Archive for the '3-D' Category
26
Feb
*** Beyond Pesticides has recently received an insulting broadside from an environmental group; click here to read the original email and a response from the organization that includes a deep history of Beyond Pesticidesâ commitment to ecological and organic farming practices in local food systems that are just. (Beyond Pesticides, February 26, 2025) The National Park Service (NPS) recently announced a settlement agreement regarding the management of northern Californiaâs Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) that will result in the closure of 12 out of 14 historic dairy and cattle ranches, including those organically managed, within the park. This decision comes after nearly a decade of legal disputes and negotiations between environmental groups, ranchers, and the NPS, ending 170 years of family ranching, displacing multi-generational farmersâat least 90 farmworker familiesâand abandoning 77 historic ranch buildings. Critics lambast the agreement as devastating local organic agriculture and food production in West Marin County, which is essential for creating long-term climate solutions. Over the decades since PRNSâ inception, local and national environmental groups have litigated against ranchers and the National Park Service, including demanding range expansion for the native tule elk, which were reintroduced to the park by NPS in the 1970s. However, the […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, California, Climate, Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Justice, Indigenous People, Litigation, Livestock, Regenerative, soil health, Straus, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
25
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 25, 2025) A literature review of over 90 scientific articles in Agriculture documents microplasticsâ (MPs) increase in the bioavailability, persistence, and toxicity of pesticides used in agriculture. The interactions between MPs and pesticides enhance the threat of pesticide exposure to nontarget organisms, perpetuates the cycle of toxic chemical use, and decreases soil health that is vital for productivity. âThe increasing presence of MPs in agricultural ecosystems has raised concerns about their impact on pesticide bioavailability, efficacy, and environmental behavior,â says study author Kuok Ho Daniel Tang, PhD, a global professor in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. He continues, âThese synthetic particles interact with pesticides through adsorption and desorption processes, altering their distribution, persistence, toxicity, and uptake by plants and other organisms.â Microplastics in the Environment As Beyond Pesticides has previously reported, microplastics are ubiquitous and threaten not only human health but all wildlife in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The universal distribution of plastics means that they cannot be avoided. Humans and other organisms take up plastics in the form of microparticles and nanoparticles by inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact every day. Microplastics are about the width of a human hair; nanoplastics […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Atrazine, Azoxystrobin, Biosolids, Carbendazim, Chlorpyrifos, Imidacloprid, Metolachlor, Myclobutanil, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, neonicotinoids, Oxidative Stress, Persistence, Pesticide Efficacy, Plastic, pyraclostrobin, simazine, soil health, synergistic effects, tebuconazole | 1 Comment »
19
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 19, 2025) In Global Ecology and Conservation, a study of bat species in organic desert date palm plantations highlights the invaluable ecosystem services these beneficial organisms provide. âBats are crucial in suppressing pest arthropods in agroecosystems, contributing vitally to sustainable agriculture,â the study authors share, which makes supporting bat populations important not just for biodiversity but to help enhance their roles in pest management. Â Â There are various studies connecting organic agriculture and the value it provides for bats and their ecosystem services. (See studies here, here, and here.) While many studies also recognize bat species threatened by pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change, “the importance of bats in agriculture in extreme environments, such as deserts, has received far less attention,â the researchers state. (See previous coverage on pesticide exposure and bats here and here.) They continue, âDate palm plantations represent one of the few productive systems in hyper-arid regions,â noting the studyâs novel design. The date palm, primarily grown throughout the Middle East and North Africa, is one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees. âThe date palm cultivationâs monocultural nature increases susceptibility to pest infestations due to limited plant diversity, involving 112 mite and insect species.â […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Bats, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | 1 Comment »
13
