New Pesticide Research Report calls for sweeping policy changes in the US

Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), an organization of physicians and public health professionals, is releasing its pesticide research report calling for state and federal governments to institute new policies that will better protect the public from harmful exposures.

The report closely examines the health risks that pesticides pose to the general population and recommends policy changes to protect the public.

John Wargo, Ph.D. first author of the report said, "The entire global system of regulations and trade agreements rests on pesticide manufacturers' largely unproven claims of product effectiveness and pesticide safety.  The EPA is plainly guilty of neglect, failure to demand independent and complete testing prior to pesticide approval, and bowing to corporate and political pressure even when evidence of significant risk to human health is clear."

The history of pesticide use in the United States is a story of substituting one dangerous class of pesticides for another. Starting with metals like arsenic, then going to organochlorines which included DDT, Dieldrin, Lindane, and Chlordane and when that class of pesticides was proven unsafe industry substituted the next class of pesticides – organophosphates.

These are still in use today despite their causing numerous harmful health effects including nerve damage.

Professor Wargo continued, "Pesticides pose a special threat to the youngest in our population.  It is now well established that pesticide residues easily cross the placenta and expose developing human embryos and fetuses. Pesticides also cross the blood-brain barrier, giving additional evidence that pesticides circulate throughout human tissues."

David Brown, Sc.D., Public Health toxicologist said, "All pesticide testing prior to government approval is conducted one pesticide–at-a-time, while humans are exposed routinely to pesticide mixtures in foods and water, creating very significant uncertainty about the magnitude of the health risk posed by simply eating a normal diet."

This report includes recommendations that the Federal government should adopt to protect public health, as well as recommendations for states, towns and individuals.

Hugh Taylor, M.D., Chair of Yale's Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Yale University School of Medicine said, "Pregnant women should avoid using pesticides as pesticides have birth and reproductive health effects. Using organic methods will better protect your children, born and unborn, as well as your pets."

Nancy Alderman, MES, President of EHHI said, "EPA should require that the labeling on pesticide packaging be both in English and Spanish. Many of the pesticide applicators are Spanish speaking and it is critically important that they be able to read clearly the instructions and health warnings on the packaging."

It is clear from Professor Wargo's research that the U.S. has been far too lenient on which pesticides are allowed for use. Many graphs in the report show how many pesticides are banned in the European Union, Brazil and China, yet are still allowed in the U.S.

This report can be accessed at: https://www.ehhi.org/pesticides.php