Archive for the 'Herbicides' Category
19
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 19, 2024) An article published in the journal Science of the Total Environment finds that the European Union’s (EU) risk assessment process, required for registration, fails to accurately or reliably predict pesticide exposure rates, sometimes by several orders of magnitude. Pesticide registration in the EU leverages the Agricultural Operator Exposure Model (AOEM)—a predictive model developed in 2014 to estimate expected non-dietary pesticide exposure levels for operators [pest control operators in the U.S.] based on a very limited set of data generated by the pesticide industry. Models that predict real-world exposure and underestimate field data raise critical questions about the efficacy of risk assessment reviews that determine product labels and allowed level of harm. By comparing the dermal exposure measured during a field study conducted in a nonagricultural area with the corresponding values estimated by AOEM, researchers in France add to the body of scientific literature indicating that the fossil fuel and petrochemical pesticide industry data cannot be relied upon as a benchmark to ensure public health and safety. The study describes the difficulty and complexity of calculating the ability of protective equipment to provide protection. According to the authors, “[AOEM] underestimated hand exposure by 42 times and […]
Posted in Agriculture, contamination, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, Herbicides, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Pesticide Regulation, TruGreen, Uncategorized | No Comments »
03
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 3, 2024) A piercing investigative article in the August 14 New York Times by journalist Greg Donahue reveals the abandonment of a group of brain disease patients in an area of Canada with forestry management for paper products, agriculture, and large amounts of pesticide use, including glyphosate. It illustrates the tension in the relationship between government authorities, regulated industries, and neurologist (physician) on the front lines. The article details the manner in which health officials appeared to manipulate their own investigation of a disease cluster to make it less disruptive to the economy of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. (This Beyond Pesticides analysis, where not otherwise indicated, draws on Mr. Donahue’s article.) New Brunswick has one major town, Moncton, and a large rural area characterized by agriculture and forestry. The province’s agriculture industry is dominated by blueberry production, which occupies the fourth largest amount of agricultural land in New Brunswick. About half the province is forested, with increasing amounts of land devoted to tree plantations intended for paper production. Glyphosate is hands-down the most heavily used pesticide in New Brunswick forestry, and New Brunswick is second only to Ontario in Canada’s total area of glyphosate-treated forest. […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alzheimers's, Forestry, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Lewy Body Disease (LBD), Paraquat, Parkinson's, Uncategorized | No Comments »
28
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 28, 2024) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) pesticide labeling requirements fail to adequately communicate acute toxicity levels to the public, as evidenced in a recent study of consumers published last month in the journal Nature. After evaluating whether the current three “signal” words (CAUTION, WARNING, DANGER) on pesticide products adequately convey pesticide toxicity, the authors conclude that current labeling may result in “unintended adverse effects” because it does not “effectively communicate toxicity risks to consumers.” The signal words on pesticide labels, based on laboratory animal testing for determining lethal doses, are intended to protect users of the product from exposure that can kill through inhalation, skin absorption, and ingestion of the pesticide. However, the signal words do not warn about long-effects like cancer, neurological diseases, reproductive harm, as well as other adverse effects associated with pesticide exposure. (See Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database.)  The study tests two prototype labels to evaluate the effectiveness of visual elements in communicating toxicity information, citing research in cognitive psychology that indicates visual elements, like images and graphics, are more effective for conveying information than text alone. This is particularly crucial for pesticide labels, where complex toxicity details need to be communicated quickly […]
Posted in and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Herbicides, Inerts, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, Label Claims, Lawns/Landscapes, Pesticide Efficacy, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, synergistic effects, Uncategorized | No Comments »
26