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 13, 2025) After months of deliberations and a public comment period, the California State Board of Food and Agriculture (SBFA) on January 10, 2025, formalized a definition of âregenerative agricultureâ that is being widely criticized as undermining the transition of agriculture to certified organic practices that eliminate petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers. The call for the urgent and widespread adoption of organic land management is advanced by those who see organic practicesâwith its focus on soil health management, a national list of allowed and prohibited substances, an enforcement system, and a prohibition on genetically engineered seeds and plants, synthetic fertility and biosolidsâas the only way to effectively address the current health, biodiversity, and climate crises. Nonetheless, the Boardâs recommendation, accepted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), loosely defines regenerative agriculture as âan integrated approach to farming and ranching rooted in principles of soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resiliency.â The  15-member SBFA advisory board, appointed by the governor, unanimously finalized a recommendation formally defining âregenerative agriculture,â concluding two yearsâ worth of workgroups and stakeholder engagement. The proposal, addressed to Secretary Karen Ross, fulfills a Board project outlined in Californiaâs Ag Vision for the Next Decade. It […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, California, Cargill, Fertilizer, General Mills, Herbicides, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Organic Trade Association OTA, Patagonia Provisions, Regenerative, soil health, Synthetic Fertilizer, Uncategorized, Wal-Mart | No Comments »
11
Feb
(Beyond Pesticides, February 11, 2025) In a Science of The Total Environment study, scientists test over 100 blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and great tit (Parus major) birdsâ nests for pesticide residues in comparison with the number of dead offspring and unhatched eggs within the nest. Fur-lined nests, from animals treated with ectoparasitic chemicals, expose birds to compounds that can impact reproductive success. The authors found fipronil, a phenyl pyrazole insecticide, in all nests, with the majority also containing the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid and synthetic pyrethroid insecticide permethrin. The data shows higher insecticide levels are linked to increased offspring mortality and threaten biodiversity. This study highlights an important exposure route that is overlooked. âAlthough not all bird species use fur for nest building, a substantial number do, especially cavity-nesting species,â the researchers share. âPrevious research found that 74% of studied woodland bird species in central Europe incorporated fur into their nests.â Many bird species in the U.S. also line their nests with fur, such as black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, and chipping sparrows. While there is a wide body of science showing reproductive effects from pesticides, the researchers highlight the studyâs novel design, saying, âTo the best of our knowledge, no previous […]
Posted in Birds, cypermethrin, Death, dinotefuron, Ecosystem Services, Fipronil, Imidacloprid, neonicotinoids, Permethrin, Pesticide Residues, Pets, pyrethroids, Reproductive Health, Synthetic Pyrethroid, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
31
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 31, 2025) A recent cross-sectional study in Heliyon highlights the link between sleep disorders in Thai farmers and pesticide exposure. The authors find pesticide exposure as an important risk factor for sleep disorders after surveying 27,334 farmers over the age of 20 who had work experience for at least five years. The importance of sleep health is reflected both physically and mentally, as studies find âsleep deficiency increase[s] mortality and various health complications, including hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mood disorders, and neurodegenerative disorder.â Additional studies find that these issues are compounded when sleep health is affected by environmental factors such as pesticide exposure. (See previous Beyond Pesticidesâ coverage here and here.) The researchers report: âThe study found a positive association of 19 individual pesticides (twelve insecticides, two herbicides, and five fungicides). Some associations demonstrated a dose-response pattern. Additionally, the study revealed that women are at a higher risk of sleep-related issues with pesticide exposure compared to males. These results not only substantiate existing literature but also unveil several new individual pesticides that may impact sleep health.â Focusing on study participants in Thailand, which is âcharacterized by heavy pesticide use and minimal protective measures, […]
Posted in Benomyl, Brain Effects, Carbaryl, Carbendazim, Carbofuran, Chlordane, Chlorpyrifos, copper sulfate, DDT, Diuron, Endosulfan, Farmworkers, Imidacloprid, Metalaxyl, Methamidophos, Methomyl, Mevinphos, Occupational Health, Paraquat, Sleep Disorders | No Comments »
30
