphosate, Herbicides, hexazinone, Holidays, Imidacloprid, Insecticides, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, lambda-cyhalothrin, Malathion, mancozeb, Oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin, Permethrin, pymetrozine, simazine, spinosad, spirodiclofen, Sulfometuron methyl, tebufenozide, Thiamethoxam, Triclopyr, Uncategorized | No Comments »
26
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2022) New research from a team in California finds one-third of pesticides it reviewed — including glyphosate, paraquat dichloride, and oxyfluorfen — to be associated with the development of thyroid cancer. Researchers investigated the links between exposure to pesticides — including 29 that cause DNA cell damage — and the risk of this cancer. The researchers also find that in all the single-pollutant models they employed, paraquat dichloride — a widely used herbicide — was linked to this cancer. In 2021, Beyond Pesticides covered research by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) that demonstrated that exposures to lindane and metalaxyl also cause heightened risk of thyroid cancer. These study findings add to the already considerable concern about pervasive pesticide exposure — not only among farmers and applicators, but also in the general population. It is worth noting that, in addition to elevated thyroid cancer risks, multiple pesticides can cause other health damage. Paraquat is also acutely toxic, and can cause longer-term reproductive, renal, and hepatic damage to humans; it is toxic to birds, fish, and other aquatic organisms, and slightly so to honeybees. Glyphosate, as Beyond Pesticides has written frequently, is carcinogenic, and is associated […]
Posted in California, Cancer, Glyphosate, oxyfluorfen, Paraquat, Thyroid Disease, Uncategorized | No Comments »