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2024) In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it was raising the allowable levels of the highly toxic weed killer atrazine in the nation’s waterways from the 2016 level of 3.4 to 9.7 micrograms per liter (µg/L), which scientists and environmental advocates say is a serious threat to aquatic plants, fish, invertebrates, and amphibians, in addition to people who recreate in waterways or eat food from them. With EPA’s August 7 decision to ban the weed killer Dacthal (or DCPA–dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate), Beyond Pesticides is rallying public support for the removal of atrazine from the market under the same standards of harm, inability to mitigate hazards, and the availability of alternatives. As Beyond Pesticides points out in its 2022 atrazine comments (2020 and 2016 comments included) to EPA, the agency in November 2021 released the final Biological Evaluation (BE) assessing risks to listed species from labeled uses of atrazine (in the triazine chemical family). The agency made “likely to adversely affect (LAA) determinations” for 1,013 species and 328 critical habitats, which it is now rejecting, while using a “community-equivalent level of concern (CE-LOC)” measure that is filled with uncertainty and lacks any sense of precaution with […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Atrazine, dacthal, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Herbicides, Lawns/Landscapes, Syngenta, Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
09
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 9, 2024)​​ A study in the journal Biology and Fertility of Soils has confirmed once again that organic agriculture contributes significantly to soil health, improving ecological functions that are harmed by conventional, chemical-intensive farming practices. Organic soil amendments (fertilizers) that feed soil organisms increase beneficial protistan predators and support sustainable predator-prey relationships within the soil microbiome. [â€Protist’ is a catch-all term that describes ancient lineages of eukaryotes—organisms with a nucleus—that are neither a true plant, animal, or fungus.] The study shows that organic farming creates a healthy ecosystem able to support a balance of life forms in the soil. Moreover, the study finds that the use of chemical fertilizers for agricultural management disrupt the stable biological relationship between protistan predators and their bacterial prey in soils, adding to the argument for transitioning away from conventional systems that lean on toxic inputs.  Healthy soil contains millions of living species that form the microbiome. Most of the biodiversity in soil consists of bacteria and fungi, and their number and type are regulated partially by predatory protists and nematodes that feed on bacteria. Akin to the impact of predators keeping a herd of prey healthy by hunting the sick, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Beneficials, Climate Change, Fertilizer, Herbicides, Lawns/Landscapes, Microbiome, Nitrates, Regenerative, soil health, Soil microbiome, Synthetic Fertilizer, Uncategorized | No Comments »
02
Aug
(Beyond Pesticides, August 2, 2024) In a recent study published in Science, a team from the University of Massachusetts and Yale University provides quantitative insight into the significant effects of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the nation’s water quality. This research highlights the essential role of ephemeral streams—water sources that flow temporarily after rainfall—in transporting pollutants, including pesticides, sediments, and nutrients from land to larger water bodies. This comprehensive study underscores the devastating risk to U.S. water quality, stemming from the May 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which dramatically limits the agency’s ability to protect ephemeral streams as well as critical wetland ecosystems under the Clean Water Act (CWA). As a May 2024 report by Clean Water for All Coalition notes, “The [Sackett] decision has endangered the drinking water sources of at least 117 million Americans by stripping protections from over half of the nation’s wetlands, as well as up to nearly 5 million miles of rain-dependent and seasonal streams that feed into rivers, lakes, and estuaries.” At a time when an immediate response to the climate crisis and chemical pollution is more urgent than ever, the U.S. Supreme Court’s judicial decisions are seen […]
Posted in California, Cancer, Clean Water Act, Colorado, contamination, Deleware, Disease/Health Effects, Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fertilizer, Florida, Herbicides, Litigation, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Nitrates, Nitrites, North Carolina, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pesticide Regulation, South Carolina, State/Local, Synthetic Fertilizer, Tennessee, U.S. Supreme Court, Washington, Water Regulation, Wisconsin | No Comments »
09
Jul
(Beyond Pesticides, July 9, 2024) Last month, California cannabis regulators recalled a pesticide-tainted vape, one of the contaminated products identified in a Los Angeles Times investigation. The report reveals that the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has for months been aware of the presence of dangerous chemicals in legal cannabis sold to the public. Conducted by Los Angeles Times and WeedWeek, a cannabis industry newsletter, the investigation has uncovered alarming levels of the insecticide chlorfenapyr in legal cannabis products sold in state dispensaries. According to an article via the National Institutes of Health, “Although [chlorfenapyr] has been identified as a moderately toxic pesticide by the World Health Organization (WHO), the mortality rate of poisoned patients is extremely high. There is no specific antidote for chlorfenapyr poisoning.” The chemical is associated with adverse liver effects and is toxic to bees, birds, and aquatic organisms. Despite claims that the state’s cannabis is safe and regulated, many popular brands of vapes and pre-rolled joints were found to contain dangerous pesticides at levels exceeding state limits and federal standards for tobacco. This investigation comes on the heels of the discovery of large amounts of illegal Chinese pesticides at cannabis grow operations around the state. […]