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 30, 2025) A research article in Biology Letters, published by The Royal Society, finds that the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid disrupts survival and reproductive patterns in Bombus impatiens bumblebees. The study adds to the wide body of science highlighting how exposure to pesticides âcan result in immediate mortality or cause long-term detrimental effects on pollinators‘ health, lifespan and reproductive success,â the authors state. The researchers performed two experiments to assess the effects of various concentrations of imidacloprid, one of which focuses on bees during diapause, a period of dormancy. âWild bees, which provide the majority of pollination services worldwide, undergo an annual life cycle that includes a winter diapause, that can span over 75% of their life cycle and during which their metabolism, growth and development are halted,â the authors note. They continue: âThe time spent in diapause can have lasting effects on pollinator fitness and their ability to establish nests or colonies in the following spring. This period is especially critical for social bee colonies, which are founded by a single queen after diapause and play a vital role in large-scale pollination.â Exposure to pesticides during diapause can occur while bee species overwinter in contaminated soils. In […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Imidacloprid, neonicotinoids, Pollinators, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
27
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 27, 2025) A public comment period ends today, January 27, 2025, on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposed critical habitat rule to protect the rusty patched bumble bee under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This proposal is responsive to the agency’s 2024 stipulated settlement agreement resulting from years of advocacy and government review and a 2023 court order (NRDC et al. v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al.). The proposal follows a 2017 determination by the agency that lists the bumble bee as an endangered species. (See previous Daily News here, here, here, here, and here.) >> Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fully protect the endangered rusty patched bumble bee by finalizing its proposed critical habitat rule with strengthening provisions. The FWS proposal grows out of a species status assessment (SSA) conducted by â15 scientists with expertise in bumble bee biology, habitat management, and stressors (factors negatively affecting the species).â University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign insect ecologist Jason Robinson, PhD concludes in his paper, âProject-specific bumble bee habitat quality assessment,â âAs the first social insect listed under the ESA, the listing of RPBB has required new methods for biological assessment. This species has a complex life cycle requiring a mosaic of different habitat types, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Pollinators, Uncategorized, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | 4 Comments »
24
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 24, 2025) Based on data collected from government sources and independent monitoring, a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Connecticut finds that 46% of Connecticut waterway samples are contaminated with levels of the neonicotinoid insecticide, imidaclopridâone of the most widely used insecticides in the United States on lawn and golf courses. The authors relied on federal data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), state-level data from Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT-DEEP), and a small-scale data collection study by the Clean Rivers Project funded by the nonprofit Pollinator Pathway, Inc. In their report, Neonicotinoids in Connecticut Waters: Surface Water, Groundwater, and Threats to Aquatic Ecosystems, the researchers provide the most comprehensive view to date of neonicotinoid levels in Connecticut and offer critical recommendations for future testing within the state and nationally, given glaring data gaps. It is important to note that the authors acknowledged early in the report the “abandonmentâ of Integrated Pest Management in âthe use of neonicotinoids has coincided with and been implicated in the decline of many non-target species of insects, in particular pollinators such as bees () and monarch butterflies.â They point out that […]
Posted in Connecticut, Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Groundwater, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, neonicotinoids, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, U.S. Geological Survey, Uncategorized, Water, Water Regulation | No Comments »
16
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 16, 2025) In Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, researchers highlight a multitude of studies on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and endocrine disrupting pesticides (EDPs) showing epigenetic effects from exposure. These EDCs imitate the action of endocrine hormones and lead to gene damage and multigenerational adverse effects to health. âThese chemicals can interfere with the normal functioning of target tissues by altering their response to hormonal signals, thereby affecting various physiological processes including reproduction, development, the nervous system, the immune system, and even the process of carcinogenesis [causing cancer],â according to the authors from Hebei Agricultural University and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Â In causing epigenetic modifications, the authors describe that EDCs can create changes âat the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (nDNA and mtDNA) or RNA levels, without changing the underlying DNA sequence. These alterations modify the structure or conformation of DNA, influencing gene expression and, consequently, cellular function.â They continue, âThe mechanisms of epigenetics include changes in DNA methylation, chromatin modifications and the involvement of certain noncoding RNAs.â In reviewing over 80 studies on EDCs, predominantly fluorinated compounds such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the researchers provide a summary of linkages between pesticide exposure and the […]
