Search Results
Monday, June 17th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, June 17, 2024) Every year, Beyond Pesticides announces National Pollinator Weekâthis year beginning today, June 17âto remind eaters of food, gardeners, farmers, communities (including park districts to school districts), civic organizations, responsible corporations, policy makers, and legislators that there are actions that can be taken that are transformative. All the opportunities for action to protect pollinators, and the ecosystems that are critical to their survival, can collectively be transformational in eliminating toxic pesticides that are major contributors to the collapse of biodiversity. This is why Beyond Pesticides starts most discussions and strategic actions for meaningful pollinator and biodiversity protection with the transition to practicing and supporting organic. In launching National Pollinator Week, Beyond Pesticides makes suggestions for individual actions to increase efforts to think and act holistically to protect the environment that supports pollinators. The impact that people have starts with grocery store purchases and the management of gardens, parks, playing fields, and pubic lands. The introduction of pesticides into our food supply and our managed lands has contributed to a downward spiral that is unsustainable. The good news is that it is now proven that we do not need toxic pesticides to grow food productively and profitably […]
Posted in Announcements, Biodiversity, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Events, Holidays, Pollinators, Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, June 14th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, June 14, 2024) The influence of the chemical industry over public policy and regulation, especially in agriculture, is glaringly obvious and has little popular support, yet no one can seem to do anything about it. Numerous analyses have detailed the ways this influence is appliedâthrough lobbying and political donations including dark money; industry experts named to regulatory agency scientific advisory boards; and the massive public relations machines that create and sustain public uncertainty using the tobacco industry playbook revealed by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in their 2010 book Merchants of Doubt. A more insidious tendril of industry influence is explained in U.S. Right to Knowâs (USRTK) report, released this month, on pesticide manufacturersâ infiltration of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). The report, âAnatomy of a science meeting: How controversial pesticide research all but vanished from a major conference,â examines the ESAâs 2023 annual meetingâits program, sponsorships, presentations, panelists, poster sessions, meet-and-greets, budget, revenue sources, and other aspects of the event. What is revealed is a systematic and comprehensive industry presence throughout the society and its meeting. A direct consequence is the near-elimination of any scientific presentations addressing the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on insects, particularly bees. […]
Posted in Agriculture, BASF, Bayer, Chem-China, Corteva, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FMC, neonicotinoids, Pollinators, Sulfoxaflor, Syngenta, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Friday, June 7th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, June 7, 2024) This week, climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City Claudia Sheinbaum shattered a proverbial glass ceiling, emerging as the first woman president of Mexico.  The election of a woman with a background in environmental protectionâ who signed an accord promising Mexican farmers to uphold the ban on transgenic corn and replace glyphosate with safer alternatives this past Aprilâdid not happen in a vacuum. According to an article by CBS News, President-elect Sheinbaum shared the following wisdom in the middle of a downtown hotel as her polling lead became definitive: âI do not make it alone. Weâve all made it, with our heroines who gave us our homeland, with our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters.â As the new president-elect steps into the leadership of a country grappling with the ravages of the climate crisis, we reflect on the leadership of women in advancing Beyond Pesticidesâ mission to end the use of petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers. Leading the Fight for Farmworker JusticeâDolores Huerta  Earlier this year, Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis of California honored the lifelong efforts of 94-year-old social justice activist Dolores Huerta, joining Washington State in recognizing Huertaâs decades of leadership in the […]
Posted in Announcements, Reflection, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 5th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, June 5, 2024) Individuals living near chemical-intensive agricultural environments have heightened risk of Alzheimerâs disease relative to the general population, according to a study published earlier this year in Psychiatry Research. This finding builds on existing peer-reviewed studies that document the relationship between chronic pesticide exposure and elevated risk of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimerâs disease, as well as Parkinsonâs disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Huntingtonâs disease. In light of the mountains of scientific evidence, advocates continue to demand for a wholesale transformation of agricultural and land management systems to one based in organic principles in alignment with the U.S. National Organic Program. Study Analysis This study was published online on May 1, 2024 with the full entry to be published in July 2024. The researchers are physicians, health professionals, and professors at the University of Almeria in southern Spain, specifically working in the Health Research Center and the Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine. There is also a researcher, Cristofer Ruiz-GonzĂĄlez, who works at the TorrecĂĄrdenas University Hospital also located in Almeria, Spain. Researchers gathered case information from over 40,000 patients between 2000 and 2021 living in demarcated health care districts with high and low levels of […]
Posted in Alzheimers's, California, Disease/Health Effects, Parkinson's, Pesticide Mixtures, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