Posted in Bifenthrin, California, Cannabis, chlorfenapyr, Developmental Disorders, DNA Damage, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fungicides, Herbicides, Pesticide Drift, pymetrozine, Reproductive Health, spider mites, trifloxystrobin, Uncategorized, Washington | No Comments »
27
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 27, 2024) Earlier this month, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of a group of ranchers and farmers in Texas harmed by biosolids contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The plaintiffs charge that their health and livelihoods were severely damaged due to contaminated biosolids leaching from neighboring properties onto their land. Despite EPA’s responsibility under the Clean Water Act (Section 405(d) and 40 CFR Part 503) to identify toxic pollutants in biosolids and regulate them to protect human health and the environment, the agency has not effectively addressed the dangers posed by PFAS in biosolid fertilizers. EPA’s failure has dramatic impacts on farmers as well as the public, who are eating or drinking PFAS-contaminated crops, dairy milk, beef, or other meat products. The shortcomings of federal regulations underscore the urgent need for a shift in how federal and state agencies approach these issues, prioritizing precaution to prevent future harm. The persistence of these legacy or “forever” chemicals in the environment illustrates the severe consequences of a historically lax regulatory framework in the U.S. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has identified […]
Posted in 3M, Biosolids, Biosolids/Sewage Sludge, Birth defects, Brain Effects, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Colorado, compost, contamination, Death, Disease/Health Effects, Dow Chemical, Drinking Water, DuPont, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fertilizer, Groundwater, Herbicides, Inhance Technologies, Kidney failure, Liver Damage, Liver failure, Maine, Metabolic Disorders, metabolic syndrome, Michigan, Miscarriage, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Office of Inspector General, Pesticide Regulation, PFAS, Plastic, Reproductive Health, Sewage Sludge, State/Local, Synthetic Fertilizer, Texas, Toxic Waste, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Water, Water Regulation | 1 Comment »
20
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 18, 2024) As part of its update to the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan, the agency held a public webinar on June 18, 2024, which provided an overview of the agency’s “Mitigation Menu Website” for “reducing pesticide exposure to nontarget species from agricultural crop uses.” [Check back to see webinar when posted by EPA.] After court decisions forced EPA to develop a strategy to meet its statutory responsibility to protect endangered species from pesticide use, the agency recognized that it is, in its own words, “unable to keep pace” with its legal obligations. Despite this acknowledgement, the agency said it would “provide flexibility to growers to choose mitigations that work best for their situation.” In this spirit, a range of people, including grower groups, gathered earlier in the year for a series of workshops in the Pacific Northwest to discuss possible mitigation measures. According to a report written by commercial beekeeper Steve Ellis (more background), concrete decisions were not reached at the workshops as participants recognized the complexities in crafting pesticide product label restrictions to protect endangered species. Mr. Ellis concluded: “If it’s so complex that it’s impossible, then no one […]
Posted in Agriculture, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Herbicides, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
12
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 12, 2024) A study of pesticide contaminated algae finds that the disruption of algal communities has a devastating effect on the health of the aquatic food web. The study findings show that contact with pesticides can result in changes to “algal physiology, causing tissue injury, developmental delay, genotoxicity, procreative disruption, and tissue biomagnification” that alters the dominance of algae species in the environment. This in turn “can impact higher trophic levels and have a domino effect on the aquatic food web. It is possible for biodiversity to disappear, reducing ecosystem stability and resistance to environmental alterations,” the authors state. The study, a worldwide literature review conducted by researchers from India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, appears in Aquatic Toxicology. The health of aquatic ecosystems is at risk with indirect effects on nontarget species from pesticides in the environment. This includes impacts on species of fish, invertebrates, microbial communities, and marine mammals. In explaining the importance of extensively studying effects of pesticides, the researchers note, “Different pesticide classes have different chemical structures, which define their modes of action and affect how they interact with both target and nontarget organisms.” Because of this, the range of effects seen from […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Atrazine, Bifenthrin, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, fish, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Imidacloprid, Oceans, Water, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
04
Jun