Posted in Body Burden, Cyfluthrin, DDT, Endocrine Disruption, Endosulfan, Epigenetic, Fipronil, Glyphosate, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Imidacloprid, Metolachlor, PFAS, Sulfoxaflor, Trifluralin | No Comments »
15
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 15, 2025) There is robust scientific literature that unpacks the adverse human health effects of pesticide exposure, however immunological impacts do not receive adequate attention in regulatory review processes, according to an in-depth literature review. In a piece published in Frontiers in Immunology (2024) critiquing recent peer-reviewed scientific studies, as well as unpublished research produced by the Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine in partnership with the National Scientific and Technical Research Council in Argentina, researchers assess immune system effects of pesticide exposure, which creates the conditions for deadly health conditions including various forms of cancer. The focus of this study, according to the authors, is âto critically review fundamental aspects of toxicological studies conducted on PPPs [Plant Protection Products] to provide a clearer understanding of the risks associated with exposure to these compounds on human health.â PPPs are pesticide products that contain more than one active ingredient, and can include synergistic ingredients that supercharge them alongside inert ingredients that pesticide companies are not legally required to disclose under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), but are often manipulated biologically and chemically active. Most studies analyze the toxicological impacts of active ingredients in isolation rather […]
Posted in Bayer, Cancer, Chemical Mixtures, Chlorpyrifos, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Immunotoxicity, organophosphate, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
09
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 9, 2025) In a Frontiers in Public Health review article, researchers report on the wide body of science connecting adverse effects to female reproductive system, such as infertility, with exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The authors call these effects a significant concern for public health, as there has been growing evidence of EDCs with risk factors for decreased fertility.  Infertility âaffects a substantial proportion of the worldâs population with approximately one in six people affected,â the researchers note. They continue: âOver the last 70 years, global fertility has been constantly in decline due to behavioral and societal changes… [E]merging evidence has shown that infertility incidence is linked to exposure to environmental factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and a wide range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) including pesticides (chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT] and methoxychlor), phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), dioxins, and bisphenols.â In this review, over 100 studies are summarized to showcase the link between EDC exposure and reproductive effects in women, including infertility and related diseases such as endometriosis, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), and endocrine axis dysregulation. The studies included investigating the âmechanisms by which EDCs cause ovarian aging, folliculogenesis, decrease of oocyte quality, ovulation disorders, development and receptivity […]
Posted in Atrazine, Children, Chlorpyrifos, DDT, endometriosis, Endosulfan, Glyphosate, Infertility, Reproductive Health, Women's Health | No Comments »
08
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 8, 2025) On the brink of the second Trump administration, a legal victory just last month overturned a rule issued under the first Trump administration to âpractically eliminate oversight of novel GE technology and instead let industry self-regulate,â as characterized by the Center for Food Safety (CFS). CFS served as counsel in the case for the plaintiffs, led by the National Family Farm Coalition. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California decision, responding to the lawsuit filed in 2021 on behalf of farm and environmental groups, remanded the case back to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with instructions to follow. âThis is a critical victory on behalf of farmers, the planet, and scientific integrity,” says George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety, also a plaintiff in the case. Mr. Kimbrell continued, “USDA tried to hand over its job to Monsanto and the pesticide industry and the Court held that capitulation contrary to both law and science.” It remains to be seen whether the incoming Trump administration will appeal this court decision. Unpacking The Center for Food Safety Litigation This legal battle began in 2004 with the Animal and Plant Health […]
Posted in Contamination, Federal Agencies, Genetic Engineering, Labeling, Litigation, Monsanto, Plant Incorporated Protectants, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
07
