Search Results
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, September 10, 2025) Published earlier this year, a review of over 1,700 studies in Nature Communications finds pesticides affect a diverse range of nontarget organisms and contribute to global biodiversity loss. The authors* reveal ânegative responses of the growth, reproduction, behaviour and other physiological biomarkers within terrestrial and aquatic systemsâ for nontarget plants, animals, and microorganisms. âTo our knowledge, there has been no systematic and overarching synthesis of how different types of pesticides affect the diversity of multiple non-target eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms across all trophic levels,â the researchers write. They continue, âFurthermore, current syntheses have not considered how the impacts of pesticides differ globally across climatic zones or for major mechanisms of exposure, such as those acting in aquatic or terrestrial environments.â In particular, pesticide regulatory risk assessments analyze a limited range of model species, including rats, zebrafish, clawed frogs, honeybees, and earthworms, among others. As such, they are unlikely to capture the variety of responses to pesticide exposure seen across the diversity of species and communities found in both managed and natural systems,â the authors state. *Authors include Beyond Pesticides 2023 National Forum speaker Dave Goulsonâsee the Daily News on his keynote address here. Research Results […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Beneficials, Biodiversity, DNA Damage, Fungicides, Herbicides, Nervous System Effects, Pesticide Mixtures, synergistic effects, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Monday, September 8th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, September 8, 2025) Beyond Pesticides today called on Congress to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to incorporate real world science into its evaluation of pesticide safety calculations by recognizing that daily exposure involves multiple chemicals and synergistic interactionsâ a magnified effect greater than the individual chemical effects added together. The organization cites numerous scientific studies that call public attention to this issue; that a realistic assessment of the human and environmental harm potentially caused by pesticides cannot be evaluated based on single-chemical, single-species tests. Given the numerous complexities associated with this type of assessment, the group points to organic land management in agriculture and residential areas as a more cost-effective approach, sending this message to Congress: EPA must consider the effects of pesticides in the context in which they are used and with reference to the organic alternative. A recent study, covered by Beyond Pesticides in its Daily News, found that the presence of Varroa mites in combination with the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid increases the risk of bee mortality and disrupts the larval gut microbiome. The study found synergy (a greater combined effect) between Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees, and imidacloprid. The findings were published last […]
Posted in Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), esfenvalerate, Imidacloprid, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Pollinators, synergistic effects, Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, August 26, 2025) A scientific review in Worldâs Poultry Science Journal highlights the adverse health effects on avian species from exposure to the widely used weed killer glyphosate (Roundupáľá´š) throughout the process of poultry production. The herbicide enters the poultry production system through residues in genetically engineered feed. An earlier article in Scientific Reports concludes that glyphosateâs (GLP) âwidespread application on feed crops leaves residues in the feed,â while residues are âfound to be common in conventional eggs acquired from grocery stores.â In analyzing the biochemical, toxicological, and ecological impacts of glyphosate on poultry, particularly chickens, the authors find a wide body of evidence linking glyphosate and its metabolite (breakdown product) aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) to debilitating hazards that extend beyond mortality. These sublethal effects include disruption of the gut microbiome and gastrointestinal disease; decreased productivity and diminished reproductive health; hepatic and kidney toxicity; growth and developmental impacts, including teratogenicity and embryotoxicity; endocrine disruption and oxidative stress; and impaired immune functions. The effects of glyphosate, as have long been documented in the scientific literature and covered by Beyond Pesticides here, range from negative impacts on biodiversity and the environment to food safety risks and human health implications. Residues of […]
Posted in aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), Birds, Cancer, contamination, Developmental Disorders, Endocrine Disruption, Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Herbicides, Intestinal Damage, Livestock, Microbiome, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, Reproductive Health | No Comments »
Friday, August 15th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, August 15, 2025) In analyzing the data present in an article in Data in Brief, concerning levels of pesticide biomarkers are present in the urine of adolescents and young adults that are linked to numerous health implications. The biomonitoring data, collected at two time points from participants in a longitudinal cohort study in the agricultural county of Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador, encompasses a total of 23 compounds used as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides and their associated metabolites (breakdown products), which include organophosphates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids. The results highlight the disproportionate risks to a Latin American population that occur as a result of living in areas with heavy chemical-intensive agriculture. âThis article presents urinary pesticide metabolite concentrations for 665 participants in the âStudy of Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Children, Adolescents, and Adultsâ (ESPINA), which were collected during two follow-up assessments,â the authors describe. The first sampling period from July to October 2016, referred to as Follow-up Year [FUY]-8b, includes 529 of the participants, while the second sampling period from July to September 2022 (FUY-14a) includes 505 of the participants. All participants are within the agricultural community of Pedro Moncayo. As the authors note, âThe ESPINA study aimed to include […]
