http://www.care2.com/greenliving/pesticide-cautions.html
Six Cautions about Pesticides and Herbicides
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).
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).
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60 comments
add your comment »Makes organic food look that much better.
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One should be fully aware of how one uses pesticides during the day.
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The information was informative and I'm going to take action.
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By reading articles on the Care2 website, I have been able to control poison ivy, slugs, ants and many, many indoor and outdoor pests so I do not need or want harmful pesticides!! Thank you for green living!
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I've never used pesticides or herbicides at all. I think though my front yard was treated with weed killer or something but not by me. I'll just pull them up
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oh so thats y my garden is dying and my grass isn't green. well ill be sure to take SAFE actions!
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Gale, I am so sorry you struggle with weakened immune system. I too have problems due to toxins (medical industry) Although is documented people do not take my request for precaution seriously. There is a strong denial about these issues. They continue to spray this stuff knowning it can make someone sick, bedridden due to chronic fatigue and muscle pain, swollen tender joints and flu like symptoms which I manage every day for life and certainly would appreciate holding off on the additional shots of chems, I had an overload already it seems ~my allergies are unleashed. Best wishes Gale I am sorry for anyone whose immune system has been compromised and wish we had support for measures to self protect in our homes, at least.
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I often donot use the Pesticides and Herbicides, when I find the worms and weeds I use my hands to comb them. But facing the mosquito, I use the anti-mosquito incense, it seems that I must use mosquito net since today.
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Back in 1994, I came down with what I thought was the 'flu' in the first week of June...after visiting the doctor and returning home, I received a phone call telling me that I needed to report in at the hospital for additional tests, they thought I had leukemia, I was in the hospital for a month, and still had no diagnosis...somehow my blood marrow had been damaged and the doctors told me that my immune system was basically gone...one of the main things that they warned me to stay AWAY from was any kind of pesticide, herbicide, etc...if you have a weakened immune system, please be aware that these things can hurt you worse...
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There are too many things that come on the market only to be removed when it is proved that they are not safe. DDT is a excellent example. Also, the damage done by Agent Orange in Vietnam will probably never be completely understood.
If we wait for the government to tell us what is okay to use, we put ourselves in peril. Things that worked decades ago will work today ~ and probably work better!
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