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 7, 2025)Â A report, released in December 2024 from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), confronts the problem of âsiloingâ environmental elementsâfood, health, water, biodiversity and climate changeâwhen they instead intersect at a nexus from which each element affects all the others. The problem is essentially that all the elements are part of the same crisis, yet actions to address issues within eachâand, importantly, to resist addressing themâare dealt with in isolation. A proper perspective, gleaned from the report, is to view each element from the center where all parts meet, thus addressing the issues in coordination. According to the IPBES report, â[F]ragmented governance of biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change with different institutions and actors often working on disconnected and siloed policy agendas, resulting in conflicting objectives and duplication of efforts.â The IPBES is an independent body analogous to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) but structured similarly and in close contact with the United Nations (UN). The new report comes at the behest of IPBESâs 147 member countriesâ75 percent of the UNâs membershipâto address the interconnections among the five global crises. The report strongly demonstrates that a holistic, globe-spanning frame […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, International, Parks, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pollinators, Uncategorized, Water, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
03
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 3, 2025) Pesticides that are sprayed and become airborne significantly disrupt ecological balances and affect nontarget species that are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, according to an article in Environmental Pollution. In this review of studies throughout countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, among others, researchers from Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Poland reinforce the science about pesticidesâ direct effect on species and the cascading effects of pesticide drift through various trophic levels within food webs that lead to overall devasting population effects. This study âaddresses the interconnectedness of these impacts and illustrates the complex threats that pesticide drift poses to biodiversity across multiple ecosystems,â the researchers state. They continue: âImpacts include reduced reproductive rates, changes in growth, development, and/or behavior, modification of diversity or community organization, disruption of food webs, and declines of important species. Pesticides disrupt the delicate balance between species that define a functioning ecosystem. Impacts can be local, transnational, or even continental.â Pesticide drift threatens beneficial species and subsequently the entire agricultural system. The process of pesticide drift, âin which up to 25% of applied pesticides are carried by air currents, can transport chemicals over hundreds or even thousands of […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Alternatives/Organics, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Dicamba, Drift, Ecosystem Services, Glyphosate, Pesticide Drift, Pollinators, soil health, Soil microbiome | 1 Comment »
24
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 24, 2024 – January 1, 2025) We wish you a healthy and happy holiday season! The health and environmental challenges that we face as families and communities across the nation and worldwide require us to stay engaged. The stark reality of the challenges ahead energizes us at Beyond Pesticides to strengthen our programânow, more than ever!  And, we trust that you, like us, want to push forward for a livable future. In this context, please see our annual report and summary on the important work that we are doing, and please consider a contribution to Beyond Pesticides during this holiday season. While the threats of health, biodiversity, and climate crises grow exponentially, the solutions we have advocated for decades are now within reach. We know how to produce food and manage land without petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, as organic food is widely available. Beautiful parks, playing fields, and schoolyards do not require toxic chemical use. At the same time, the regulatory system underperforms, as existential health and environmental problems escalate.  And, we know that individual steps that we take to stay healthy, as important as they are, cannot protect us and the natural world, on which […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Biodiversity, Children, Climate, Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Events, Holidays, Parks, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pollinators, Reflection, Seasonal, Uncategorized, Year in Review | No Comments »
23
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 23, 2024)Â As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) proposes to list the Monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, a look at the factors contributing to the butterflyâs catastrophic decline includes a stunning failure of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyâs (EPA) regulation of pesticides to protect biodiversity and the ecosystems necessary to its survival. While there are many factors affecting the survival of Monarchs, EPAâs Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) has allowed pesticide use to continue unabated, with only rhetorical attention to the problem. Meanwhile, the science shows a range of pesticide effects associated with insecticides and herbicides. A study published in PLOS One in June identifies insecticides as the primary driver in butterflyâs decline, as EPA points, almost exclusively to herbicide use and the destruction of Monarchsâ food source, milkweed habitat. While two or several factors can be true at the same time, EPA has failed to consider the confluence of factors, including the impacts of climate, as rising temperatures are exacerbated by the production and use of petrochemical pesticides. FWS is stepping in at a critical time with looming biodiversity collapse and in the absence of EPA taking the reins […]