Posted in 2,4-D, acetamiprid, Agriculture, Biomonitoring, Children, Chlorpyrifos, Clothianidin, Cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, DEET, Deltamethrin, Diazinon, fenpropathrin, Flumethrin, flupyradifurone, Glyphosate, Imidacloprid, International, lambda-cyhalothrin, Malathion, mancozeb, Maneb, Metabolites, neonicotinoids, Occupational Health, organophosphate, Parathion, Permethrin, pyrethroids, Repellent, Sulfoxaflor, Synthetic Pyrethroid, Synthetic Pyrethroids, thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, tralomethrin | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 30, 2025) The definition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as âforever chemicalsâ due to their persistence, continues to be debated in regulatory agencies, with many scientists arguing that certain types of chemicals in this vast group are not accurately captured in risk assessments. A wide body of science on the adverse health and environmental effects of PFAS exists, as these synthetic chemicals have become ubiquitous in nature, wildlife, and humans, as demonstrated by biomonitoring studies. Recent research, documented in a literature review in Environmental Science & Technology and additional articles, highlights the importance of a universal, cohesive definition of PFAS that incorporates all fluorinated compounds, including the long carbon chain PFOA (perfluorooactanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) as well as the ultrashort-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). In order to protect health and the environment from the ever-increasing threat of both long and short chain PFASâ adverse effects, including cancer, endocrine-disrupting effects, and immune system damage, a comprehensive definition of the compounds causing harm is critical to adequate protection and regulatory decisions. The multitude of sources of PFAS and various exposure routes leads to widespread contamination of the environment and organisms. PFAS in agriculture represents a […]
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Biomonitoring, Cancer, contamination, Drinking Water, Endocrine Disruption, Immunotoxicity, PFAS, Water | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 23, 2025) Attention turns to the U.S. Senate on legislation that (i) shields pesticide companies from lawsuits by those harmed from pesticide product use, (ii) limits statesâ authority to regulate pesticides, and (iii) prevents EPA from regulating PFASâafter passage in the House Appropriations Committee on July 22. The Senate Appropriations Committee meets tomorrow, July 24, to vote on language that has not yet been released to the public. Efforts by Democrats failed to strike sections 453, the shield provision, and 507, the PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) language, from the FY26 Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill. The same provisions could show up in the Senate Appropriations Bill. Beyond Pesticides is: Asking U.S. Senators to help stop Appropriations Bill provisions that strip farmers and consumers from suing for pesticide harm, ensuring that language in House Appropriations Bill, Sections 453 and 507, not be included in the Senate bill.âŻ*If Senator is on the Appropriations Committee, the letter submitted will automatically adjust the language by recognizing their Committee membership. The Need for Court Action in the Face of EPA Dismantling With the massive dismantling of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs by the current administration, the appropriations bill provision limits court oversight, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Failure to Warn, Litigation, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, PFAS, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Monday, July 21st, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 21, 2025) Beyond Pesticides is asking every member of the U.S. Representatives to voice their opposition in advance of a vote as early as Tuesday, July 22 on a provision before the House Appropriations Committeeâin the Interior-Environment Appropriations Billâthat shields pesticide companies from lawsuits by those harmed from pesticide product use and limits statesâ authority to regulate pesticides. This is a fight to protect farmers’ and consumers’ right to sue pesticide manufacturers for misbranding products and their failure to warn product users. The language before the Committee is in Section 453 of the bill passed last week by the subcommittee on a straight party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the bill language. Beyond Pesticides is also asking Congress members to remove section 507, which prohibits EPA action on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), including fluorinated pesticides. Update from July 21, 2025, at 4 PM: ⏰ Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) moved forward with amendments to strike sections 453 and 507 of the FY26 Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill, which is a provision that provides immunity for pesticide manufacturers from farmer and consumer lawsuits seeking compensation from product harm. Update from July 23, 2025, at 10 AM: The FY26 Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill passed out of […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bayer, Cancer, Chem-China, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Failure to Warn, Glyphosate, Litigation, Monsanto, Parkinson's, Preemption, Take Action, Uncategorized | 12 Comments »