(Beyond Pesticides, June 4, 2024) A study published in the most recent edition of the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety documents for the first time the presence of the herbicide glyphosate in human sperm. The study looked at 128 French men with an average age of 36 years who tested positive for glyphosate in their blood. Seventy-three out of the 128 men were found to also have glyphosate in their seminal plasma. Not only that, the amount of glyphosate in seminal plasma was nearly four times higher than what was detected in the blood.  Methods The study involved a population of 128 infertile French men from whom seminal and blood plasma samples were collected. The study was conducted at the “Pole SantĂ© LĂ©onard de Vinci” medical center, located centrally near Tours, France. This region is recognized for its urban characteristics as well as being a major agricultural hub, particularly for grain and wine production. The study authors note, “This area reflects the common herbicide exposure in France” and the district ranks third highest in terms of pesticide purchases. While additional qualitative data was collected, only 47 of 128 participants fully completed a questionnaire about their profession, diet (organic or […]
Posted in 2,4-D, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), Antibiotic, Bayer, behavioral and cognitive effects, Birth defects, Chemicals, Developmental Disorders, Dicamba, Disease/Health Effects, DNA Damage, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Groundwater, Gut Dysbiosis, Herbicides, Infertility, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), IQ Loss, Kidney failure, Lawns/Landscapes, Leukemia, Litigation, Liver Damage, Lymphoma, men's health, Miscarriage, Monsanto, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, PFAS, Reproductive Health, synergistic effects, Uncategorized, World Health Organization | No Comments »
15
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2024) A study published recently in the journal Environmental Research finds a significant correlation between exposure to certain pesticides and an elevated risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic autoimmune condition of the gastrointestinal tract. The study, adding to the body of science on this subject, evaluates self-reported data from licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses exposed to pesticides for over 20 years. In addition, while some of the chemicals found to be most closely associated with incidents of IBD have been banned from use, they are “forever” chemicals that persist in the environment for generations. These findings demonstrate once again the failings of the current regulatory process to identify hazards before they are put into the environment. The study found evidence that exposure to several organochlorine insecticides (dieldrin, DDT, and toxaphene), as well as organophosphate insecticides (parathion, terbufos, and phorate) and herbicides (2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-TP, and metolachlor), is associated with elevated IBD risk. IBD is a generic term for diseases that result in chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It is estimated that 6.8 million patients globally suffered from IBD in 2017. IBD may result from an imbalance […]
Posted in Agriculture, Cancer, Carbamates, Cardiovascular Disease, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, DDT, Dieldrin, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Glyphosate, Gut Dysbiosis, Herbicides, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Iowa, Lindane, Liver Damage, metabolic syndrome, Metolachlor, Microbiata, Microbiome, North Carolina, organochlorines, organophosphate, Parathion, Phorate, soil health, synergistic effects, terbufos, toxaphene, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
01
May
(Beyond Pesticides, May 1, 2024) According to a new analysis by Consumer Reports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual Summary has once again failed to accurately portray the safety of some of the most commonly sold fruits and vegetables in the United States. A review of seven years of PDP data show that 20% of the foods tested pose a “high risk” to the public and 12 specific commodities are so dangerous that children or pregnant people should not eat more than one serving per day, according to Consumer Reports analysis. Consumer Reports contend that U.S. Environmental Protection (EPA) pesticide residue tolerances are too lenient. To better evaluate potential health risks associated with various foods, Consumer Reports applied stricter residue limits than the EPA tolerances (see here for CR’s analytical methodology). Notably, USDA certified organic food products are not permitted to be produced with the pesticides identified by the report. Pesticide residues found in organic, with rare exception, are a function of the off-target chemical-intensive agriculture pollution through pesticide drift, water contamination, or background soil residues. The Consumer Reports results fly in the face of the rosy outlook reported by the USDA in its 2022 […]
Posted in Acephate, Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Breakdown Chemicals, Chemicals, contamination, Drift, Environmental Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Herbicides, oxamyl, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Residues, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | 1 Comment »
24
