Pesticide Drifts and Poor Health

Conventional farming uses many tactics to help ensure a quality harvest. Some practices are effective and safe, such as rotating crops so soils do not become overtaxed, but others, such as pesticide and herbicide use, are accepted and used heavily despite their known hazards. Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers are often found in drinking water, soil, and even human blood and breast milk samples. These chemicals tend to accumulate, and over time can reach toxic levels. Because of the length of time it takes for chemicals to build up in the environment or body, their negative effects on the environment and health can remain unknown for twenty or more years!

Pesticide exposure occurs in many different ways: the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe. Yes, even the air we breathe is at risk of pesticide pollution. One recent study done in an agricultural area near an elementary school in Hastings, Florida, showed worrisome results: over the eight day air monitoring study, three pesticides were detected in the air on most days.

The study took place from December 6-14, 2006 near South Woods Elementary School, located adjacent to Chinese cabbage fields. Three pesticides were found in the air samples: endosulfan, diazinon, and trifluralin.

Endosulfan is an insecticide that is used for cotton, potatoes, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. It is neurotoxic to insects and mammals and an endocrine disruptor. From 1987-1997, an estimated 1.38 million pounds of endosulfan were used each year. Symptoms of poisoning include hyperactivity, tremors, convulsions, staggering, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, and brain damage.

Diazinon is an insecticide used in fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It is a neurotoxin to insects and animals. An estimated 4-7 million pounds were used in 2001 alone. Poisoning symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, confusion, memory loss, and asthma, gestational diabetes, and cancer have also been linked to exposure.

Trifluralin is an herbicide used to control weeds in cotton, soybeans, peanuts, greens, peppers, tomatoes, and fruits. It is a "possible" carcinogen and studies have linked exposure to trifluralin to stomach cancer, birth defects, bladder tumors, and other cancers and tumors. In 2001, an estimated 12-16 million pounds were used.

Endosulfan and Diazinon are banned for residential use but are still being used in commercial farming. Trifluralin is still approved for lawn and golf course use.

Of the eight air samples taken near the elementary school in December 2006, 100% were above the limit of endosulfan, 88% were above the limit of diazinon, and 50% were above the limit for trifluralin. While these levels are not expected to cause symptoms of acute poisoning, they are above the guideline limits.
We can choose to eat organic produce to help limit our exposure to pesticides, and we can choose to filter our water with the hopes of reducing chemical exposure. Exposure to pesticides through breathing, however, is much more difficult to overcome. While we are getting our produce at lower prices due to these chemicals, what price are we really paying to save a few dollars?