Friday, July 18th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 18, 2025) A study in Royal Society Open Science shows intraspecific differences (between individuals of a species) in wild bumblebees (Bombus vosnesenskii) exposed to an herbicide (glyphosate), a fungicide (tebuconazole), and an insecticide (imidacloprid), with gut microbiome health as a factor. âWild pollinator declines are increasingly linked to pesticide exposure, yet it is unclear how intraspecific differences contribute to observed variation in sensitivity, and the role gut microbes play in the sensitivity of wild bees is largely unexplored,â the authors explain. âHere, we investigate site-level differences in survival and microbiome structure of a wild bumble bee exposed to multiple pesticides, both individually and in combination.â In collecting 175 individuals of this wild, foraging species from an alpine meadow, a valley lake shoreline, and a suburban park and exposing them to a diet with individual pesticides and mixtures, the researchers assess the varying lethal and sublethal effects that can occur with pesticide exposure. Between the three sites, the survival differences âemphasize the importance of considering population of origin when studying pesticide toxicity of wild beesâ and highlight how pesticide sensitivity not only varies between species but within individuals of the same species with site-specific impacts. (See previous Daily […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Glyphosate, Imidacloprid, Microbiome, Nevada, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, Pollinators, synergistic effects, tebuconazole, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Thursday, July 17th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 17, 2025) The widespread use of pesticides year-after-year, decade-after-decade, has been found to lead to unintended consequences not only for public health but also for broader ecosystem stability and biodiversity. These impacts include potential nontarget harm through adverse developmental and reproductive effects on the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the subject of a peer-reviewed study in Royal Society Open Science. The authors, who studied the organochlorine fungicide chlorothalonil, conclude, âChlorothalonil exposure decreases larval survival, extends developmental duration and reduces fecundity.â âEven at the lowest tested concentration, chlorothalonil exposure resulted in reduced body weight, ovariole count and egg production compared with non-exposed individuals,â the researchers find. This study builds upon years of scientific research findings and critiques of existing federal pesticide law, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyâs (EPA) failure to fully assess the adverse impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem stability during the pesticide registration review process. Methodology and Background The goal of this study is to evaluate the health impacts on a nontarget insect species (Drosophila melanogaster) from chronic exposure to chlorothalonil. This specific fungicide was chosen for various reasons, including its wide use across cereals, vegetables, and fruits; evidence linked to adverse health effects on […]
Posted in Biodiversity, Chlorothalonil, Drift, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fungicides, Pesticide Drift, Pollinators, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, July 10th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 10, 2025) A study in People and Nature, with the goal of better understanding the social acceptability of introduced species management (ISM), often labeled âinvasive species,â in the U.S., âconducted an online experiment with vignettes describing hypothetical but realistic ISM scenarios, varying targeted taxon (insect or plant), control method (mechanical, chemical and biological), risk severity (low and high) and type of non-target risk (to humans or native species).â This study highlights the debate on defining âinvasiveâ species, as well as the low levels of acceptability by the general public for chemical controls such as pesticides. In addition, as pesticide hazards increase, the authors note that the responses show acceptance for only mechanical controls that incorporate manual removal of species, such as through pulling, cutting, clipping, or mowing. âSurprisingly, there was no significant difference in how respondents ranked risks to people and risks to native species,â the researchers report. This shows the values placed on both human health and biodiversity and âhighlight[s] the need for evidence-guided ISM, which includes evidence of harmful impacts of introduced species, as well as risks and benefits of management activities, as one potential way to increase the social acceptability of non-native species management.â […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Disease/Health Effects, Goats, Invasive Species, Lawns/Landscapes, Pesticide Regulation, Pests | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, July 8, 2025) A commentary published in Science of The Total Environment showcases the occupational and environmental exposure pathways of fossil-fuel-based pesticide and fertilizer products that children across the globe face, particularly in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries. The authors underscore âthe urgent need for multi-level systemic change, resilient health systems, and active stakeholder engagement,â which includes âsupport for safer and more sustainable agricultural practices.â This includes specific asks for governments âto offer technical assistance to producers and encourage organic and agroecological practices to ensure both environmental justice and food security.â Organic food systems, and criteria for land management systems more broadly, are critical to addressing the triple crises of biodiversity loss, public health collapse, and climate emergency. Organic law, as defined in the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1991, is designed as a participatory process with accountability and transparency integral to the statutory language. The law creates the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), comprised of farmers, consumers, and conservation organizations, a scientific expert, an organic certifier, and a retailer with the statutory authority to adopt binding recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Simultaneously, the public […]