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Pollinators, Take Action, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
20
Dec
Image: Art Page submission from Carol Moyer, “Monarch Butterfly Sideways with Closed Wings.“ (Beyond Pesticides, December 20, 2024) On December 12, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) opened a public comment period on its proposal to list the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as a threatened species and to designate critical habitats for the species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Under the proposal, the designated habitats would span approximately 4,395 acres throughout overwintering sites in coastal California. The public comment period will be open until March 12, 2025. These suggested protections call attention to the role of chemical-intensive agriculture in affecting populations of pollinators and other beneficial organisms. George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety, shares in a press release that the âmonarch listing decision is a landmark victory 10 years in the making. It is also a damning precedent, revealing the driving role of pesticides and industrial agriculture in the ongoing extinction crisis… But the job isnât done: Monarchs still face an onslaught of pesticides. The Service must do what science and the law require and promptly finalize protection for monarchs.â In the docket, FWS states, âUnder the Act, a species warrants listing if […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Habitat Protection, Pollinators, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | 1 Comment »
19
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 19, 2024) As The New York Times reported last month, the government in South Africa declared a national emergencyâ23 children died and nearly 900 people were sickened from pesticide poisoning in Johannesburgâs Soweto township. The illnesses and fatalities have been traced to small amounts of highly neurotoxic pesticides, including the insecticides terbufos and aldicarb, found in local food items. These chemicals, described by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as âstreet pesticides,â are being increasingly used (legally and illegally) for pest infestations in the townships and informal settlements of South Africaâs poorest communities, where poverty and inadequate waste collection exacerbates the pest management challenges. Without formal electricity, running water, or municipal garbage collection, many residents rely on highly toxic pesticides for pest infestations in their homes and makeshift markets, resulting in food inadvertently being contaminated with pesticides. The announcement highlights the dangers of allowing these highly toxic agricultural chemicals to be used in farming, with tragic consequences for vulnerable communities when they are diverted for use in urban settings. This tragic situation also draws attention to the elevated threat that pesticides pose when stringent enforcement mechanisms are not in place to ensure compliance with pesticide restrictions, even with […]
Posted in Agriculture, Aldicarb, Bayer, Children, contamination, Death, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, Food Borne Illness, Imidacloprid, Monsanto, organophosphate, Paraquat, Pesticide Regulation, Pests, Poisoning, Rodenticide, Rodents, terbufos, thiacloprid, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »
18
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 18, 2024) A bombshell investigation conducted by Canadaâs National Observer finds that Bayer, which acquired the Monsanto chemical company in 2018, colluded with environmental and public health regulators in Canada to obstruct a proposed neonicotinoid insecticide ban originally introduced in 2018. Advocates were stunned back in 2021 when Canadaâs Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)âthe Canadian counterpart to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)âreversed its decision to phase out imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam by 2023. The weaponization of scientific institutions and regulatory processes is commonplace in the U.S. context, with U.S. Right to Know publishing a report earlier this year on the corrupting impact of pesticide manufacturers at the Entomological Society of America 2023 annual meeting. (See Daily News here.) There are numerous Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports signaling EPA corruption and failures, including persisting industry influence in the cancer risk assessment process, inadequate leadership in addressing community harms of a former creosote-treated wood preservative plant turned Superfund site in Pensacola, Florida, and failure to protect the public from endocrine-disrupting chemicals, to name several examples. In a recent press release, the David Suzuki Foundation, alongside numerous medical, legal, and civil society organizations, is calling on Health Canada […]