(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 SantĂŠ LĂŠonard 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, âThis area reflects the common herbicide exposure in Franceâ 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 »
Friday, May 31st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 31, 2024) Among the many promises that have been made by agribusiness to farmers and consumers, the glories of crops genetically engineered (GE) to resist pests stand out. GE toolsâgenesâwere touted as ânatural,â and promised to reduce the use of toxic pesticides. The first such plants incorporating DNA or RNA from other organisms hit the market in the 1990s. Today more than 70% of all GE organisms are engineered to tolerate herbicides, and the overwhelming majority of corn, soybean and cotton varieties are engineered to to be toxic to insects. See Beyond Pesticidesâ backgrounder on GE here. Despite a dramatic increase in the use of herbicides and the fast development of weed and insect resistance to plant incorporated pesticides, this month the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly released a document entitled âThe Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology â Plan for Regulatory Reform under the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology.â It responds to a 2022 executive order by President Biden to âaccelerate biotechnology innovationâ and âsupport the safe use of biotechnology productsâ by using a âscience- and risk-based, predictable, efficient, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bayer, Dow Chemical, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Genetic Engineering, Syngenta, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 30th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 30, 2024) The House Agriculture Committee voted 33-21 on May 23 to move the Farm, Food, and National Security Act out of committee after a contentious markup and onslaught of amendments that undermine water health, soil health, and local democratic authority to protect people and the environment from toxic pesticide exposure. One of nearly sixty amendments introduced in the markup last week included the continuation of a decade-long attack on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit via Clean Water Act (CWA) for pesticide discharge. What was most illuminating however was not the passage of the bill itself, but Big Agricultureâs raucous approval. Advocates see pesticide industry and its alliesâ support for what it isâthe reliance on petrochemical-based pesticides leading to economic instability, ecosystem collapse, and the degradation of democratic institutions. With support for entrenched dependency on petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, the committeeâs bill requires taxpayers to pay through the governmentâs crop insurance program for escalating losses caused by chemical-intensive farming practices, contributing to yield losses that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says are ânatural causes such as drought, excessive moisture [e.g., floods], hail, wind, frost, insects, and disease. . .â However, the frequency of these […]
Posted in Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farm Bill, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Habitat Protection, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 23rd, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 23, 2024) A study recently published in the journal Nature compared the impact of organic and conventional food production using eight environmental health indicators and found that organic food has a significantly lower environmental impact than conventional food production for six of the eight indicators, including a lower potential for contributing to acidification of the environment, energy use, and biodiversity loss. For the analysis, scientists reviewed 100 different âlife cycle assessmentsâ (LCA) of organic and conventionally grown food products from cradle-to-farm gate.   LCA is a commonly used methodology to estimate food production system impacts on the environment through resource depletion and pollutant emissions. The resultsâthat organic food production is less impactful on the environmentâadd to the robust body of research that underscores the importance of organic farming to the development of a sustainable global food system while addressing climate change. Beyond Pesticides has long argued that one of the most powerful tools in fighting global warming is organic agriculture, as it sequesters atmospheric carbon, eliminates the use of fossil fuel-based synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, and provides environmental and human health benefits. This study and most of the 100 studies it evaluates, do not recognize that conventional […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Regenerative, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 22, 2024) A study in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology Letters, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is the first to find halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) in deep ocean sediment and biota off the coast of California. The test area, known as the Southern California Bight (SCB), is home to historic offshore DDT waste dumping, with part of the SCB designated as a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site. 49 HOCs were detected in the sediment and biota, many of which are DDT-related and not previously screened for. The presence of these âunmonitored compounds can significantly contribute to the contaminant body burden across a range of marine taxa,â the study states, which leads to impacts on critical food webs and biodiversity. While this study is the first to specifically analyze previously overlooked DDT+ compounds, the results are nothing new. There is a body of science around the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of harmful pollutants that continue to lead to a decline in biodiversity, negative impacts on water and soil, and detrimental human health effects. Â Â Â Â Â To assess the bioavailability of DDT+ and HOCs in the deep ocean food web, this study focused on […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Body Burden, California, DDT, Montrose, Mosquitoes, Oceans, Superfund, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 21st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 21, 2024) In a first-of-its kind series of biomonitoring studies published in Agrochemicals, researchers identified the presence of the herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D in all pregnant participants from both cohorts in 2010-2012 and 2020-2022. The findings from this research are not surprising given the explosion of toxic petrochemical pesticides in the Midwest region of the United States. âThe overall level of dicamba use (kilograms applied in one hundred thousands) in the U.S. has increased for soybeans since 2015 and slightly increased for cotton and corn,â the authors report, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service surveys. âThe overall level of 2,4-D use (kilograms applied in one hundred thousands) in the U.S. was highest in 2010 for wheat, soybeans, and corn. The amount of 2,4-D applied increased the most for soybeans and corn from 2010 to 2020.