Ten Reasons Not to

Use Pesticides

April, 2009

1. Pesticides don’t solve pest problems.

If pesticides really solved pest problems, we wouldn’t use them repeatedly.

0 0.5 1 1.5Billions of pounds of pesticides used per year

1980s

1990s

recently

Solving a pest problem means changing the conditions that allow a pest to thrive.

2. Pesticides are hazardous to human health.

Use of cancer-causing pesticides:

300 million pounds per year(as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Use of pesticides that cause reproductive problems like miscarriages and reduced fertility:

150 million pounds per year(based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data)

3. Pesticides cause special problems for children.

For their size, children drink more water and eat more food than adults do. Their play exposes them to pesticides.

Children are growing and developing.

4. Pesticides often contaminate food.

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing Service. Science and Technology Programs. 2008. Pesticide Data Program: Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2007. www.ams.usda.gov/pdp.

Common fruits and vegetables are often contaminated with pesticides.

Pesticide surprises: peaches and potatoes (frozen)

5. Pesticides are particularly hazardous for farmers and farmworkers.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are between 10 and 20 thousand pesticide-related illnesses among farmers and farmworkers each year.

For example, a government study found farmers who used pesticides were more likely to develop diabetes than other farmers.

M. P. Montgomery et al. 2008. Incident Diabetes and Pesticide Exposure among Licensed Pesticide Applicators: Agricultural Health Study, 1993–2003. American Journal of Epidemiology 167(10): 1235-1246. http://www.aghealth.org/publications.html.

6. Pesticides are hazardous to pets.

The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported over 30,000 pesticide-poisoned pets in a single year.

American Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 2005. Exposure to human medications No. 1 reason for 95,000 calls to ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. http://www.aspca.org/

Use of lawn-care herbicides is associated with an increased risk of pet cancer.

Glickman, L.T. et al. 2004. Herbicide exposure and the risk of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in Scottish Terriers. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 24:1290-1297.

0

1

2

3

4

Risk of cancer

Unexposed Exposed

7. Pesticides contaminate water and air.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national monitoring program found 35 pesticides in drinking water samples. Four pesticides were found in more than 40 percent of the samples.

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing Service. Science and Technology Programs. 2008. Pesticide Data Program: Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2007. www.ams.usda.gov/pdp.

The U.S. Geological Survey found pesticides in 90-100 percent of the rivers and streams the agency tested.

Gilliom, R.J. et al. 2006. The quality of our nation’s waters: Pesticides in the nation’s streams and ground water, 1992-2001: U.S. Geological SurveyCircular 1291.

8. Pesticides are hazardous to fish and birds.

Use of pesticides that the U.S. Geological Survey says kill fish in tiny amounts: 100 million pounds per year.

Munn, M.D. and R.J. Gilliom. 2001. Pesticide toxicity index for freshwater aquatic organisms. U.S. Geological Survey: Water-Reources InvestigationsReport 01-4077. http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri014077/.

Rachel Carson

author of Silent Spring

9. Pesticide health and safety testing is conducted by pesticide manufacturers.

Who profits from the sale of pesticides?

Who tests pesticides?

10. Pesticides have too many secrets.

caroline@ceh.org