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 24, 2024) On April 16, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted an “update” to the Draft Herbicide Strategy Framework (Draft Herbicide Strategy Framework to Reduce Exposure of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Herbicides) that was released last summer, weakening aspects of the agency’s efforts to “protect” endangered species from herbicide use. The update outlines three types of modifications to the Draft Strategy, including “simplifying” its approach, increasing growers’ “flexibility” when applying mitigation measures, and reducing the mitigation measures required in certain situations. By reducing the stringency of the Strategy, advocates are again questioning EPA’s commitment to fulfilling legal requirements under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or protecting endangered species and their habitats in the midst of an unprecedented rate of global extinction. ESA is celebrated as one of the most far-reaching conservation laws globally, credited with preventing the extinction of 99 percent of those species the government targets for protection, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). ESA establishes a framework to categorize species as “endangered” or “threatened,” granting them specific protections. Under ESA, EPA is required to consult with relevant agencies […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Disease/Health Effects, Drift, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Habitat Protection, Herbicides, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, organophosphate, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pesticide Efficacy, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, Pollinators, U.S. Geological Survey, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
18
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 18, 2024) University of Michigan researchers have found a statistically significant relationship between heightened risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and household exposure to lawn care products and pesticides. The study results were published earlier this month in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. The interdisciplinary research team concludes that modifying residential exposure to toxic substances, including pesticides, can play an important role in ALS susceptibility and prognosis. The results build on a substantial body of scientific literature identifying pesticide exposure in various ALS cohort studies. Advocates say that these adverse effects, along with other numerous health and environmental effects, inform their call for the phaseout of toxic pesticide use and the adoption of alternative practices and eco-compatible products. All participants in this study are patients at the University of Michigan Pranger ALS Clinic with Gold Coast ALS diagnosis, which according to a Muscle & Nerve study refers to the identification of two factors: “progressive motor impairment documented by history or repeated clinical assessment” and “the presence of upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction in a least one body region.” All 367 ALS and 255 control patients were tasked with completing a survey in which they self-reported […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Biomonitoring, Carbaryl, Chlorpyrifos, Disease/Health Effects, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Lawns/Landscapes, Michigan, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Residues, Poisoning, Uncategorized | No Comments »
17
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 17, 2024) With headlines drawing public attention to the contamination of drinking water after years of federal government neglect, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 10 new standards to reduce public exposure to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their persistence. EPA has finalized a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, which EPA has recognized have no safe level of exposure, regulating new chemicals for the first time since the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). PFAS persistence and bioaccumulation in humans, wildlife, and the environment is due to the strength of a resulting fluorine–carbon atom bond. PFAS contamination of drinking water, surface and groundwater, waterways, soils, and the food supply—among other resources—is ubiquitous worldwide. PFAS is used in everyday products, including cookware, clothes, carpets, as an anti-sticking and anti-stain agent, in plastics, machinery, and as a pesticide. The action was welcomed by environmentalists and public health advocates as an important step but left many concerned that any level of exposure to these chemicals is unacceptable and critical of EPA’s ongoing failure to act despite years […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Arkansas, Biosolids, Birth defects, Brain Effects, California, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Chemicals, Connecticut, contamination, Developmental Disorders, Disease/Health Effects, Drinking Water, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Fertilizer, Groundwater, Hawaii, Herbicides, Illinois, Infertility, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Inhance Technologies, Lawns/Landscapes, Liver Damage, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Metabolic Disorders, metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome, Michigan, Minnesota, Motor Development Effects, Motor neuron disease, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Obesity, Ohio, Oregon, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pennsylvania, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, PFAS, Plastic, Reproductive Health, Rhode Island, Sewage Sludge, soil health, Synthetic Fertilizer, Take Action, Thyroid Disease, U.S. Geological Survey, Uncategorized, Vermont, Washington, Water, Water Regulation, Wisconsin | No Comments »
11
Apr