â The researchers focused on the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, given the increase in dicamba and 2,4-D during the study period for both cohorts (2010-2022). The researchers are based at Indiana University School of Medicine in the Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Quebec Toxicology Center within the Institut national […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Dicamba, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Agencies, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Friday, May 17th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 17, 2024) Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) proclaimed May 12 -18, 2024 as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Week, first established in 1998 in numerous states across the U.S. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)âalso called chemical intolerance or Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT), is characterized by disorders in one or more body systems, including respiratory, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and neurological processes. It is thought to be caused by adverse reactions to environmental chemicals and/or biological substances such as mold. Affected individuals suffer fatigue, rashes, muscle and joint pains, memory loss, and other symptoms. The Massachusetts proclamation encourages âresidents of the commonwealth to take cognizanceâ of the event and recognize the distress of their fellow citizens who suffer from MCS. May 12 is also known as International May 12th Awareness Day, an observance started in 2006 in the United Kingdom to educate the public about many diseases associated with sensitivity to chemicals, including MCS, fibromyalgia, and Gulf War Syndrome. While some scientists have considered MCS a psychological or psychosomatic problem, there is increasing support for the reality of MCS as a physical disease distinct from mental or emotional disorders. Yet there are no medical tests that can reliably confirm a diagnosis, […]
Posted in chemical sensitivity, Depression, Indoor Air Quality, Massachusetts, MCS/chem. sensitivity, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 16th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 16, 2024) In a recent study at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Ulm University in Germany, published in Current Research in Toxicology, scientists exposed embryos of South African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) to three neonicotinoids (NEOs), which led to developmental effects down to a molecular level. These frogs are a well-established model species often used in ecotoxicology studies as bioindicators for overall environmental and ecosystem health. When amphibian species like Xenopus laevis are exposed to contaminants in the water, it leads to negative impacts in the food chain and harms biodiversity. The study concludes that exposure to NEOs directly or through contaminated water leaves entire ecosystems vulnerable. Â Â The NEOs that the embryos were subjected to include imidacloprid (IMD), thiamethoxam (TMX), and its metabolite clothianidin (CLO). NEOs are a class of insecticides that target the central nervous system of insects and lead to death. These insecticides pose a potential hazard to nontarget organisms, such as animals and humans, since they are persistent in the environment and âare found in natural waters as well as in tap water and human urine in regions where NEOs are widely used,â this study states. The authors continue by […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Biodiversity, Clothianidin, Imidacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Water | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 15th, 2024
(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 âforeverâ 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 Crohnâs 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 »
Tuesday, May 14th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 14, 2024) As research continues to emerge on the value of organic farming, U.S. Congress debates its future as Farm Bill negotiations have been stalled for months. Recent studies published within the past few months show the significance of organic agricultureâs support of fungal and microbial life, which is essential to soil health. Meanwhile, last week the Democrat-led Senate and Republican-led House of Representatives presented their respective visions to amend the 2024 Farm Bill. The office of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released an initial Senate framework for the (now 2024) Farm Bill. At the same time, U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA), chair of the House Agriculture Committee, released an outline of the House version, then followed up with more details. While the Senate Democratic proposal includes more robust support for expanding and strengthening organic product supply chains and domestic production, the House Republican support for organic land management principles and practices demonstrates that the Farm Bill could recognize, across the political spectrum, its economic, ecological, and public health benefits in the United States. Despite this, a growing coalition of advocates is alerting the public and members of Congress that the […]
