6 Cautions about Pesticides and Herbicides

When you spray pesticides to kill garden or household critters, douse your lawn with chemical herbicides, or spray your dog for fleas, you’re also exposing your kids (and yourself) to these toxins. Think about it: These concoctions are designed to kill insects and weeds. Even if you use them as directed, they still have the potential to cause a wide range of health problems in people because of their toxicity. Here are six cautions and alarming thoughts:

1. No one guarantees the safety of pesticides. Just because a product is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t mean it’s safe.

2. Pesticides have been traditionally treated as “innocent until proven guilty” by regulatory authorities. A generation ago, pesticides were considered to be relatively safe and effective chemicals that produced significant benefits to society.

3. Many older pesticides have not been thoroughly tested by today’s standards. These pesticides are still commonly used even thought complete testing of these older pesticides will take at least another 10 years.

4. Most pesticides in use today have not been tested for their health effects on children. This is a major problem. Recent scientific studies involving laboratory animals show that many pesticides damage the developing brain and nervous system.

5. Certain types of pesticides mimic hormones. Scientists have discovered that some pesticides have the ability to mimic or compete with hormones (the chemicals in our body that trigger development and functioning.

6. Many herbicides are know, probable, or suspected carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals).

Read more: Nature, Health & Safety, Natural Pest Control

Adapted from Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World, by Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., and Mary Landrigan, M.P.A. Copyright (c) 2001 by Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., and Mary Landrigan, M.P.A. Reprinted by permission of Rodale Press.
Adapted from Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World, by Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., and Mary Landrigan, M.P.A. (Rodale Press, 2001).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michele W.

12:28PM PDT on May 16, 2012

Thank you

send a green star

Faith B.

8:43PM PDT on May 2, 2012

thank you for this article

Laurita W.

12:09PM PDT on May 2, 2012

Interesting how it is so difficult for Americans to realize that poison POISONS THINGS!!! Spreading poisons around your home and yard is insane. What in the world are they thinking?

KS G.

6:04AM PDT on May 2, 2012

Thanks for the article.

paul m.

5:21AM PDT on Apr 21, 2012

I don't use pesticides........

Virginia C.

1:39AM PST on Feb 24, 2011

People should be more careful using weed killer and realize the serious effects it can have on people around them, I have been effected twice in the last year with "Pulmonary irritation from weed killer" I ended up in Hospital last year with it, and in the last few days again I was effected by it at work.

Bon L.

5:10AM PST on Dec 5, 2010

Thanks for the info.

Rhonda Z.

2:20PM PDT on May 4, 2010

It is good to know that eating organic food can help, but people that live on a fixed income or have to watch every penny these days,may not be able to eat much organic food.

Darla G.

8:54AM PDT on May 3, 2010

note worthy

vijayan t.

2:14AM PDT on May 3, 2010

Effect of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides on human and animal health should be throughly studied by reputed research organisations without delay and the governments should take appropriate action on the basis of outcome of the studies to ensure that the present generation and the future generations lead a healthy life.The manufacturers of these chemicals should not be allowed to interfere in the decision making process of banning these chemicals for obvious reasons.