(Beyond Pesticides, April 11, 2024) Scientists are moving forward in testing an agroecological method of “push-pull” pest management (reducing the attractiveness of the target organism and luring pest insects towards a trap) to fight the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in Florida orange groves, as it spreads a plant disease known as the pathogenic bacteria huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, which is deadly to citrus trees. The disease is spread by the pathogenic bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas).  The chemical-intensive, or conventional, citrus industry is under intense pressure to find alternatives, as synthetic antibiotic use for this purpose has been successfully challenged in court. ACP is the carrier, or vector, for HLB, spreading it through the citrus groves and killing the trees. The chemical-intensive industry has focused on using antibiotics, which the environmental and public health community has rejected because of serious medical concerns associated with life-threatening bacterial resistance to antibiotics used to protect humans. A federal district court decision in December 2023 found illegal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to register the antibiotic streptomycin in Florida citrus without adequate review of its impact on endangered species. The streptomycin lawsuit, filed in 2021 by a coalition of […]
Posted in Agriculture, Aldicarb, Alternatives/Organics, Antibiotic, Antibiotic Resistance, Aphids, Biological Control, California, Chlorpyrifos, citrus greening--Huanglongbing (HLB), Ecosystem Services, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Florida, Herbicides, Imidacloprid, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, IQ Loss, Learning Disabilities, Liver Damage, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, neonicotinoids, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Pests, Reproductive Health, streptomycin, Thyroid Disease, Uncategorized, Uncle Matt's Organic, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
27
Mar
(Beyond Pesticides, March 27, 2024) A preliminary experiment conducted by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) reveals concerning levels of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the skin of soccer players and coaches after playing on artificial turf fields. The Washington Post reported on March 12 on the PEER test results, which found PFAS levels increased on the skin in three out of four participants following soccer matches on artificial turf. In contrast, no similar increase was observed after games on natural grass fields. The presence of PFAS is alarming due to their association with several serious health issues, including cancer, birth defects, and developmental and immune deficiencies, among others. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writes that PFAS exposure risks are particularly concerning for young children, who are more susceptible due to their developing bodies and at risk for higher levels of exposure than adults. Known as “forever chemicals” for their persistence in the environment, PFAS continue to accumulate in the human body, posing long-term health risks. Kyla Bennett, PhD, science policy director at PEER and a former scientist and lawyer with EPA, emphasized the need for further research. “Although this study is preliminary, it highlights the potential […]
Posted in California, Disease/Health Effects, Disinfectants & Sanitizers, Drinking Water, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fertilizer, Groundwater, Herbicides, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, Parks, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Preemption, soil health, Synthetic Turf, Uncategorized | No Comments »
14
Mar
 (Beyond Pesticides, March 14, 2024) A recent review in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) highlights the urgent need to address the widespread chemical pollution stemming from the petrochemical industry, underscoring the dire implications for public health. Tracey Woodruff, PhD, author and professor at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), emphatically states in an email comment to Beyond Pesticides, “We need to recognize the very real harm that petrochemicals are having on people’s health. Many of these fossil-fuel-based chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with hormonal systems, and they are part of the disturbing rise in disease.” Beyond Pesticides echoes this concern, noting that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) include many pesticides and are linked to a plethora of health issues such as infertility, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, early puberty, as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and childhood and adult cancers. (See Beyond Pesticides’ Disease database here and news coverage here). The review further calls on the clinical community to advocate for policy changes aimed at mitigating the health threats posed by petrochemical-derived EDCs and climate change. Beyond Pesticides urgently calls for the elimination of petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers and advocates for a systemic […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Body Burden, Cancer, Chemicals, Climate, Climate Change, contamination, Dow Chemical, Drinking Water, DuPont, Endocrine Disruption, Farmworkers, Groundwater, Herbicides, Livestock, Lung Cancer, multi-generational effects, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Oceans, PFAS, phthalates, Plastic, Reproductive Health, soil health, Synthetic Fertilizer, Synthetic Turf, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
05
Mar