Posted in Children, Children/Schools, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, International, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Occupational Health, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 25th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, June 25, 2025) A United Kingdom (UK) study, published in May by the Womenâs Environmental Network (Wen) and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK, is reporting levels of the herbicide glyphosateâa probable human carcinogen that is also linked to Parkinsonâs diseaseâin tampons at concentrations 40 times higher than the legal drinking water limit. This finding highlights the serious public health threats that result from under-regulated period products, given that 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate monthly, according to UNICEF.  The report raises fundamental concerns about the harm to womenâs health associated with toxic chemical exposure. For tampon users, the vaginal route of exposure bypasses detoxification with a significantly higher absorption rate than skin. In addition, health concerns extend to ongoing chronic toxic chemical exposures to women worldwide working in cotton production and living in nearby communities. Methodology To investigate whether menstrual products contain harmful pesticide residues and whether current safety standards adequately control the risk of vaginal exposure, study researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons directly bought from UK supermarkets. These boxes were sent to an external laboratory for testing that looks for the presence of glyphosate and its breakdown product amionomethylphosphoric acid (AMPA) in the cotton material used to […]
Posted in aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), endometriosis, Glyphosate, Herbicides, PCOS, Reproductive Health, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, June 24, 2025) As changes in the executive branch of the federal government upend expectations among environmental stakeholders, the regulation of food safety in the United States is being revealed as a rickety structure built over a century with unpredictable and sometimes contradictory additions, extensions, remodels, and tear-downs. In the short term, clarity is unavailable, but there have been calls for revision and strengthening of regulatory processesârequiring lawmaker and regulator willingness to incorporate the vast body of evidence that pesticides do far more harm than good, and that organic regenerative agriculture is the surest path to human and ecological health. News reports out of Costa Rica in May brought public attention to drafted legislation to ban pesticides in the country that the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined as âextremely or highly hazardous, or those with evidence of causing cancer, genetic mutations, or affecting reproduction, according to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).â The headline sparked a relook in this Daily News at the current and historical failure of U.S. policy, which allows cancer-causing pesticides in food production and land management, despite the booming success of a cost-effective and productive, certified organic sector for which petrochemical pesticides are not […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Breast Cancer, Cancer, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Immunotoxicity, multi-generational effects, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, synergistic effects, Uncategorized, World Health Organization | No Comments »
Monday, June 23rd, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, June 23, 2025) At the close of National Pollinator week, Beyond Pesticides says in an action that all speciesâand their ecosystemâare threatened by the failure of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to perform its statutory duties under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under FIFRA, EPA is required to register pesticides only when they pose no âunreasonable risk to man [sic] or the environment, taking into account the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits.â Under ESA, EPA must, like all federal agencies, âseek to conserve endangered species and threatened species and shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the purposesâ of the ESAâwhich are âto provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered species and threatened species, and to take such steps as may be appropriate to achieve the purposes of the treaties and conventionsâ through which âthe United States has pledged itself as a sovereign state in the international community to conserve to the extent practicable the various species of fish or wildlife and plants facing extinction.â In this context, Beyond Pesticides […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Birds, Children, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pesticide Regulation, Pollinators, Take Action, Uncategorized, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Friday, May 30th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 30, 2025) The Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report, Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment, published on May 23, drew criticism from the pesticide industry and agribusiness allies for pointing to independent science that identifies a range of pesticide-induced health hazards.* The Commission, chaired by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is composed of the heads of numerous agencies of the federal government and the White House, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller. The MAHA Commission was established by Executive Order 14212 on February 13, 2025. Despite extensive citations to the science on pesticide hazards, the report includes a section on âCrop Protection Tools,â in which there is a repetition of chemical industry talking points that pesticide residues in food comply with existing tolerances, thus implying that pesticides in food are safe. (See USDA Pesticide Data Program Continues to Mislead the Public on Pesticide Residue Exposure.) However, overall the reportâs introduction sets a tone that seeks to catalogue […]