Posted in acetamiprid, Bayer, Canada, Clothianidin, Health Canada, Imidacloprid, Monsanto, neonicotinoids, Pesticide Regulation, thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Uncategorized | No Comments »
17
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 17, 2024) A systematic review of studies on pesticides as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on body weight, published in Biomedicines, evaluates 36 clinical and preclinical studies and links their agricultural use to obesity. The authors, with the lead researchers from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Catholic University of Valencia San Vincente, Valencia, Spain, assess studies on a range of pesticides, including organophosphates, pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, and others. In addition to concluding that the EDCs promote obesity, they report that the chemicals cause âother anthropometric changes by altering lipid and glucose metabolism, modifying genes, or altering hormone levels such as leptin.â Endocrine disruption and obesity are public health concerns, and there is a wide body of science linking pesticide exposure to these effects (see more here). âObesity is considered to be a worldwide pandemic that leads to an increase in medical costs and thus becomes a public health problem,â the researchers share. They continue, â[Obesity] is also associated with the increased production of environmental chemicals, also called environmental obesogens, used mainly in agriculture, as disease vector control, helping to prevent harmful effects caused by fungi, bacteria, or even pests, using pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, or endocrine disruptors […]
Posted in 2,4-D, acetamiprid, Benomyl, Bifenthrin, Carbamates, Carbendazim, Chlorpyrifos, Clothianidin, cypermethrin, Dicamba, Diuron, Endocrine Disruption, Fenoxycarb, Fipronil, Fungicides, Glyphosate, Imidacloprid, Isoxafutole, Malathion, mancozeb, Maneb, neonicotinoids, Obesity, organophosphate, Permethrin, Synthetic Pyrethroid, Thiamethoxam | No Comments »
13
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 13, 2024) In October, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the registration applications of BASF Corporation and Mitsui Chemicals Crop & Life Solutions, Inc. for the use of different formulations of the L-isomer of glufosinate (also known as âL-glufosinateâ and âglufosinate-Pâ) as new active herbicidal ingredients. This decision marks one of the first times that EPA has employed its new Herbicide  Strategy Framework to determine the level of mitigation necessary to protect listed species and critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Glufosinate is an organophosphate, with known neurotoxic, reproductive/developmental effects, toxic to aquatic life, and mobile in soils (see Beyond Pesticides Gateway). Scientists have found that formulated glufosinate is generally more toxic to aquatic and terrestrial animals than the technical grade active ingredient. Manufacturers are introducing newer glufosinate products as alternatives for glyphosate-based herbicides, like Bayer/Monsantoâs âRoundupâ and dicamba. The Center for Biological Diversity notes in comments submitted to EPA on this decision, âL-glufosinate has the potential to be used on tens of millions acres of land every year given the crops EPA has proposed to register it on. The scale of potential use is far above most new active ingredients.â This first significant application […]
Posted in Agriculture, BASF, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), glufosinate, Herbicides, Lawns/Landscapes, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
12
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 12, 2024) A literature review of 161 articles in Discover Toxicology finds that pesticides with different mechanisms of action cause memory and learning impairments. These effects are noted in nontarget species including humans. Pesticide â[e]xposure during development, as well as chronic environmental and occupational exposure, can contribute to decreased cognitive performance,â the researchers say. With a focus on organophosphate pesticides, synthetic pyrethroids, and neonicotinoid insecticides, the authors highlight neurological impacts. Both learning and memory are crucial for the survival of many species. “Considering the importance of learning and memory for human and non-human animal behavior and the growing association between pesticide exposure and cognitive impairment, the aim of this review was to describe the studies showing the impact of pesticide exposure on memory and learning abilities in nontarget species, providing evidence of the impact of pesticides in central nervous system function,â the researchers state. The 161 articles included in the review were identified through database searches in PubMed/Medline and Scielo. The authors note, âInclusion criteria for article selection included all articles published in English between 2015 and 2024 containing original studies in animals or humans with single or multiple pesticides exposure.â The articles consist of 132 preclinical […]
Posted in behavioral and cognitive effects, Bifenthrin, Brain Effects, Carbamates, Children, Chlorpyrifos, Clothianidin, Cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Diazinon, Farmworkers, Flumethrin, Glyphosate, Imidacloprid, Learning Disabilities, Malathion, mancozeb, neonicotinoids, organophosphate, Oxidative Stress, Permethrin, Pollinators, pyrethroids, Synthetic Pyrethroid, thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam | No Comments »