Posted in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farm Bill, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Preemption, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2024) In an unexpected turnaround, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced at the end of April a Proposed Interim Decision (PID) to discontinue all but one application of the insecticide acephate. Acephate is an organophosphate pesticide, a well-known neurotoxicant, widely banned globally, including in the European Union. Under the proposal, all uses would end except for the injection of trees that do not produce fruit or nuts. In its proposed action, EPA asks the manufacturer to offer the agency a voluntary settlement, a process that typically compromises the health of the public, workers, and the environment. Acephate, an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, is approved for use in both agricultural settings, including crops like cotton and soybeans, and nonagricultural applications, such as injections for forestry trees. Acephate affects the nervous system by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. Importantly, chronic, low levels of exposure can cause a range of adverse human health outcomes, from cancer to birth defects, reproductive and developmental problems, and learning disabilities. While the proposed April interim decision, if it comes to pass, is welcomed by advocates, some are concerned that EPAâs proposal does not fully critique the scientific documents and conclusions on risk that […]
Posted in Acephate, Malathion, organophosphate | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, May 7th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 7, 2024) The marginal user costs (MUC) of pesticide resistance for chemical-intensive farmers and the pest management industry are significantly affected by pesticide costs, density dependence (growth rate of a pest population impacted by its density), and dominant genetic mutations that cause resistance, according to a novel study published in Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. Although the authors believe that integrated pest management (IPM) can be fine-tuned based on these findings, many advocates believe that these findings in fact underscore the importance of eliminating toxic pesticide use amidst compounding climate, biodiversity, and public health crisesâwhich many IPM strategies do not adequately address. As the costs of petrochemical-based pesticides increase, organisms identified as pests continue to increase in population density as global and regional temperatures dually increase. Organic agriculture, and organic land management principles more broadly, are an economically and ecologically advantageous leap ahead in transitioning to a food system that moves beyond the status quo that poisons people and the planet. âThis paper seeks to develop a better understanding of how the user costs of resistance are potentially determined by the interactions of heterogeneous bioeconomic factors that vary by context,â say the study authors. […]
Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, Pesticide Efficacy, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, May 3rd, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 3, 2024)Â Parkinsonâs disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world after Alzheimerâs. Genetic factors account for only a fraction of PD cases, and for decades scientists have been aware of associations between pesticide exposures and PD. Yet, not everyone exposed to pesticides gets PD. Consequently, neither the genetic nor the environmental hypothesis is fully satisfactory; both may be involved. Thus, there has been great interest in identifying gene variants that affect the risks of PD associated with pesticide exposure. Now a team of University of California at Los Angeles researchers led by neurologist Brent Fogel, MD, PhD has traced a connection between certain gene variants and the occurrence and severity of PD in a cohort of central California PD patients who have had long-term exposure to pesticides. The genes are related to autophagy, the process by which cells organize, degrade, recycle or eject molecules to maintain healthy chemical balance. Autophagy is an essential process throughout the body, including regulation of mitochondria, which are also vital for healthy cellular function. The study supports other research suggesting that autophagy is disturbed in neurodegenerative diseases. As Beyond Pesticides discussed in its April 19 Daily News, PD […]
Posted in arsenic, cacodylic acid, California, Carbamates, Farmworkers, Lewy Body Disease (LBD), Nervous System Effects, organoarsenic, organophosphate, Parkinson's, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, May 2nd, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, May 2, 2024) In the midst of a climate crisis and a lack of government recording of atmospheric measurements of sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2), a study of the estimated emissions of sulfuryl fluoride throughout the U.S. shows elevated levels being released in California. The study, performed by researchers from Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, University of Californiaâs Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationâs (NOAA) Global Monitoring Laboratory, uses measurements from the NOAA Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network and a geostatistical inverse model. Sulfuryl fluoride is a fluoride compound and pesticide used primarily for the extermination of drywood termites and beetlesâlinked to increased greenhouse gas emissions and having acute exposure consequencesâwith little data collected or reported on the amount of sulfuryl fluoride being used and released into the atmosphere. There is a long history of limited protections for the public centered around sulfuryl fluoride, with regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not addressing both dietary and nondietary exposure to fluoride compounds and the body burden this creates. With the dismissal of aggregate risk exposure, public health and safety and environmental sustainability are not prioritized. Organic alternatives have been left out of the conversation, […]
Posted in California, Climate Change, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fluoride, Pesticide Regulation, sulfuryl fluoride | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 1st, 2024
(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 âhigh riskâ 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 »
Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, April 30, 2024) Researchers found epigenetic changes, including changes relating to âDNA methylation, histone modification, and differential microRNA expression [which âcan alter the expression of many disease-related genesâ],â in a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature published in Environmental Epigenetics. âOur review did provide evidence that pesticide exposure could lead to epigenetic modifications, possibly altering global and gene-specific methylation levels, epigenome-wide methylation, and micro-RNA differential expression,â researchers share in the conclusion of the study. This study is an amalgamation of various studies on epigenetic changes based on a literature review process: âArticle review involved [3,529 articles found through] extensive searches across major human health databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, and BVS (Biblioteca Virtual em SaĂşde – the Latin American Health Database). Searches covered articles published through December 2020. Considering the diverse terminologies used to describe the same epigenetic mechanism in this field, the search strategy aimed to encompass all relevant articles by combining a variety of search terms in titles and abstracts. This approach was implemented across PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases to ensure comprehensive coverage.â Studies were not included if the participants were not considered âhealthy individualsâ or if the participants had âknown inherent/congenital or […]
Posted in Biomonitoring, Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Epigenetic, Poisoning, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 29th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2024)Â The contamination and poisoning left behind from wood treatment sites, resulting in hundreds of designated Superfund clean-up sites across the country, is the subject of an action by Beyond Pesticides after the release of yet another report criticizing the federal governmentâs inadequate response to the publicâs risk to âresidual contamination in the groundwater and soilâ by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). The report criticizes EPAâs weak response at the American Creosote Works Superfund site in Pensacola, FL, a problem that reflects the unending dangers of sites contaminated with persistent toxic chemicals associated with wood preservatives. The site was put on the Superfund priority list in 1983 and in 2017 it was estimated that the clean-up would cost $35.3 million. Just last year, EPA Administrator Michael Regan toured another Superfund Site contaminated with creosote and pledged the clean-up of that site, which affects a community of predominantly people of color. Tell EPA to cancel the registration of highly toxic wood preservatives, including creosote, chromated arsenicals, and copper compounds, and the U.S. Congress to ensure the prevention of future site contaminations. As long as dependency on toxic wood preservatives (used on utility […]
Posted in Children, Environmental Justice, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Inspector General, Uncategorized, Wood Preservatives | No Comments »
Friday, April 26th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, April 26, 2024) Researchers build on existing research when assessing the relationship between long-term exposure to organophosphorus pesticidesâwidely used in food production and homes and gardensâand the human gut microbiome. In a new study published in Environmental Health, an interdisciplinary research team from University of California, Los Angeles determined, âthat exposure to [organophosphorus pesticides] is associated with changes in the abundance of several bacterial groups and differential functional capacity in metabolic pathways supported by the human gut microbiome.â The study draws upon data from a âParkinsonâs, Environment and Gene study (PEG)â in which 190 participants were asked to submit fecal samples and answer interview questions. â[The study] was initially designed to investigate the etiology of Parkinsonâs disease (PD) and participants were recruited in two study waves [âover the full 10-year exposure windowâ]: 2001â2007 and 2012â2017. At baseline, [Parkinsonâs disease] patients were diagnosed within the past 5 years and randomly selected community controls were also recruited,â the research team shares in their Methodology section. âSince 2017, we invited previous study participants who could be contacted to enroll in a pilot study of the gut microbiome. In addition, we invited a household or community member of [Parkinsonâs] patients to participate.â […]
Posted in Biomonitoring, Chemicals, contamination, Disease/Health Effects, Microbiata, Microbiome, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, April 25th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2024) In a study from earlier this year, âPesticides: An alarming detrimental to health and environment,â scientists compiled research from 154 articles regarding pesticide use and the adverse effects they have on the environment and human health. Among the effects of the harmful pesticides described is genotoxicityâthe alteration of genetic material that results in the mutations in DNA that cause cancer. The authors state that âgenotoxins are mutagenic chemicals, and exposure to them increases the risk of developing tumors, hormonal changes, DNA damage, and changes in the ovaries and eggs, all of which leading to cancers… The risk of DNA damage surges with increased genotoxicity in people exposed to pesticides.â In addition, the National Institute of Health states that all âpesticides are highly biologically active chemicals. They may interact with DNA and damage its structure.â Despite these documented risks, pesticide use continues to surge. While phased out to a considerable extent after being widely used in agriculture and residential areas, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) like dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) or its breakdown compound dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) continue to show up as residues in the environment and food supply. Symptoms in humans that have been exposed to these chemicals include: seizures, […]
Posted in Cancer, Chemicals, Disease/Health Effects, Endocrine Disruption, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, organochlorines, organophosphate, Pesticide Regulation | No Comments »