Posted in Atrazine, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Children, Children/Schools, Chlorpyrifos, Corporations, Corteva, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farm Bill, Farmworkers, Federal Agencies, Glyphosate, Label Claims, Pesticide Mixtures, Preemption, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »
Thursday, May 22nd, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 22, 2025) A medical study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that âliving within 1 mile of a golf course was associated with 126% increased odds of developing PD [Parkinsonâs Disease] compared with individuals living more than 6 miles away from a golf course.â While organic land management offers a simple solution, current pesticide restrictions do not address chronic neurological diseases such as Parkinsonâs Disease, which are linked to pesticide exposure. It has become increasingly clear that viable and cost-effective land management practices, including for golf course management, are critical to the protection of community health. Yet, the federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), do not conduct an alternative practices assessment as part of their review process to determine whether the risks are âreasonableâ (statutory language) or the risk assessments accept an unnecessary hazard. The complexity of pesticide exposure, which includes mixtures of multiple chemicals and undisclosed hazardous âinertâ ingredients, raises broad questions about the threats to public health as well as biodiversity. See a recent Action of the Week, FDA Must Establish Tolerances for Pesticides Used in Mixtures, to see […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Chlorpyrifos, Disease/Health Effects, Drift, Golf, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Pesticide Drift, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, May 21st, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 21, 2025) An assessment of the fire hazards of four herbicide products in Science of The Total Environment finds high fire and toxic gas emission risk, particularly in 2,4-D-based weed killer products. The authors note that âInert [nondisclosed] ingredients significantly influence flammability and toxic gas generation in fires,â and the combustion of these products âreleases hazardous gases and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.â These results highlight the fire hazards associated with herbicides, as well as the emission of hazardous substances into the atmosphere, which can threaten environmental and public health.  The authors summarize: â[T]he aim of this work is to raise awareness of the fire hazards posed by the storage of pesticides and what effect the âinertâ substances in them have. In the past, large fires have occurred around the world, e.g., in Basel (1986), Arkansas (1998), and in Eastern Virginia at the Bayer CropScience plant (2008). It is important to note that in addition to large factories and warehouses, fires can affect small crop protection product stores and local wholesalers.â (See related coverage on the 2023 train derailment, fire, and subsequent release of chemicals here.) The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 344,600 residential building fires nationally, based on […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Glyphosate, Groundwater, Occupational Health, Pesticide Mixtures, Volatile Organic Compounds | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 15th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2025) The United Nationsâ Conference of Parties (COP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), originally adopted by 128 countries in 2001, voted to move the highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, linked to brain damage in children, to Annex A (Elimination) with exemptions on a range of crops, control for ticks for cattle, and wood preservation, according to the POPs Review Committee. The exemptions drew criticism from groups seeking to eliminate chlorpyrifos without exemptions, as had been originally proposed. In the world of pesticide restrictions, this POPs classification marks a step forward in the international regulation of chlorpyrifos, as the U.S. sits on the sidelines. The long effort to ban this one hazardous pesticide, as important as the action is, serves as a reminder of the limitations of a whack-a-mole approach to chemical regulation of the thousands of toxic products poisoning people and the planet, filled with compromises to public health and the environmentâwhile alternative practices and materials are available to meet productivity, profitability, and quality of life goals. According to Down to Earth, the 18 specific crop and use exemptions include the following: Barley (termites), Cabbage (diamondback moth), Cacao (cacao-mosquitoes and cacao pod […]
Posted in Chlorpyrifos, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), International, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 13th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2025) A study in Environmental Pollution examines ecological and health risks in farmland soil with pesticide contamination. âAlthough agricultural soil pesticide residues have long threatened the environment, a relatively complete system for evaluating their health and ecological risks has not yet been developed,â the authors state. In addressing this research gap, the study finds that âmore than ten pesticides were detected in 98.62% of the soil samples, which changed the soil environmentâ and threatens the health of the soil microbiome. The authors continue, âThis study investigated the correlation between pesticide residue risks and soil ecological security and human health, revealed the response characteristics of soil microbial communities under pesticide stress, and identified microbes strongly related to pesticide ecological risks.â Pesticides, as the authors emphasize, âinevitably pollute agricultural soil, affect the ecological environment, and pose a threat to human health.â (See studies here, here, and here.) With this in mind, they assess 50 selected pesticides in 145 soil samples from agricultural land in Zhejiang Province, China and calculate the associated risks to ecosystems and public health. In describing the importance of this research, the authors explain: âPesticides are prone to leakage and drift in environmental media, turning […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bifenthrin, Biodiversity, Cancer, Chlorpyrifos, Ecosystem Services, Imidacloprid, indoxacarb, Microbiome, Pesticide Mixtures, soil health | No Comments »