(Beyond Pesticides, March 5, 2024) Buried in a court decision in February that determined that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the law in allowing harm associated with the herbicide dicamba’s registration is language that permits the damages to continue through this year’s growing season. The judge’s ruling, deferring to EPA’s interpretation of the existing stock provision in the federal pesticide law, continues a pattern of “existing stock” allowances that permit hazards to continue well after a finding of harm or noncompliance. This process contrasts with the issuance of a product recall, which is typically done when pharmaceuticals are found to violate safety standards. Despite the finding of dicamba’s harm and EPA’s failure to comply with standards, the continued use of the weed killer through the 2024 growing season is effectively authorized in a decision of the U.S. District Court of Arizona, which vacates the EPA’s 2021 authorization of the use of three over-the-top (OTT) uses of dicamba-based herbicide products. In response, EPA issued an existing stocks order. EPA’s pattern of allowing the use of existing stocks has long been a concern for public health and environmental advocates, who have called for the discontinuance of use upon findings of […]
Posted in Dicamba, Drift, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Herbicides, Litigation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
13
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 13, 2024) Last week, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona struck down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2021 approval of three dicamba-based herbicides. This is the second lawsuit since 2020 to call out EPA’s violation to both the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to authorize the use of over-the-top (OTT) dicamba-based herbicide products from Bayer and other petrochemical pesticide companies. This rejection of dicamba-based herbicides fuels advocates’ push for stronger regulatory actions by EPA for all petrochemical pesticides and their push for the more widespread adoption of organic practices that do not use these chemicals. The case was filed by Center for Food Safety (CFS), Center for Biological Diversity, National Family Farm Coalition, and Pesticide Action Network North America. Beyond Pesticides has covered the dicamba tragedy for years, including the EPA Office of the Inspector General’s critical 2021 report, EPA Deviated from its Typical Procedures in Its 2018 Dicamba Pesticide Registration Decision. The report identifies EPA’s abandonment of science and assault on agency integrity. In addition to citing adverse impact on nontarget crops and the environment, the Court zeroes in on EPA’s failure to adequately manage […]
Posted in Arizona, Dicamba, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Herbicides, Office of Inspector General, Pesticide Drift, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
31
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 31, 2024) A report published in December 2023 by the European Environment Agency (EEA) details opportunities and challenges to European organic farming targets for 2030. The European Union (EU) has set ambitious targets in its environmental policy—including the Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F) and European Green Deal (EGD)—with the goal to have at least 25 percent of European farmland run on organic land management practices by 2030. The EU’s approach to organic farming and pesticide regulation on agricultural land in comparison to public and private land offers insightful lessons for advocates in the United States to apply to their campaigns. Some countries are ahead of the 25 percent by 2030 target, such as Austria, Estonia, and Sweden, with 20 percent of agriculture organically managed as of 2021. The German government is preparing to exceed the EU goal when the new coalition government presented a strategy last November outlining a 30 percent goal for 2030. Meanwhile, some countries are vastly underperforming—with Poland adding virtually zero farmland to organic production between 2012 and 2021. Overall, approximately 9.9 percent of total EU farmland follows organic standards as of 2021. At this rate, the EU will only meet 15 percent rather […]
Posted in Herbicides, International, Lawns/Landscapes, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
19
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 19, 2024) A study published in Environmental Health Perspective is one of the first to indicate a link between exposure to the herbicides 2,4-D and glyphosate and the impairment of behavioral performance (i.e., attention/inhibitory control, memory/learning, language, visuospatial processing, and social perception). These adverse effects associated with the neurotoxic impacts of pesticides on behavior have been previously documented. For example, a study in August 2023 finds oral intake (e.g., eating contaminated foods), inhalation, and dermal exposure to glyphosate lowered cognitive function scores, increased the likelihood of severe depressive symptoms, and impaired auditory (hearing) function. Although previous studies find neurotoxic effects from exposure to these herbicides, very few until now have evaluated how this neurotoxic exposure impacts neurotypical behavior among youth (children and teenagers). The ubiquitous use of glyphosate and 2,4-D use in agriculture—which leaves residues of the toxic chemicals in food and in public areas (e.g., parks and walkways) creates a creates a significant risk for exposure. Glyphosate is already implicated in or proven to lead to the development of numerous health anomalies, including cancer, while 2,4-D also has a range of potential hazards, including cancer. Therefore, studies like this help local and government officials make holistic decisions regarding the use […]
Posted in 2,4-D, behavioral and cognitive effects, Brain Effects, Children, DEET, Glyphosate, Herbicides, synergistic effects | No Comments »