Thursday, May 8th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, assesses the impacts on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with subacute and chronic exposure to thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and finds genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in tissue structure, among other threats to organ function and overall fish health. âThe study focused on biochemical markers, genetic damage, pesticide residue levels in fish flesh, and histopathological changes in fish exposed to different concentrations of thiamethoxam,â the authors state. The threats do not end there; human health is also at risk from the consumption of these contaminated fish. âUnfortunately, neonicotinoids, rapidly washed into surface water from agricultural areas, pose a significant threat to environmental water quality and can harm non-target species, particularly aquatic organisms,â the researchers state. The accumulation of these chemicals leads to âultimately harming both aquatic ecosystems and human health,â they say. In particular, the study highlights that prolonged exposure to high doses of thiamethoxam can cause âsignificant negative effects on fish health,â the authors note. They continue: âThis exposure led to increased levels of urea and ALT [alanine aminotransferase] in the blood, indicating potential damage to the kidneys and liver. Additionally, thiamethoxam caused oxidative stress, as evidenced […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, fish, Kidney failure, Liver Damage, neonicotinoids, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Residues, Thiamethoxam, Water | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 6th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, May 6, 2025) A study in Ecology Letters finds âsevere degradation of ecosystem functioning in the form of loss of organic matter consumption and dramatic shifts in primary productivity,â the researchers state, after performing an experiment with â36 naturally established freshwater ecosystems exposed to increasing field-realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid.â Aquatic communities contribute to overall biodiversity and are crucial in maintaining healthy ecosystems; without them, the entire food web and vital ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, water filtration, and climate regulation, are threatened. As the authors reference, there is a current unprecedented decline in biodiversity that can be attributed to anthropogenic impacts. A multitude of studies connect pesticides, and more specifically neonicotinoid insecticides, to impacts on aquatic ecosystems. (See studies here and here.) âSince the community of organisms locally present is responsible for the functioning of the local ecosystems,â the researchers begin, âthis begs the question: do neonicotinoid-induced shifts in community composition result in a degradation of ecosystem functioning?â Previous research finds that neonicotinoids can âimpede several freshwater ecosystem processes such as organic matter (âOMâ) decomposition, primary production or biomass transfer to neighbouring ecosystems,â the authors say. (See studies here, here, and here.) They continue: âHowever, […]
Posted in Aquatic Organisms, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), European Union, neonicotinoids, thiacloprid | No Comments »
Friday, April 25th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, April 25, 2025) A novel study in Chemosphere finds impacts on male fertility in a bee species (Osmia bicornis) with exposure to sulfoxaflor, a systemic sulfoximine insecticide with similar mechanisms to neonicotinoids. âFor the first time, we demonstrate that short-term chronic, field-realistic exposure to a common pesticide reduced pre-copulatory display (36%) and sounds (27%) [courtship behaviors], increased the number of copulations (+110%) and the mating duration (+166%), while finally reducing sperm quantity (25%) and mating success (43%),â the researchers report. They continue, âOur research raises considerable concern on the impact of field-realistic, low sublethal pesticide levels on the fertility and reproductive success of pollinators.â Mating behaviors and the ability to successfully reproduce determines the survival of species. As the authors state: âMating disorders may therefore contribute to the recent decline in insect and pollinators’ health worldwide. While the impact of pesticides on pollinators is widely considered as a driving factor for reducing pollinators’ health, their effect on mating behaviour and male fertility remains widely overlooked.â The red mason bee (O. bicornis) can âprovide essential pollination service for both crops and wild plants sustaining food production and biodiversity while serving as a bioindicator of environmental health.â The abundance and […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Clothianidin, fenbuconazole, men's health, Oxidative Stress, Pesticide Mixtures, Pollinators, Reproductive Health, Sulfoxaflor, Thiamethoxam | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinsonâs disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. âGiven the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,â the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinsonâs and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. âHereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinsonâs disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinsonâs disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,â the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as âthe appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of the disease,â the researchers note. The […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Atrazine, behavioral and cognitive effects, Brain Effects, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, Dichlorvos, Dieldrin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Malathion, mancozeb, Maneb, Nervous System Effects, Oxidative Stress, Paraquat, Parkinson's, Pesticide Mixtures, Rotenone | No Comments »